Awards Season Fashion Signals: What Keeps Repeating Matters

The Gala Girl
Dec 29, 2025
4 min read

Structure, restraint, and a quieter kind of confidence. Here’s what to watch.

This season already has a clear mood: structure, restraint, and a quiet kind of confidence. But the details will tell us how far that mood actually travels, and which choices become the language of the season rather than just a moment.

Here’s what I’ll be watching for as awards season unfolds.

In this issue

Metallics, and how they’re used
Whether power shoulders hold their ground
The balance between sheer and structure
Jewelry as part of the silhouette
What happens after the carpet

And a note at the end about the ASTRAs on January 9, where I’ll be watching these signals in real time.

1. Metallics, and how they’re used (not just that they appear)

Metallics are everywhere, but the distinction that matters is how they’re worn.

Are they clean and column-like? Sleek. Modern. Almost inevitable.

Or are they overloaded and theatrical, with heavy embellishment and an “I’m wearing sparkle because sparkle exists” energy.

The former suggests confidence. The latter suggests costume.

This difference will tell us whether metallics become a foundation this season, or remain a short-lived headline.

Real life translation

If you want to borrow this trend for a gala without feeling like a disco ornament, think “glow” instead of “glitter.” Champagne satin, metallic silk, subtle beading, or a single reflective element can give you that awards-season polish without overwhelming your whole look.

2. Whether power shoulders hold their ground

Strong shoulders always make a statement early in a season. What matters is whether they persist once the novelty wears off.

If we continue to see sculpted shoulders across different events, different designers, and different personalities, that’s confirmation, not coincidence.

Shoulders are the fastest way to signal authority on a red carpet. They add structure and presence even when the rest of the look is simple.

This season, I’m watching whether the shoulder becomes the new “default” for formal confidence.

Real life translation

If you want the power shoulder without feeling like you’re wearing a costume, look for one strong detail rather than full exaggeration. A structured jacket over a simple gown, a dress with a sculptural sleeve, or a clean shoulder line can give you the same presence without needing drama everywhere else.

3. The balance between sheer and structure

Sheer dressing is no longer just about exposure. It’s about architecture.

I’m watching whether transparency continues to reveal construction rather than skin. Corsetry, boning, layering, beading, and intentional framing.

If sheer stays focused on construction, it reinforces this season’s larger theme: control without rigidity.

If sheer starts leaning back into pure exposure, it tells us the season is moving away from structure and toward spectacle again.

Real life translation

Sheer works best when it feels designed, not accidental. If you love the look but want to stay elegant, choose sheer sleeves, a sheer overlay, or strategic transparency that still feels formal. The goal is “crafted,” not “bare.”

4. Jewelry as part of the silhouette

Minimal necklines paired with oversized earrings aren’t an accident. They’re a rebalancing.

For a while, formal looks leaned into heavy necklaces and stacked layers. This season, jewelry is being treated more like structure than embellishment.

If earrings continue to do the work and necklines stay clean, that suggests a longer-term shift toward modern composition.

Jewelry becomes part of the silhouette, not something sprinkled on top of it.

Real life translation

This is one of the easiest ways to modernize a formal look. Bare collarbone, bold earrings, sleek hair. It looks intentional and expensive without requiring a new dress. If your dress is detailed, jewelry should support. If your dress is simple, earrings can become the main character.

5. What happens after the carpet

The after-party tells the truth.

The red carpet is performance. The after-party is release.

Micro hemlines, relaxed tailoring, slip dresses, fashion sneakers. These are not rebellions. They’re decompressions.

Watching how women transition out of armor matters just as much as how they put it on.

The shift tells us what people actually want when the cameras stop demanding “formal.”

Real life translation

If you’re attending an event with an after-party, plan for the pivot. A second pair of shoes, a tux jacket over a dress, a wrap, or even a strategic change in accessories can let you loosen the look without losing polish. I have changed dresses on the fly, too….

Bonus signal I’m watching: texture. Fringe, feathering, and touchable surfaces are showing up more, especially when the silhouette stays simple.”

A note about the ASTRAs on January 9

I’ll be attending the ASTRAs on January 9, and I’m excited because it’s one of the best places to watch these signals in real time.

Awards season coverage is fun from afar, but when you’re actually in the room, you notice different things: what people repeat, what they abandon, what feels confident, and what feels like a costume in motion.

In case you're curious, I’ll also share what surprised me most, because it is usually not what makes the best-dressed lists.