The Astra Awards Are Coming

and The ASTRA Awards Are Quietly One of Awards Season’s Best Rooms

Jennifer Esposito on the red carpet at last year's ASTRA Awards

Awards season can feel like one long parade of velvet ropes and impossibly polished gowns. But every year, there is at least one ceremony that feels different in the best way. Less corporate. Less stiff. More alive.

For me, the Astra Awards are that room.

The Astra Awards, hosted by the Hollywood Creative Alliance, take place January 9, 2026, and if you are not tracking them yet, you should. Not because they are trying to compete with the Oscars or the Globes, but because they offer something those bigger shows rarely do: a sense of closeness and sincerity that makes the entire event feel human.

That intimacy changes everything. It changes the energy of the audience, the feel of the red carpet, the way people interact, and yes, what people wear.

If the Oscars are the Super Bowl, the Astras are more like a high-stakes playoff game with great seats and a crowd that actually cares. You can feel the enthusiasm, and you can also feel the accessibility. It is one of the rare awards events where the atmosphere encourages conversation, not just performance.

And from a fashion perspective, that makes the Astras especially interesting.

Why the Astra Awards feel new, even though they are established

The Astra Awards are not a brand new event, but they still carry the excitement of something that is growing. That matters. When an awards show is still evolving, it is more willing to experiment. It creates categories that other organizations ignore. It invites a wider mix of talent, critics, journalists, and creatives into the same space. It celebrates work that might not get “mainstage” attention elsewhere.

That is the point. The Hollywood Creative Alliance was built as a community, and the Astra Awards reflect that. It is not just a show. It is a gathering.

From the outside, that might sound subtle. Inside the room, it changes the texture of the night.

Speeches tend to be more candid. People look less rehearsed. The energy is celebratory, but it is also grounded. You are not watching a machine. You are watching a community.

The venue matters more than people realize

This year, the Astra Awards are at the Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, and that matters more than people think.

A venue sets the visual language of a night. It influences what photographs well, what feels right in the room, and how people interpret the dress code without even realizing they are doing it.

The Sofitel has a sleek, modern glamour. More fashion-week hotel than grand old theater. That tends to invite a cleaner, sharper kind of formal dressing.

And here is the twist that makes this year’s Astras especially fun.

The Astra Awards are listed as semi-formal this year.

That is unusual for an awards show, and it opens up a more interesting fashion range than the traditional parade of floor-length gowns.

Semi-formal at an awards ceremony does not mean casual. It means the looks may be shorter, sharper, and more wearable. More cocktail silhouettes. More tailored separates. More experimentation with proportion. It also means guests have more freedom to express personal style without being trapped by traditional black tie expectations.

In other words, the Sofitel plus semi-formal sets the stage for the Astras to feel fresh.

What I will be watching for on the red carpet

The Astra red carpet is not the longest carpet of awards season, and that is part of what makes it fun. It feels less like a marathon and more like a curated runway. People linger. Photographers are close. Conversations actually happen. You can see the clothing as clothing, not just as a headline.

And this year, the timing is perfect. The Astras take place right before the Golden Globes, which means they are part of the early wave of fashion storytelling. This is when stylists are still testing ideas. This is when you start seeing patterns take shape.

Because the dress code is semi-formal, I am expecting a more varied carpet than you might see at the Globes or Oscars. Some people will still go full-length, because celebrities will always celebrity. But I expect the dominant silhouettes will be more cocktail and modern formal.

Here is what that likely looks like.

Metallics, but in shorter, sharper forms

Metallics are everywhere right now, but semi-formal makes them even more wearable. Think metallic minis, midi cocktail dresses, and sleek satin sets that catch the light without needing a full gown silhouette.

I am expecting liquid silver, warm gold, and soft champagne tones, but with cleaner lines. Less ballgown, more column. Less theatrical sparkle, more polished sheen.

Structured shoulders, but tailored

Power shoulders have been re-emerging, and semi-formal encourages them because structure is one of the fastest ways to look “important” without wearing a gown.

I will be watching for exaggerated shoulders in blazers, jackets, and mini dresses. When the hemline goes up, the shoulder line often gets stronger to keep the look balanced.

Sheer elements, but controlled

Sheer is no longer about exposure alone. The modern version is about construction. Corsetry details. Layering. Beaded mesh. Tulle used to reveal design rather than skin.

Semi-formal will likely make sheer more strategic. Expect sheer sleeves, sheer overlays, and details that feel architectural rather than attention-seeking.

Jewelry that frames the face

This season is leaning toward bare collarbones and strong earrings, and that styling choice fits semi-formal perfectly. A shorter dress paired with statement earrings reads modern and editorial, especially with sleek hair.

It is also a real-life signal that translates directly to gala dressing. You can change the entire tone of a look with earrings alone.

Shoes that tell a story

Semi-formal red carpets are where shoes become more visible, and therefore more interesting. I will be watching for what people choose when they are not forced into “gown plus heel” tradition.

We may see more 'fashion shoe' moments. Sculptural heels. Metallic sandals. Even a few deliberate flats, depending on the personality.

Semi-formal leaves room for style choices that feel personal rather than prescribed.

Why the Astra Awards matter to Gala Girl

Gala Girl is about black tie culture, decoded. Awards shows might seem like a separate world, but they actually reveal something useful. They show what formal dressing looks like in motion. They show what is accepted, what feels current, and what reads confident rather than performative.

And the Astra Awards are one of the most revealing rooms because they are still close enough to feel real. The energy is accessible. The dress code is more flexible. The styling is less trapped by tradition.

That makes the Astras a great reference point for the kinds of formal events most of us actually attend, like charity galas, museum fundraisers, or formal dinners where people want to look elevated but not rigid.

Awards season does not dictate those choices, but it validates them.

That is why I care about covering the Astras. Not because they are the biggest night, but because they are one of the most useful.

I will be there, and I will be watching

I am attending the Astra Awards on January 9, 2026, and I plan to cover it from the inside. The red carpet moments, yes, but also the quieter things. What people repeat. What people avoid. What feels confident. What looks better in person than it does in a photograph.

If you are curious about awards season fashion, this is one of the most interesting rooms to follow.

And if you are attending any formal events this season, you may find that what happens at the Astras has more in common with your world than you think.

If you want the coverage, subscribe to the newsletter at galagirl.social. I’ll be reporting back.

Warmly,

Edie Ellis

The Gala Girl