PHOTOS: What 2020 Oscar-nominated actresses, actors wore on red carpets this award season

Sunday, February 9, 2020
If this year's red carpet couture serves as an Oscar bellwether, then keep an eye out for stars dressed in sequin this Sunday.

2020 acting nominees have literally sparkled ahead of their red carpet appearances for the 92nd Academy Awards at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. See highlights in the gallery above.

SEE FULL LIST: Oscar nominations 2020

"Bombshell" nominee Charlize Theron, for instance, wore a stunning custom Louis Vuitton gown with gold sequins to this year's Costume Designers Guild Awards.

Perhaps the most show-stopping example: "Harriet" nominee Cynthia Erivo rocked a sparkling tuxedo-inspired gown that took 800 hours to make at the 2020 Golden Globes red carpet.

Sequin was also spotted on fellow acting nominees Laura Dern, Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson, Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pughin in recent public appearances.

"Abandon any idea of sequin gowns from proms or vintage red carpets. The new sequins have been dipped in an expansive rainbow including shades of purple, blue, green, orange and yellow," said Brooke Jaffe, a contributing editor at Variety.

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This award show season, Erivo has happily embraced the big and the bold in her fashion choices. Her Valentino ensemble at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards showed off two more recent red carpet trends: puffy sleeves and voluminous skirts.

The twice-nominated Johansson and "Little Woman" nominee Ronan both flaunted dresses with exaggerated skirts, and Pugh's extravagant pink gown for the BAFTAs had larger-than-life sleeves.

"Statement sleeves are a huge, huge trend we're seening on the red carpet this season, lots of poof," style expert Melissa Garcia told Good Morning America.

Despite more colorful examples of men's fashion at recent red carpets, the Oscars male acting nominees have played it safe -- unless we're willing to count Joe Pesci's fedora and leather blazer worn at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards.

Last year, metallic was queen of the carpet, with stars Jennifer Lopez, Glenn Close and Brie Larson all sparkling head to toe.

Compared to the Met Gala, the Oscars red carpet doesn't typically push the envelope.

What happens to red carpet dresses, suits after the Oscars and other award shows?

This doesn't mean those "wow" moments won't happen. Cher's 1986 getup, featuring a massive feathered headdress and revealing two-piece gown, still makes headlines, and more recently, Billy Porter's gender-bending tuxedo dress in 2019 had everyone and their grandma tweeting.

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