Red Carpet Roundup: Pre-Oscars Award Season Looks from January 2024

Well, it’s official! Award Season is here, and with it come a ton of red-carpet events and Hollywood fashion. Most of us don’t pay a whole lot of attention to the smaller (read: pre-Oscars) awards, but celebs do. And they’re hitting the galas dressed to the nines, which means there’s plenty of fashion policing to do. After all, I’ll happily critique from the comfort of my *super stylish* sweatpants.

This week, there were three notable events: the Governors Awards (Jan. 9), the National Board of Review Awards Gala (Jan. 11) and the AFI Awards Luncheon (Jan. 12).

Let’s dive right in, shall we? Here’s my latest red-carpet roundup!

Governors Awards 2024

First up, the Governors Awards, which took place on January 9 and were hosted by comedian John Mulaney. (Who, by the way, did a much better job than Jo Koy.)

This is arguably one of the most important pre-Oscars events in the industry. It’s presented by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the same organization responsible for handing out Oscars. In fact, several honorary Oscars are given at the Governors Awards, so although it’s not televised, people tend to pay at least a little attention to it.

Although they’re not televised, they are recorded and many people tune in the next day to watch highlight clips. People also tune in to the red-carpet because, often, the stars really deliver!

Top Red-Carpet Trends

As always, there were some common themes among the attendees that I couldn’t help but notice. (Celebrity fashion does tend to influence what becomes popular.)

Here are the top red-carpet trends from the 2024 Governors Awards.

Millennial Pink

So far, 2024 seems to be declaring Barbie Pink out and Millennial Pink in! Personally, I LOVE the soft, pale pink way more than bold, bright Barbie-esque shades. Hot pink is just so much more difficult to do right. Millennial pink, on the other hand, can look both feminine and fierce.

VERDICT: While the color is a Hell Yes! for me, the execution here was somewhat disappointing.

Ariana DeBose looks beautiful, but the dress is just OK. Something about it just looks a bit… messy. Emma Stone, however. (*sigh) Listen, I LOVE Emma Stone, and normally she kills it on the red carpet. But this dress just ain’t it. (I know I’m in the minority on this one, but she looks uncomfortable!) The only one who actually looks amazing here is Florence.

WINNER: Florence Pugh (Obviously)

Bejeweled Black

One of the biggest trends on this red carpet was slinky black gowns with a bejeweled neckline.

Plenty of stars wear black on the red carpet – after all, it’s a universally flattering color! What was surprising here, though, was just how similar these dresses look!

VERDICT: Simple, chic, and a little bit sexy. This one is FIRE. All three of these actresses look gorgeous here.

I love the cutouts on Margot Robbie’s dress. Emily Blunt’s gown is almost too much with the neckline, but she manages to make it look elegant rather than obnoxious. And Natalie Portman looks like a modernized version of Old Hollywood Glamour.

WINNER: Natalie Portman, but it was close.

Green with Envy

Taylor Swift wore green at the 2024 Golden Globes earlier this month. So, does it surprise anyone that suddenly green was a common color on the carpet?

Yeah, me either.

VERDICT: Green, especially bold, bright shades, isn’t always an easy color to wear. But when done well, it’s striking.

Tia Carrere went with a dark, rich emerald shade and it definitely worked. Eva Longoria took a risk and went with a pea green shade. Honestly, this is just about the least flattering shade of green out there, so kudos to her for not only pulling it off but ROCKING it. Shailene Woodley also took a risk here – her gown featured a mint green corset top paired with a flared lime green skirt. It’s not my favorite look, but I can appreciate the fashion aspect of it.

WINNER: Eva Longoria, by a mile.

Soft Yellow

OK, most of the time, I’m not surprised by the trending color choices at red carpet events, but this one took me off guard. Several stars opted for a soft, buttery yellow gown at the Governors Awards.

VERDICT: Not my favorite, but definitely brings a breath of fresh air to carpets overrun with black gowns.

Juliette Binoche opted for a satin Prada gown in soft, lemon yellow. The embroidered neckline also adds an extra pop of color to an otherwise boring dress. In fact, without that detail, this would probably be on my Worst Dressed list. As it stands, it’s firmly in the mediocre column.

Ayo Edebiri chose a buttery yellow gown for the evening and, although it it has a certain amount of simple elegance, it’s underwhelming. Cailee Spaeny wore a pale, cream yellow cut-out dress with a crystal bow. Very chic and stylish.

WINNER: Cailee Spaeney, of course.

So Much Sparkles

Once again, we’ve got an awards show wear the stars are covered in sparkles!

VERDICT: I’m all for the sparkly gowns! This is a black tie event, after all. And I like it when celebs embrace their stardom with a dress that shines as much as they do.

Claire Foy wore a sparkly black (or dark grey?) gown with tulle sleeves. Unpopular opinion, but I was fine with the tulle! I thought it gave the gown some edge. Angela Bassett leaned into the nude color trend with this bedazzled, fishtail dress. As always, Julianne Moore knows how to rock a red carpet. She looks so elegant in this silver, sequined gown.

WINNER: Angela Bassett, but they’re all fabulous!

Black, White, and Structured

Two of the most popular color choices on the red carpet are black and white, and at the Governors Awards, several stars chose to don both. What really stood out, here, though, is how these gowns all had some type of structural element at play, making them a bit more fashion-forward.

VERDICT: Love, love, love this trend. Did I mention that I love it?

Carey Mulligan continues to wow on the red carpet with her choices. She takes a sleek, simple black gown to the next level with a dramatic shoulder/neckline and I am absolutely here for it. Fantasia chose an equally stunning dress with a flaired rosette detail at the waistline.

The only one who was almost a miss was Ava DuVernay. The dress is beautiful, but she looks a little like she’s wearing arm floaties. Still, she managed to pull it off so props to her!

WINNER: Carey Mulligan

Bridal Couture

Unsurprisingly, plenty of stars chose to wear white satin gowns or white lacey dresses. There’s a way to wear white without looking like a bride, but that wasn’t the case on this carpet.

VERDICT: It’s gonna be a no for me, dog.

Cara Jade Myers and Penelope Cruz both leaned into the white lace trend a little too hard. At least Penelope’s dress had a slightly interested top, but the end result still left her looking like a wedding cake. Olivia Munn went the other way, with a sleek, satin two-piece gown. Not only is it boring, it seems a bit wrinkled, which makes her look like a bride who partied too hard at the reception and slept in her wedding dress.

WINNER: Everyone loses, here. Sorry.

Bold Red

Last but not least, it wouldn’t be a red carpet without bold, red gowns!

VERDICT: Red is always a striking choice, especially when the gown in question is well-designed.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph wore a curve-hugging gown with an element of texture – very regal! Rosamund Pike’s dress featured a mix of pink and red roses, all 3D, which made for a super unique gown. And Greta Lee chose a straightforward, fire-engine red structured gown that looked futuristic and edgy.

WINNER: Greta Lee

National Board of Review Gala

Next up, we’ve got the National Board of Review Awards Gala which occurred on January 11. Here are some of my favorite red carpet looks from the event.

Top Trend: Black with Sparkle

Black gowns with some sparkle was easily the biggest trend of the night. Unlike some of the other shows, these gowns weren’t quite as glittery and over-the-top. Instead, most of them had subtle sparkles for an elegant and sophisticated feel.

Best Dressed

I absolutely adored the shimmery plum corset gown worn by Jessica Chastain. Not only did she stand out in a sea of black and white, she looked like a Disney princess but with some sex appeal. 10/10 for this one.

Elizabeth Olsen also managed to stand out, despite wearing black and white. The fitted, structural white jacket paired with a velvet black skirt was unique and fashionable.

Finally, Zazie Beetz. I may be in the minority with this one, but she was one of my favorites. She wore an outfit complete with an oversized jacket, a bandeau top, baggy pants, and a muddy brown color. Taken apart, NONE of these are flattering elements to a red-carpet event. But there’s something about her look that’s giving effortlessly cool and chic and I love it!

AFI Awards Luncheon

Last but not least, we’ve got the AFI Awards Luncheon on January 12. To be honest, I’m not sure why this event is so important when it comes to Oscar campaigning. But given how many A-listers showed up, it’s clearly a Big Deal.

Trend: Cream Colored Pantsuits

Pantsuits were especially popular for this red carpet. Given that it’s a daytime event, that’s actually not surprising, but so many of the attendees wore it in cream or white!

Once again, Florence Pugh is the standout for me.

Trend: Cute on the Carpet

As a luncheon, the AFI event was inherently more casual than some of the other red carpets out there. So, it wasn’t surprising to see so many stars wearing cute, somewhat casual gowns.

I love that both Reese Witherspoon and Natalie Portman wore floral, ankle length dresses. But Emma Stone is my favorite here – the white blouse and black pants would have looked chic no matter what, but the polka-dot detailing on the waist really added some flair!

Trend: Cool on the Carpet

I love it when stars show up wearing something kind of cool and edgy. Natasha Lyonne rocked fire-engine red hair and a dark blue velvet dress. Her whole vibe just screamed Rockstar.

Sarah Snook and Selena Gomez both wore what I’m calling CEO-chic. Black pants, a strapless black top, and a blazer. While they both look amazing, my favorite is Selena Gomez. It’s a different look for her and I’m here for it!

Trend: Cute and Cool

Finally, some celebs went for a unique blend of both cool and cute. I have mixed feelings about Margot Robbie’s outfit – there are elements I love and elements that don’t quite do it for me. But, she does look amazing so I’m considering it a hit.

Abby Elliot paired a cute, sparkly black dress with a blazer which I absolutely love. Then, there’s Carey Mulligan who – it would appear – can do no wrong fashion wise. Obviously, Carey Mulligan is my favorite here.

What are your thoughts on the Pre-Oscars Awards Season Looks so far? Let me know in the comments down below!