It was one of the most anticipated awards events in years.
The 81st Golden Globes, which took place on Jan. 7 in Los Angeles, was also the first major event in 2024 after months-long writers’ and actors’ strikes in 2023 caused every major ceremony to be either canceled or rescheduled in the second half of last year. It was also the first test of the now privately owned nonprofit, which has famously been known as Hollywood’s most raucous party due to its liberal alcohol consumption and dearth of food.
All that anticipation meant there was a lot of pent-up energy that went into getting the stars dressed up for the evening and an equal amount of pregaming from consumers. The fashion industry was also focused on predicting the night’s biggest looks. There were also a lot of eyes on these outfits. On YouTube, the Official Golden Globes Pre-Show presented by Variety and Entertainment Tonight had 380,428 views, and Entertainment Tonight has previously estimated that its red carpet coverage generates “1.2 billion monthly impressions and more than 352 million video views” across all its social media platforms, according to Variety.
After last year’s controversy, this year’s event provided a welcome respite from reality with plenty of over-the-top fashion looks to go around. The outfits on display also provide a preview of trends that the industry will see repeated and revised throughout the year, not only at awards events including next week’s Primetime Emmys, or the Academy Awards in March, but also at proms, weddings, clubs, parties and festive occasions of every variety all year long. Many of these ideas will also get toned down and incorporated by consumers in everyday looks.
Here, some of the biggest trends to keep track of as 2024 unfolds.
Genderful glamor
Fashion continues to buck gender norms, and stars were in full support of that directive. Director Celine Song and actors Meryl Streep, Annette Bening and Bella Ramsey all embraced menswear suiting, and musician Billie Eilish, who won Best Original Song in a motion picture, turned up the volume in an oversized look from fashion darling Willy Chavarria. Actors Chris Perfetti and Tyler James Williams showed up in coordinating pinstripe suits complete with large flower corsages, while actors Barry Keoghan and Colman Domingo both wore Louis Vuitton suits festooned with brooches and baubles. Additionally, while not so much a gender play, several gowns sported pockets, including Gillian Anderson’s cream custom-embroidered Gabriela Hearst dress and Julianne Moore’s red Bottega Veneta dress.
Lush Fabrics
Velvet and satin were everywhere, representing a return to old-school glamor. Actor Jason Sudeikis dressed down his brown velvet suit with a crewneck sweater and sneakers, while actors Cillian Murphy, Jason Segel and Bill Hader, plus host Jo Koy, all wore black velvet tuxedos. Actors Angela Bassett, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Lawrence and Amanda Seyfried wore black velvet gowns. Actors Julia Schlaepfer and Greta Lee both wore floor-length white satin gowns, and actor Lily Gladstone, who spoke in Blackfeet language when accepting the award for Best Actress in a movie drama, wore a sweeping black satin shawl cape over a long white Valentino gown.
Whisper sheers
In contrast to the dense, lush velvets and heavy satins, many celebrities chose to wear ethereal wisps of tulle and netting. Actors Andra Day, Sarah Snook, Jeremy Allen White, Hannah Waddington, Gina Torres, Pom Klementieff and Rosamund Pike all wore the trend in sheer black, with Pike in a Dior dress and Philip Treacy veiled headpiece. Actors Kate Beckinsale, Hunter Schafer, Emily Blunt and Sofia Pernas all took the trend to the other end of the spectrum and showed up in billowy pale sheers.
Bold colors
“Barbie” continues to influence event dressing, with Margot Robbie staying on-trend in a bright pink custom Armani Privé gown Inspired by the 1977 Superstar Barbie doll. Other attendees embracing pink included Jennifer Lopez and Dylan Mulvaney. Also making news was “The Color Purple,” both as a film and as a fashion moment, due to the Oprah Winfrey movie remake. Winfrey showed up in a deep purple beaded Louis Vuitton gown, while Brie Larson and Helen Mirren wore soft lavender shades. Finally, bright red wasn’t just for the carpet. Actor and writer Ayo Ederbi wore a floor-length red Prada gown when accepting her award for “The Bear,” while actors Danielle Brooks and Selena Gomez and model Heidi Klum also made a case for lipstick red.
All that glitters
Stars gotta sparkle, and there was enough shine at the show to light up the Hollywood sign. Musician Taylor Swift wore metallic green, actors Julia Garner and Skai Jackson wore silver, and actor Issa Rae shined in gold. Actors Christina Ricci, Natalie Portman, America Ferrera, Jeannie Mai and Carey Mulligan were covered in bejeweled gowns, while Timothée Chalamet glittered in sequins from Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane and Natasha Lyonne was covered in sculptural white beaded dress from Schiaparelli. Musician Dua Lipa, meanwhile, went avant garde in a beaded violin dress, also from Schiaparelli.
