By Gretta Monahan
By now everyone knows that this year’s Golden Globe awards were more of an epic cultural sea change than your average awards ceremony. In the midst of the #metoo movement, Hollywood’s most powerful women also unveiled #Timesup, a campaign that targets sexual harassment and Hollywood’s imbalance of power. And at the Globes, almost all attendees wore black to support gender equality.
The all-black wardrobes were nothing short of stunning. Who knew the color — thought of as standard, yet so classic and dramatic when done with daring — had so many different faces?
There was Gal Gadot, who kept it demure in a tux-like cropped jacket by Tom Ford over a ruched dress, topped off with lustrous Tiffany & Co. jewelry.
Zoe Kravitz showed up (with a gorgeous pixie haircut that couldn’t have flattered her more) in a strapless shift by Saint Laurent, while Sarah Jessica Parker went festive in a flouncy-skirted Dolce & Gabbana.
I loved Nicole Kidman’s look — she took it formal in an intricate lace, couture floor-length number by Givenchy. And I also adored that Halle Berry and Catherine Zeta-Jones both donned Zuhair Murad, with totally different manifestations. Halle was a vision in her version: a plunging neckline with swaths of sheer black and flirtatious above-the-knee length, while Catherine took the same edgy-but-pretty aesthetic and went long — with floor-length drama and swooping sleeves that are part lingerie, part empress-like grandeur.
There was also Shailene Woodley, who brought in an extremely classic Ralph Lauren Collection look: a shimmering turtleneck and full ballroom-worthy black skirt. Kendall Jenner looked as incredible as ever in a gorgeous and over-the-top high-low gown by Giambattista Valli Haute Couture — with an epic and dramatic train in back that in front exposed her equally gorgeous legs and delicate Christian Louboutin T-strap stilettos. I loved Saoirse Ronan’s Versace Atelier — an asymmetrical, full-length choice, with slices of silver metallic inserts on one sleeve and one side.
Meryl Streep was there looking beautiful but understated in a dress made just for her by Vera Wang; the activist whom she brought as her plus one, director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance Ai-jen Poo, also chose a quiet black ensemble.
And then of course there was the brightest star of the evening, Oprah. The self-made billionaire and longtime equal rights activist rocked the house with her amazing speech, and also with her curve-enhancing, off-the-shoulder gown by Versace Atelier. Between the vision for equality she shared and her impeccable dress, she brought the house down.
Down, sure. But then also up–higher than we’ve seen before, with her message of a new day that’s coming.
