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Critics Choice red carpet offers up a mixed bag of roses, golden boots and a really long button-up shirt

By Dannielle Maguire
Posted , updated 

We're now well into awards season, with the latest fashion feast coming to us via the Critics Choice Awards red carpet.

These awards bring together stars from both television and film — meaning more celebrities and more outfits than something like the Oscars (which is just about movies). 

Let's unpack what we saw on the red carpet. 

Seeing red

Margot Robbie wearing a red off-the-shoulder gown with rose detailing on the sleeves, a ruched bodice and a train
The makers of Margot Robbie's dress put so much detail into those roses that we wouldn't be surprised if the Aussie actor started attracting bees. (AP Photo: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Emily Blunt wearing an off-the-shoulder red gown with a flower on the shoulder with a long sleeve
Emily Blunt could go straight from the ceremony to singing on a stage at a 1940s jazz bar in this sparkler. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Greta Gerwig wearing a baggy white dress with sheet-like ruching and a bright red clutch and shoes
Yes, Greta Gerwig is wearing white, but she belongs under this subhead because you can clearly see red in one of her hands. The subhead is "seeing red" not "all in red". So this counts. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Dua Lipa wearing a strapless maroon textured gown
There's something very satisfying about how Dua Lipa's hair perfectly matches her dress. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)

Dressing for the win

There's a certain look during awards season known as the "winner's dress". 

It's something that's elegant, classic and almost understated except for a minor detail. 

Emma Stone wearing a black off-the-shoulder dress with black pom poms along the neckline
Emma Stone's dress is another classic black dress with a slight twist, thanks to that spherical ruching.(AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Carey Mulligan wearing a long black gown with off-the-should straps and structured boning protruding from her bust
The Dracula's-cape-collar detailing on Carey Mulligan's neckline gives a classic look an elegantly gothic aura. 
Sarah Snook wearing a silky black blazer with a matching floor-length skirt
Sarah Snook is evening gown at the bottom and boardroom at the top. (Getty Images for Critics Choice Association: Matt Winkelmeyer)
America Ferrera wearing a bronze sequinned floor-length gown.
America Ferrera may have been wearing bronze, but she was a winner on the night. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)

A theatrical antidote 

This is a red carpet, so we want sparkle, drama and something suitably over the top. 

Takashi Yamazaki wearing a suit, holding a Godzilla figurine
Takashi Yamazaki's Godzilla figurine seems pretty tame when you get a better a look at his shoes.
Takashi Yamazaki 's shoes, which have black reptile claws for heels
It's unclear if these shoes have been endorsed by podiatrists.(AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Geffri Maya wearing a sleeveless black gown with tulle fan-like detailing on the top and around the skirt
It would be really, really hard to iron Geffri Maya's dress. (Getty Images for Critics Choice Association: Kevin Mazur)
Harvey Guillen wearing a silky black suit with a sheer top underneath and a big bow on on of the sleeves
Harvey Guillen's outfit would have been fine without the gigantic bow, but why just look fine when you can wear a gigantic bow?!(Getty Images for Critics Choice Association: (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer)
Rosamund Pike wearing a bright blue sequinned halter next floor-length gown.
There's no missing Rosamund Pike in this blue disco ball of a dress. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Danielle Brooks wearing a dusty pink gown tulle-draped with a big black bow on the front. Her tulle fans out like a flower
We're really hoping Danielle Brooks will have someone following her around all night to sporadically fluff her dress like this — it would be more than a job, it would be a public service. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Christina Ricci wearing a scalloped strapless black vinyl dress with a long train.
What Christina Ricci is wearing here isn't just another black dress. It's a philosophy. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Colman Domingo wearing a gold suit with a white, flowy shirt and a cape with gold metallic detailing outside and blue lining
Does Colman Domingo really need that cape, given he's already got that suit jacket to keep him warm? The answer is an unequivocal "yes". (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Elizabeth Debicki wearing a long silky black pantsuit with a black bow at the high waists and a beige bejewelled singlet top
Look, technically it would be accurate to say "Elizabeth Debicki was wearing a black pant suit", but that would be criminally underselling this outfit. (Getty Images for Critics Choice Association: Kevin Mazur)
Lee Sung Jin wearing a pastel pink suit with white ballerinas printed on the fabric, which glasses and white shoes.
Lee Sung Jin's outfit is just pure joy. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)

Black and white

Bel Powley wearing a fluffy white skirt with a wast coat and fluffy sleeves, all in white. She also wears a bow tie
After seeing Bel Powley's outfit, I'm yearning for an interpretation of Swan Lake in which the swans are all high-powered business women. Maybe the lake is a finance company or something? (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Billie Eilish wearing a black strappy dress over a long-sleeved white button-up shirt with shirt tails handing out the bottom.
We're assuming these shirt tails were cut off a button-up and sewn into the hem of Billie Eilish's dress, otherwise that's one very long-waisted top.(AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Barry Keoghan wearing a silky black suit with a high-necked white shirt just poking out underneath
There's only a little bit of white poking out of Barry Keoghan's suit, but it's just the right amount for this look. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)

Greenery

Bella Ramsey wearing a mint green floral suit with matching green shoes.
Bella Ramsey going green right down to their socks. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Kieran Culkin wearing a teal suit with a high-necked grey button-up shirt underneath
Everything about Kieran Culkin's outfit — the suit colour, the crisp buttoned-collar and those loafers — suggests he's preparing for the role as Mr Peacock in a film adaption of the boardgame Cluedo. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Ali Wong wearing a bottle green strappy dress with floral detailing and big platform shoes
At first glance, you may think the best thing about Ali Wong's outfit is that floral off-the-shoulder panel and, look, it's great, but get back to me after you look down at those shoes. (Getty: Amy Sussman)

Check that board!

Steven Yeun wearing a white blazers with a white sequinned checker board pattern and black trousers
We have a feeling that Steven Yeun would pick the square window if he were to be a guest host on Play School.(AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Ashley Madekwe wearing a purple and yellow chequered long-sleeved dress with shimmery pink fringing
Imagine a hybrid of a checkerboard and a jack-in-the-box, and you'll probably picture something close to what Ashley Madekwe's outfit is projecting.(AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
Jelani Alladin wearing a grey and black chequered suit with no shirt on underneath.
Jelani Alladin's suit material looks a bit like one of those internet optical illusions that make you a little dizzy when you spend too much time looking at them. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)

Shades of grey 

Pedro Pascal wearing a soft silky shirt, trousers and arm sling all in the exact same off-white tone
Pretend, just for a second, that stylists hadn't planned to match Pedro Pascal's suit to his sling and it just coincidentally worked out that way. What a thrill that would be for all involved!(Getty Images for Critics Choice Association: Kevin Mazur)
David Oyelowo wearing a light grey suit with a soft matching turtleneck shirt underneath
David Oyelowo swapped out the traditional tie for a sleek turtleneck top. (Getty Images for Kahala Mgmt: Jon Kopaloff)
Ebon Moss-Bachrach wearing a grey suit with a white shirt and a grey tie
Ebon Moss-Bachrach would probably want to put an apron on over this stiff snappy suit before stepping into the kitchen. (AP: Jordan Strauss/Invision)
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