Critics Choice Awards 2024: Stunning Fashion Hits & Disappointing Misses on the Red Carpet

The 29^th Annual Critics Choice Awards 2024 stunned spectators with its star-studded lineup on the red carpet and award announcements took place on Sunday (January 14) in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. The stunning Miss Chelsea Handler, a vision in green, graciously hosted the awards. Some popular wins were Emma Stone for Poor Things, Sarah Snook for Succession and Elizabeth Debicki for The Crown, but undoubtedly, the light was dominated by Oppenheimer, which took home eight awards with Barbie close behind with six.

The red carpet provided plenty of drama, from stunning ensembles that stole hearts, to unimaginative pieces that failed to capture our imagination and downright wardrobe blunders. Let us dive into another night of Hollywood glamour and analyze some of these celebrity stylistic choices. Below, we round up some of our favourite and least favourite looks from the evening.

Best Dressed at the Critics Choice Awards

1. Dua Lipa in Prada:

The princess of pop matched the red carpet with her fiery red strapless Prada gown, which featured a daring slit and a structured bodice, and beautiful ember tresses. She added statement stud earrings by Tiffany & Co. and kept the rest of her jewellery to a minimum.

2. Brie Larson in Prada: 

The Academy Award-winning actress opted for a timeless elegance with her black Prada gown. The gown had a minimalistic regal velvet bodice with broad straps, featuring a sheer panel in the front. The Captain Marvel star perfectly styled her look with minimal jewellery and coiffed hair.

3. Margot Robbie in Balmain: 

Robbie brought her signature playfulness to the red carpet with a vibrant red custom off shoulder Balmain gown. Yet another star chose to match the red carpet, where the asymmetrical neckline featured a row of 3D roses. She chose an updo, accessorised with jewellery by Lorraine Schwartz, and shoes by Manolo Blahnik. The Barbie star was the picture of elegance in this ensemble.

4. Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton:

 The ever-stylish Emma Stone opted for a whimsical yet sophisticated Louis Vuitton dress. The Poor Things actress wore a velvet one-shoulder number with scalloped detailing. She accessorized a slick back bun with a diamond necklace and earrings. Her dress even had a “BB” detailing on the tie, likely a nod to her ‘Poor Things‘ character Bella Baxter.

5. Ayo Edebiri in The Row: 

Ayo Edibiri rose to stardom with her role in the series “Abbott Elementary”. She opted to make a bold statement in a The Row jumpsuit. The actress chose a low-key fit with a white suit, which she teamed with a white T-shirt, black ballet pumps and some statement sunglasses. The clean lines and casual silhouette showcased Edebiri’s confidence and individuality.

6. Julianne Moore in Chanel:

Julianne Moore stunned as red carpet royalty in a floor-length purple Chanel gown. The gown featured a giant jewel-encrusted brooch as the centrepiece, and the Nine Months actress opted for no jewellery, minimalistic makeup and wore her red locks down.

7. Ali Wong in Givenchy:

Beef actress Ali Wong went for a chic geek look and wore a sheer green dress from the Givenchy catwalk with embroidered floral detail. She wore her hair down and paired the floral floor-length gown with a chunky necklace and square glasses.

Worst Dressed: Embarrassing Wardrobe Mishaps

1. Greta Gerwig

The movie director Greta Gerwig accepted the award for Best Original Screenplay. Her choice of a cream-coloured Rodarte dress with voluminous ruffles and layers left many puzzled. She paired the shapeless gown with a red clutch bag and heels, which left the fashion critics yearning for more. Her odd choice was extremely unflattering to her figure and stature, and a major fashion blunder.

2. Ashley Madekwe in Peter Do: 

This ensemble had the potential to be quirky and unique but ultimately fell into the “trying too hard” category. The actress opted for an incohesive minidress, with a deep-cut V neckline, a clashing blue and yellow checkered pattern, and peachy, subtle makeup. Mary deserved a more refined choice for such a formal event.

3. Danielle Brooks in Monsoori: 

Brooks, nominated for her movie, The Colour Purple, is known for her bold fashion choices, but her pink tulle Monsoori look at the Critics Choice Awards didn’t quite hit the right notes. The gown seemed to be drowning the actress in it and felt too long for her. She accessorized with jewels by Norman Silverman and Graziela Gems and her hair was styled in a flippy bob.

4. Melora Hardin:

 The Office actress made the unfortunate decision of opting for a cheap, spotted suit set, with an ill-fitted pair of black pants and a black coat, The shirt underneath pushed the look further away from being appealing, with its high collar, ruffled feathers and an exposed strappy bra. Her usual, not-so-bold choice of a simpler silhouette and more subtle use of embellishments would have been a more flattering choice for Hardin.

5. Elizabeth Debicki in Oscar de la Renta:

The Crown actress Elizabeth Debicki took home Best Supporting Actress for her role as Princess Diana in the Netflix series. The talented actress strayed away from her usual classic red carpet fashion into the unknown territory of a transparent bejewelled bodice of jumpsuit sown together with black trousers and an oversized bow wrapped around her waist. The outfit looked as though it had been two separate garments cut in half and sewn together.  

A Night To Remember

The memorable 29^th Critics Choice Awards held at the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport in Santa Monica, California lauded some of the finest talents and pieces of work that came out last year. It was a star-studded night to remember, and the black, red and white themes certainly dominated the red carpet.