The red carpet is clearly no longer a place just for glamour.
Sunday night’s Golden Globe Awards’ red carpet made a powerful statement, with many of Hollywood’s most powerful ladies donning all black. (Men joined in as well, choosing black shirts instead of white to go with their tuxes. Many wore red lapel pens in solidarity.)
The women were supporting the Time’s Up campaign, which since Jan. 1 has raised $15 million for its Legal Defense Fund. The money will help working women fight for sexual harassment charges and equality parity.
But the black-on-black fashions weren’t homogeneous: By 6 p.m., the Beverly Hilton was a seas of sheer, floral, and off-the-shoulder gowns and pantsuits.
Black as a fashion color is inherently easy to wear, but when I heard about all the black, I thought, “This is going to be boring.” But the women pulled it off, and by wearing all black, they made sure the message was front and center.
The women never looked objectified. The women looked powerful, even in shimmers and sheer, even almost naked, like Jessica Biel. The black carpet turned out to be a sartorial way for Hollywood’s biggest leading ladies to take their power back, whether they were sexed up like Catherine Zeta Jones or covered up like Alicia Vikander.
Michelle Williams was among the first to arrive with #MeToo Founder Tarana Burke, a former Philadelphian.
Michelle Williams arrives with #MeToo founder @TaranaBurke in the first appearance of many expected actress-activist pairings on the #GoldenGlobes red carpet. Story: https://t.co/32lCNw5sr9 Full awards coverage: https://t.co/R1BPK3gl4k pic.twitter.com/1ClVS07eV0
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) January 7, 2018
“I mean, it is deeply humbling. This is something I started out of necessity, Something I thought my community needed,” Burke told Ryan Seacrest on E! “It grew over the years. This moment is so powerful. It’s a collision of these two worlds, a collaboration between these two worlds that you don’t see to often together, but are pitted against each other.”
Meryl Streep, in a deep, off-the-shoulder gown and black glasses, looked very Miranda Priestly. She arrived with Ai-jen Poo, director of National Domestic Workers.
Instead of being asked which designer they were wearing — although it was revealed that Kelly Clarkson’s gold-sleeved black ball gown was designed by Christian Siriano — the red-carpet question of the night was, “Why are you wearing black?”
Their answers were moving and raw.
“It’s about power and balance,” Streep said.
Debra Messing’s black pantsuit was peculiar, but her message was clear.
“I’m wearing black to thank and honor all of the brave whistle-blowers who came forward,” Messing said. “It’s an incredible initiative. Time is up.”
Messing also called out E! while speaking to host Giuliana Rancic, referencing former E! News host Catt Sadler, who quit the network after she said she was being paid less than her male colleagues.
Here's @DebraMessing being the MESSINGEST (compliment!) calling out E! for the @IAmCattSadler equal pay disaster on the #ERedCarpet. #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/h8ZLuawyOg
— Kate Aurthur (@KateAurthur) January 7, 2018
“E! doesn’t pay cohosts the same as male cohosts,” Messing said. “I miss Catt Sadler. “We stand with her. … Women are just as valuable as men.”
Black may sound boring, but the actresses were creative in their glittery interpretations of protest.
Allison Williams
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS
Allison Williams managed to add a pop of color to her slinky black gown. Her message was clear, but the gold and orange metallic reminded us the red carpet is still about the business of fun.
Jessica Biel
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS
Jessica Biel, nominated for lead actress in The Sinner, took all the parts of fairy-tale gown — sheer over nude, sweetheart neckline, velvet detailing — and turned her black gown into one fit for a princess. Good look.
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS
The Oscar-winner didn’t let the protest stop her sexy. Sheer, sparkles. Lots of décolletage. The choice was both fun and serious.
Alison Brie
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Nominated lead actress for Netflix’s Glow, Brie rocked a crisp ball … wait a minute. That’s not a gown! That’s pants. And that makes us love it even more. “It’s important to me to stand with all the women who are coming forward to stand up to sexual harassment and abuse,” Brie told E!. “I’m in awe of their bravery.”
Tracee Ellis Ross
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS
I always want to love Tracee Ellis Ross’ looks. Yes to her all-black dress. But a turban? Tracee, why the turban? Why?
Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington in black @prabalgurung, a designer who truly steps up for women, diversity, human rights. #GoldenGlobes. https://t.co/oprnxDoJvR pic.twitter.com/OTq1ZMaFj9
— THE FASHION LAW (@TheFashionLaw) January 7, 2018
The Scandal star’s strapless dress was beautiful, with aluminum foil-type gloss. (And she’s got her pre-baby body back!)
Mariah Carey
.@MariahCarey has arrived, darlings! ✨❤️ #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/ZSy4WNyj4k
— ExtraTV (@extratv) January 8, 2018
Mariah Carey is so unimaginative, she would look the same if the signature color was black, silver, or red. I wish she would just sit down.
Issa Rae
The STUNNING @IssaRae #GoldenGlobes pic.twitter.com/zDkaegj9ee
— Complex Style (@ComplexStyle) January 8, 2018
I like almost everything about the Insecure star’s gown except the shoulders. Is she trying to do cap-sleeved? Does she want them to tie-up? This is where a decisive decision would have been better.
Caitriona Balfe
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS
I love Outlander, but I hate Caitriona Balfe’s dress. Way too S&M for my taste. This is a red-carpet loser.
Sarah Jessica Parker
A Sarah Jessica Parker/Carrie Bradshaw crossover moment. pic.twitter.com/YAEGH33ElD
— Brenda Chenowith (@JordanStam) January 8, 2018
I always want to like Sarah Jessica Parker’s dresses. And she always disappoints me. An Addam’s Family ball gown? Not so much. But her message was clear: “It’s about women in all industries and men. equality, parity, safe work environments in this country,” Parker said, echoing Messing.
Alicia Vikander
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS
Alicia Vikander’s choice was of black was demure, but didn’t stop her from looking very pretty — even if some say she looked like she was going to an 1898 funeral.
Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore gets my vote for best use of splash of color. That red sash complemented her halter gown excellently.
Heidi Klum
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Heidi Klum in feathers. But cocktail length? Tea length? No, it’s high-low. Oh no!
Samira Wiley
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS
Samira Wiley’s dress would have been the most boring except for her statement bodice — a halter fashioned from golden triangles. And just like that, Wiley’s dress was fire!
Claire Foy
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS
The Crown star’s double-breasted suit was simple, sophisticated, and fabulous! I’m thinking this will be the new princess power suit. Thank you. Loved it.
Katherine Langford
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS
13 Reasons Why‘s Katherine Langford’s sleeved, goddess gown was underwhelming, even with the silver sunburst along the waistline.
Viola Davis
“There's no prerequisite to worthiness. You're born being worthy. The women who are still in silence because of trauma, because of shame due to assault, they need to understand it's not their fault,” Viola Davis at the #GoldenGlobes #TimesUp pic.twitter.com/bB5uCuDjpv
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) January 8, 2018
We’ve come to expect Viola Davis to look phenomenal on the red carpet. And Sunday night’s slinky velvet number was far from a disappointment, but it paled in comparison to the bombastic message of beauty her Afro sent. If her hair doesn’t say Time’s Up, nothing does.
Rachel Brosnahan
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS
The off-the-shoulder. The high ponytail. The goddess look. Rachel Brosnahan channeled the early aughts. And it kinda worked in a dated sort of way.
Alexis Bledel
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS
Alexis Bledel appeared as if she’d wrapped her black-and-white color-blocked ensemble with a vine. That was weird. Her cigarette pants, however, kept her look current and on the right side of weird.
Jamie Chung
Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS
Jamie Chung’s biker-chic gown didn’t work for me, because it missed an important element — class.
Comment policy:
Philly.com comments are intended to be civil, friendly conversations. Please treat other participants with respect and in a way that you would want to be treated. You are responsible for what you say. And please, stay on topic. If you see an objectionable post, please report it to us using the "Report Abuse" option.
Please note that comments are monitored by Philly.com staff. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable. Personal attacks, especially on other participants, are not permitted. We reserve the right to permanently block any user who violates these terms and conditions.
Additionally comments that are long, have multiple paragraph breaks, include code, or include hyperlinks may not be posted.