2021 Golden Globes fashion: Red carpet meets Zoom grid, and pops of green signal hope

A year into our collective work-from-home, pandemic’s-changed-everything lives, the 2021 Golden Globe Awards telecast, which took place Sunday on two coasts and beamed out of — instead of just into — hundreds of living rooms, hotel rooms and at least a couple poolside lounge chairs, showed how the red-carpet, fashion-industrial complex has managed to adapt.

Everyone who showed up on-screen for the traditional “What are you wearing?” pre-show banter on E! and NBC seemed to know their videoconferencing grid etiquette. And who wouldn’t after 12 months of rolling Zoom calls?

If they were seated, they stayed seated. If they were standing, they remained so. And almost all were wearing something eye-catching from the breastbone up. (Two of the notable exceptions here were “Law & Order: Organized Crime” star Christopher Meloni and “Better Call Saul” star Bob Odenkirk, who looked more ready for an annual board meeting than an awards show.)

On the men’s side, this came by way of the turtleneck (perhaps a nod to the dressy-but-not-too-dressy vibe) as spotted on nominee Leslie Odom Jr., who layered a bright green turtleneck under his Valentino suit coat, Dan Levy in a Valentino men’s haute couture citron and lime-green suit and Riz Ahmed, who wore a black turtleneck under his Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane chalk-stripe jacket.

Josh O’Connor, who took home the Golden Globe for lead actor in a television series — drama for “The Crown,” showed you can also have a winning look with only your head and shoulders showing, thanks to his black Loewe look with generously cut white contrast lapels, which was accessorized with a white wing-collar tux shirt and a length of cream-colored fabric knotted at the neck that looked like a necktie crossed with a scarf.

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Standouts on the women’s side included nominee Elle Fanning (“The Great”) in a custom mint-green Gucci gown with embroidered crystal brooches, the straps of which were metallic chain link. (Making her look even more eye-catching were sparkly Fred Leighton earrings that dangled halfway down her swanlike neck.)

Laverne Cox in a ruby red, hand-beaded custom Thai Nguyen Atelier silk georgette gown with a plunging neckline and dramatic sleeves was another welcomed stunner. Cox did her pre-show appearances standing — and positioned next to a mirror that made her outfit one of the few that could be seen almost in its entirety.

Another nearly full-length look came by way of nominee Regina King (“One Night in Miami”), whose custom asymmetrical draped cape silk cady Louis Vuitton gown was embroidered with silver and gold sequins that made her look as effervescent as a flute full of Champagne.

But getting the full impact of the rest of the night’s gorgeous, statement-making gowns — and there were plenty to be had — required toggling among the pre-show telecasts and the stars’ and stylists’ social media feeds.

Nominee Kaley Cuoco (“The Flight Attendant”) posed poolside in a strapless fairy-tale confection by Oscar de la Renta; nominee Amanda Seyfried (“Mank”), who was beaming in from a Savannah, Ga., hotel room, posted her head-to-toe strapless floral look (also by Oscar de la Renta); and Elle Fanning shared full-length (and front and back) views of her Gucci gown on her Instagram account.

Cynthia Erivo wore a structured, neon-green dress from Valentino’s spring and summer 2021 haute couture collection — easily the night’s most memorable look — that was posted online well before she took to the stage to present the award for feature film screenplay. Erivo also wore towering light gold platform boots to accessorize the look.

Cynthia Erivo arrives at the 78th Golden Globe Awards broadcast at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Her Valentino dress was the standout look of the mostly virtual event.

(Todd Williamson / NBC / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

Her ensemble put her squarely in two of the evening’s most noticeable trends: metallic details and accessories (see also Kate Hudson in a custom Louis Vuitton silk cady gown embroidered across the front with sequins and glass beads) and shades of green that included Fanning’s mint gown, Odom’s turtleneck and presenter Christian Slater’s teal Canali suit.

Green is a color traditionally associated with springtime and a sartorial symbol of optimism and new growth, signaling perhaps that Hollywood — like the rest of the world — is rounding the corner and looking to warmer, sunnier times.