Year after year, the Golden Globes opens up the famous ‘Awards Season,’ a string of prestigious ceremonies that give recognition to all the entertainment highlights of the past year. But apart from seeing which films and actors will get the awards, arguably the most hotly-anticipated during this time are the red carpet fashions. These televised events have given us some of the best and most memorable fashion moments of all time. Who could ever forget Cher’s fabulous antics in shimmering Bob Mackie gowns in the 80s? Or the gorgeous blush Dior haute couture dress that tripped Jennifer Lawrence when she was on her way to the stage to receive her Oscar for Best Actress back in 2013?
This year did not disappoint as several A-list celebrities brought their fashion A-game. Aside from the usual frilly gowns and sparkling dresses the women wore, however, male celebrities surprisingly upped the ante on red carpet fashion as well. It seems that today’s leading men understand that to make a strong impact, you’re going to have to go beyond the tailored three-piece suit. From Best Actor Nominee Bradley Cooper‘s eye-catching Gucci outfit to Cody Fern‘s gender-fluid Maison Martin Margiela ensemble, here are the men that stole the show at the 2019 Golden Globes red carpet.
Billy Porter in custom Randi Rahm
First on this list (as he should be) is Billy Porter in a show-stopping custom Randi Rahm suit with a matching cape. The “Pose” star was all kinds of fearless and fierceness that night, swishing and swaying his grand cape for all the world to see. Its hot pink lining gave it the right pop of color and surprisingly worked well with the neutral smoke embers-hued suit. Made almost entirely out of duchess satin, Porter made it seem like the outfit was light, airy, and easy to wear. The floral embellishments and embroideries also added a feminine touch to the largely masculine tailored look. After the ceremony, the Broadway and TV star shared that his look was a statement against those who are opposed to seeing the LGBT community represented on mainstream television. With such an important meaning behind it, the outfit just got a whole lot better.
Timothée Chalamet in Louis Vuitton
Current Hollywood golden boy and Golden Globe-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet is becoming somewhat of a cultural icon among the youth today. Consequently, this was further solidified when he stepped out in a unique and totally unorthodox red carpet look at this year’s awards ceremony. In a midnight navy ensemble, he defied the norms of red carpet dressing by simply donning a shirt and trousers with a sparkling harness from Louis Vuitton. The look had all the interesting elements shown during Virgil Abloh’s debut runway collection for the luxury behemoth last June, but instead of a streetwear vibe, it evoked a more sophisticated appeal. The outfit itself was polarizing since fashion editors and fans alike were divided as to whether they liked it or not. But one thing can’t be denied, he simply looked dashing in it. A new red carpet star is born.
Cody Fern in Maison Martin Margiela
Another defiant at the Golden Globes red carpet this year was Cody Fern, who starred in the critically-acclaimed FX series, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.” He wore a black gender-defying jumpsuit by Maison Martin Margiela. The actor himself looked quite androgynous with his dark eye makeup and beautifully coiffed long-bobbed hair. His semi-sheer ensemble, styled by Nicola Formichetti, was sleek and sophisticated in its simplicity and subtle sex appeal. The look even made waves all over social media, transforming this relatively unknown supporting actor into a possible star in the making.
Darren Criss in Dior
Fern’s “American Crime Story” co-star Darren Criss also slightly deviated from the stereotypical tropes of masculine red carpet dressing with his floral-printed Dior suit by Kim Jones. The Filipino-American actor, who won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Television Film, glowed as he posed for photographers on the red carpet. Highlighting his Southeast Asian heritage in his acceptance speech, his floral piece looked all the more interesting with its slightly Eastern vibe, somewhat in the vein of Japanese cherry blossoms.
Bradley Cooper in custom Gucci
Almost all eyes were on Bradley Cooper that night as he was nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his directorial debut film, “A Star Is Born.” And it’s safe to say that he did not disappoint, stepping out in a custom-made star-worthy suit by Alessandro Michele of Gucci. He stood well on his own with his longtime partner model Irina Shayk on his arm, who wore a similarly show-stopping gold Atelier Versace dress. This was one of the first times the celebrity couple was spotted together at a Hollywood event. Cooper also smartly off-set his stark white ensemble with a black bow-tie, creating more dimension to what is already a unique menswear red carpet look.
Chadwick Boseman in custom Versace
Another A-list actor who chose to shine as bright as a diamond that night was “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman. Although he wasn’t able to show off his outfit on the red carpet, the world still caught a glimpse of his silvery-white look when he presented an award onstage with some of his fellow Black Panther castmates. The suit, tailor-made for him by the house of Versace, had baroque elements that worked well with Boseman’s imposing stature. The silky material shimmered on stage, as did his matching satin bow-tie and sparkling glittered shoes. Far from the black spandex outfit he famously sported on-screen, this color fitted him surprisingly well.
Troye Sivan in Calvin Klein
The youth these days will always have their own take on classic menswear staples, particularly the suit. This was extremely evident with singer Troye Sivan, who sported a dark ocean blue suit by Calvin Klein. At first glance, one can already see the Raf Simons elements, namely the oversized proportions and soft and slightly slouchy tailoring. At these events, male celebrities usually went with flattering and strictly-tailored suits, but Sivan and Simons had other ideas in mind. The pants even looked a bit too long for the millennial star, and whether this was intentional or not, it still sparked a lot of conversations online.
Ryan Seacrest in Ryan Seacrest Distinction
Sometimes, defying the usual menswear codes on the red carpet is all in the matter of material. Wool and silk are all used up and common, but velvet, on the other hand, makes an outfit all the more noteworthy. This was what Ryan Seacrest had in mind when he designed his own suit for the 2019 Golden Globes. A veteran on red carpets, this famous host understands that when you’ve been exposed quite a lot for all your career, some memorable fashion moments won’t hurt. This year, his burgundy velvet evening jacket was a fashion moment in of itself. It was new and classic at the same time. And if there are other young men out there who wants to host such events in the near future, they might want to take some dressing cues from Mr. Seacrest himself.
As proven by this pre-ceremony red carpet, it’s no longer just the ladies who fascinate audiences with their daring styles. Men have truly stepped up their game in the fashion department. For the next few awards shows, all eyes will be on them to see who can keep up!
