Nina Garcia gives us her Oscars fashion forecast
We know it’s hard to believe, but waste no more time staring in shock at your calendar: the Oscars really are only a few days away now (the biggest night of the year in Hollywood will be held on 22nd February hosted by actor Neil Patrick Harris), which means we’re very quickly approaching the fashion event of the season! We’ve already had a preview of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood at The Golden Globes, SAG Awards and BAFTAs, but we all know that the Oscars is when the really big sparkly guns come out.
We were lucky enough to get some predictions for Hollywood’s biggest night from one of the most knowledgeable minds in fashion, the amazing Nina Garcia. The Marie Claire Creative Director, Project Runway judge and JCPenney Style Voice has the dish on what we’re going to be seeing on the red carpet this Sunday, and how you can take inspiration from them as we go in to spring.
‘Stepping onto the red carpet is all about making a statement’, Nina tells us. ‘This year I foresee a lot of sheer fabric, bold colours, metallic shimmer, and muted mid-tones—all grounded with black, white, and silvery hues. The Golden Globes were filled with solid-coloured silhouettes, but I think the stars will be elevating their looks for The Academy Awards!’
So, here are Nina’s four trends she expects to see on the red carpet:
1. Canary Yellow
We saw this spring time hue start to creep in at the Golden Globes earlier this year with Naomi Watts in Gucci and Leslie Mann in Kaufmanfranco, but Nina reckons even bigger sunshine statements are going to be made at the Oscars. We’d love to see Emma Stone in the colour again after it looked so breath taking with her red hair and green eyes at the Spider Man 2 premier last year! With it still being a bit drizzly outside, and with no red carpet events to dress up for (boo!), you might not be seeing us in head to toe yellow just yet, but we will be investing in a pair of lemon stilettos to pair with floral midi skirts when the sun eventually begins to shine!
2. Metallics
Nina has advised us to ‘take a cue from the red carpet and invest in metallic accented and embellished accessories’. Not ones to ignore the style advice of such a sartorial star, we’re already on the look out for precious metals to stack up on our wrists to help us get the slightly grungy look the likes of Alexander Wang have been parading on the runways. We’d love to see fashion risk taker Lupita N’yongo in an edgy oversized metallic necklace at the Oscars as a contrast to all the florals and flowing fabrics she’s been sporting recently!
3. Bold Red
As Allison Williams proved at the Golden Globes this year, a striking red gown will always lead to red carpet success, so we’re excited to see which screen sirens will be looking smoking hot at the Oscars. Having stepped out of her acting comfort zone for her award-nominated role in Cake, we’d like to see Jennifer Aniston pushing her often safe red carpet style boundaries by wearing red this weekend. If you often opt for a delicate make up palette – a sweet blush and a nude lip, perhaps – make like a movie star and try a bold red lip for your next girls’ night out!
4. Trouser suits
Trousers aren’t just for the boys you know! ‘I’m expecting to see the pantsuit trend hit the carpet this time around. As Emma Stone demonstrated at the Globes, a long gown isn’t the only option to get a captivating red carpet look’, Nina reminds us (and Hollywood’s finest). It’d be great to see the likes of Blake Lively, Sophia Vergara and Reese Witherspoon, who are known for their uber-glamorous gowns, leading the way in proving that trousers and jumpsuits can be hugely feminine and sexy on the red carpet. As professional women, we’ve long known of the power of the pantsuit, and love striking a balance between tailoring and delicacy by pairing a structured blazer with floral print cigarette trousers.
