Fashion
Black, white, red, and florals reigned supreme.
On January 7, the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards took place in Beverly Hills, honoring achievements in television and film. The Golden Globes are often seen as the award ceremony that kicks off “Award Season” and all the incredible red carpet looks that go with them. Of course, we here at Romper are most interested in the various celebrity moms and dads who took advantage of a night where their outfit didn’t immediately get grubbed up but the sticky hands of their children so I’m here to talk about the best dressed parents at the Golden Globes.
Of course, fashion is entirely subjective. “Best Dressed” and “Worst Dressed” (the latter of which we absolutely don’t do here because, come on: we’re past that) is in the eye of the beholder and, more importantly, in the eye of the wearer. That said, fashion is very much a visual medium and I have working eyes, so of course I have my own thoughts. And I have to say that it was sort of hard picking favorites because there were a lot of really tremendous looks to choose from this year. But as with the Golden Globes themselves, not everyone can walk away with a trophy, and here were my top 20 picks for the evening...
Danielle Brooks
Red was one of the power colors of the evening, but I don’t think anyone did it better than The Color Purple star in this stunning mermaid gown. The “Old Hollywood Glamour” is off the charts. Honestly, I expect nothing less: peep her Instagram at some point and I challenge you to find a single misstep on the mom-of-one’s fashion journey.
Ali Wong
This dress could have been pretty boring, but the expert tailoring of subtle pleats and braided shoulder give it the perfect structure on petite Wong. She’s also styled it beautifully with simple but bold jewelry, her trademark glasses, and, of course, the most coveted accessory of the evening: a Golden Globe (in her case for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film).
We’re going to go ahead and guess that Wong did not wear this pristine white dress around her two young daughters. (Any mom can tell you: it doesn’t go well.)
Jennifer Lopez
It’s always a good sign when I genuinely don’t know which side of the dress to show: every angle of this Nicole + Felicia Couture gown is a winner, from the simple elegance of the main gown to the almost architectural rosettes on the cloak (they go all around the back by the way). And the the epic train is just *chef’s kiss* a masterpiece. What else can you expect from this mom-of-two/stepmom-of-three/absolute icon?
Emma Stone
Florals were a bit of a micro theme for the evening, and Emma Stone apparently got the message. The Best Actress winner and mom of 2-year-old Louise looked like a radiant fairy in this shimmering, beaded Louis Vuitton gown.
America Ferrera
Ferrera played one of the most iconic moms of the year in Barbie and she came correct. This dress is, at heart, super simple, but the details elevate it to something I need to talk about. The slip-dress structure is effortlessly feminine, but between the jeweled embellishments and color I’m getting serious “armor” vibes. Whether this is harkening to her Barbie monologue about the tedious dichotomy of being a woman or just a really cool gown, I’m here for it.
Greta Gerwig
First of all, I’m a sucker for an opera glove, so right off the bat the Barbie writer/director is crushing it. But it’s the structure of this gown that I love: structured but not stiff. and simple without being boring. It’s a tightrope, especially when the gown is black, but much like her Golden Globe Award-winning film, it is perfection.
Lenny Kravitz
Very few men made this list because, let’s face it: no one goes to a red carpet primarily for the men’s fashion and it’s rare that one of them does anything to mix up that expectation... also if someone does it’s usually Billy Porter and he wasn’t there.
Of course, another gentlemen known to serve looks is Lenny Kravitz, which of course prompts the question: is it a good outfit or is he just Lenny Kravitz, who can only ever look like a rock star? In this case, I think it’s both. I love the more feminine cut the dad-of-one opted for here, but I don’t know that too many dudes could pull it off with such panache.
Julianne Moore
There are very few things one could do to this dress that would make me not love it, but it’s the neckline on this Bottega Veneta (followed by the volume) that’s really got it on my list. It’s just such a minor detail that makes such a difference. The mom-of-two has been posing on red carpets for almost 40 years now and somehow never phones it in.
Greta Lee
Add another mom-of-two to the ‘clean room where we keep all Golden Globe parents who opted for all white.’ The silhouette of this gown is just stunning and come on, whomst among us doesn’t adore a good bustling in the back, amiright?
Keri Russell
Look at the movement on this baby! Glorious. It’s giving flapper, but not “flapper costume,” which is actually incredibly hard to do, so bravo to designer Jil Sander. I don’t love the purse, but the jewelry more than makes up for it.
Also, do we think the mom-of-three was hanging out in the same hermetically sealed sterile room as Ali Wong to keep the dress pristine?
Natalie Portman
This pointillist masterpiece by Dior Haute Couture is an effort hundreds of hours in the making. “I’m really lucky to get to wear this, it’s like a garden on a dress,” the mom-of-two told Women’s Wear Daily.
Meryl Streep
My editor-in-chief questioned if she needed a sequin suit after seeing this look and the answer to her and to anyone wondering such a thing is “Emphatically yes.” Elegant, powerful, androgynous, and sparkly, this is the kind of red carpet look we expect from this icon.
Ryan Gosling
Gosling didn’t walk the red carpet (¡escandalo!) but we did get to catch his look which is giving tuxedo-meets-pajama, but in the best way. We didn’t know it was possible for this to be fashion, but it really works... of course it helps when you’re Ryan Gosling. We would like it stated for the records that we’re a teensy bit disappointed he didn’t roll up in his Fauxjo Mojo Mink.
Allison Howell Williams
I feel like this dress is our sign that peplum is coming back from 2010s obscurity and what a treat. The mom of 2-year-old Arlo opted for a chaotic-yet-harmonious mix of materials for this look, blending sequins, satin, and tulle seamlessly.
Rosamund Pike
The Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture nominee brought high drama with this Saltburn-esque ensemble from Christian Dior Couture. But while she is channelling the kind of grande dame energy her fans would expect, the mom-of-two initially chose her veil for practical “protective” purposes. “I had an accident over Christmas, actually. I had a skiing accident ... my face was entirely smashed up. And I thought ‘I need to do something,’” she explained to Variety. Fortunately, her face healed well, but by she “kind of fell in love with the look” and opted to keep it.
Gillian Anderson
I know what you’re thinking: “Another all-white gown. This is getting boring.” Fair. But I’m going to ask those of you on your phones to go ahead and zoom in on the mom-of-three’s skirt. The subtle, white-on-white embroidery features a glorious assortment of vulvas. Dr. Jean Milburn (Anderson’s character on Sex Education) and Georgia O’Keeffe would be so proud.
Lisa Ann Walter
Again: I can’t resist an opera glove and a dramatic train, folks. It’s one of the fastest ways to my heart. The Abbott Elementary star (and mom-of-four) looked glamorous in a slinky, silver-mirrored gown (it’s giving Renaissance).
Sarah Snook
The new mom and Golden Globe winner blended edgy and ultra-feminine with this black peek-a-boo ensemble from Prabal Gurung. We’re going to miss Shiv (and everyone else on Succession) but we having a feeling we’ll be seeing Snook around...
Angela Bassett
It’s giving Morticia Addams, which is the absolute highest compliment I can give anyone. Because is there anyone as sexy as Morticia Addams? Honestly, probably Angela Bassett.
Jeremy Allen White
It’s a pretty basic look, but it’s being worn by Jeremy Allen White so... there’s that. But also I’m a fan of the boys showing some skin with their looks. It’s not (just) for thirsty reasons. It’s just a very simple way to make a look a bit more fashion
Can’t wait to see what other fashions Award Season 2024 has in store!