The Astras and the Globes Are Coming, and the Fashion Story Is More in Focus

Awards season always feels like it arrives all at once. One minute you are still thinking about the holidays, and the next minute there are red carpets and speeches and velvet ropes, and suddenly the question is not whether people will dress up. It is what kind of dressing up will we see.

This week is especially interesting because we get two very different rooms back to back.

The Astra Awards are on January 9, and the Golden Globes are on January 11. They sit close together, but they do not feel the same. One is smaller, more intimate, and this year, semi-formal. The other is one of the most iconic black tie rooms in Hollywood, held in the Beverly Hilton ballroom, with decades of style history baked into the walls.

That contrast matters, because fashion does not happen in a vacuum. People dress for the room they are entering, and these rooms ask for two slightly different versions of confidence.

So as we go into the week, here is what I will be watching for, and why I think it matters for anyone who has a gala, a fundraiser, or a formal event coming up this season.

1. Semi-formal at the Astras, but still awards season

The word “semi-formal” has confused more people than it should. Many hear it and think it means casual, or that anything short is fine, or that the stakes are lower.

But semi-formal at an awards ceremony is not the same as semi-formal at a backyard wedding.

In a room like the Astras, semi-formal usually means cocktail dressing with polish. It means you still want structure, intention, and a sense that you came for the occasion. You are just not required to wear the most traditional floor-length black tie uniform, although it’s fine to do so if you feel more confident in a gown.

The Astras are also a room where people mingle more. You are standing, talking, moving, taking photos. Wearability matters. I expect to see a lot of dresses that feel sleek and camera-ready, but easier to move in..

2. The Globes always reward a certain kind of glamour

The Golden Globes are held at the Beverly Hilton, and that venue shapes everything. It has a ballroom energy. It has lighting built for cameras. It has a history of classic red carpet dressing. It also has a reputation for feeling like a glamorous dinner party, not a theater.

That combination tends to reward polish.

At the Globes, you often see looks that are glamorous, but not chaotic. Shine works here. Clean lines work here. Skin can work here, but most of the time it looks intentional rather than exposed.

It is the kind of venue where a metallic gown can look timeless instead of trendy, and where a simple black dress can still look like awards season if the styling is right.

3. Metallics are still everywhere, but how they are worn matters

Metallics are one of the biggest signals of the season, but not all metallics are doing the same thing.

This year, I am watching for metallics that feel sleek rather than theatrical. Liquid silver, soft gold, champagne tones, and fabrics that look like they catch light without needing heavy embellishment.

What will stand out is restraint. A clean metallic column looks confident. An overloaded metallic look can quickly tip into costume. The difference is not the material. It is the intention.

4. Halters and high-neck sleeveless looks are having a moment

This is a dawning development, and one I agree with. Critics Choice showed a noticeable wave of halters and high-neck sleeveless dresses, and I suspect we will continue to see them.

Why?

Because they do two things at once. They feel modern, and they feel structured.

A high-neck silhouette frames the face. It pulls attention upward. It also lets jewelry work differently. You get the “minimal neck, maximal ear” effect, which is very current right now.

It is also a silhouette that photographs well. You get clean lines, strong posture, and a sense of composure. In a season that is leaning into restraint and confidence, the halter and high-neck dress feels like the perfect uniform.

If you have a formal event this season and you want a silhouette that feels current without being loud, this is one of the easiest shapes to use.

5. Part of the story happens after the carpet, after the event

I always watch after-party energy, even if I am not there, because after-party looks add to the story.

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

Sometimes that means a shorter hemline. Sometimes it means a blazer thrown over a gown. Sometimes it means the shoes change. Sometimes it means hair comes down.

Watching that shift tells you how someone wants to feel by the end of the night.

And that translates directly to real formal events. Many of us walk into a gala feeling polished, and leave wanting to feel relaxed and free. The best outfits make room for both.

A week of signals, and a week of real-life translation

I will be covering the Astras from the inside, and I will be watching the Globes closely, as a way to understand what is happening in formal dressing right now.

Because awards season is not only entertainment. It is a living reference point.

It shows what silhouettes feel current, what styling choices are prevalent, and what kinds of confidence read well in public. Then those signals filter into real events, sometimes quietly, sometimes quickly.

If you are attending a gala, a fundraiser, or any black tie event this season, stay with me. We are going to take what we see on these red carpets and translate it into the real world, so you can walk into your next room feeling polished, present, and fully yourself.

, and I’ll keep you close.