Oscars

PHOTOS: What 2020 Oscar-nominated actresses, actors wore on red carpets this award season

Sunday, February 9, 2020

Charlize Theron arrives at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Actress Charlize Theron poses for photographers upon arrival at the Bafta Film Awards, in central London, Sunday, Feb. 2 2020.

Charlize Theron arrives at the 2020 Producers Guild Awards at the Hollywood Palladium on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in Los Angeles, Calif.

Charlize Theron attends the 22nd Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Renee Zellweger winner of Best Actress for Judy, poses backstage at the Bafta Film Awards, in central London, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020.

Renee Zellweger poses in the press room at the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Renee Zellweger arrives at the 92nd Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at the Loews Hotel on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Renee Zellweger arrives at the 25th annual Critics' Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.

Cynthia Erivo arrives at the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Cynthia Erivo arrives at the 25th annual Critics' Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.

Keith Urban, left, and Cynthia Erivo present the award for best pop solo performance at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Cynthia Erivo arrives at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Cynthia Erivo attends the 92nd Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at the Loews Hotel on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Scarlett Johansson poses for photographers upon arrival at the Bafta Film Awards, in central London, Sunday, Feb. 2 2020.

Scarlett Johansson arrives at the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Scarlett Johansson arrives at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Saoirse Ronan arrives at the InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes afterparty at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Saoirse Ronan poses for photographers upon arrival at the Bafta Film Awards, in central London, Sunday, Feb. 2 2020.

Saoirse Ronan arrives at the 25th annual Critics' Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.

Florence Pugh arrives at the 25th annual Critics' Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.

Florence Pugh poses for photographers upon arrival at the Bafta Film Awards, in central London, Sunday, Feb. 2 2020.

Florence Pugh arrives at the 92nd Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at the Loews Hotel on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Margot Robbie arrives at the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Actress Margot Robbie poses for photographers upon arrival at the Bafta Film Awards, in central London, Sunday, Feb. 2 2020.

Margot Robbie arrives at the InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes afterparty at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Laura Dern arrives at the 92nd Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at the Loews Hotel on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Actress Laura Dern poses for photographers upon arrival at the Bafta Film Awards, in central London, Sunday, Feb. 2 2020.

Laura Dern arrives at the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Laura Dern poses in the press room at the 25th annual Critics' Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.

xxx arrives at the InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes afterparty at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Kathy Bates attends the National Board of Review Awards gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020, in New York.

Kathy Bates arrives at the 92nd Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at the Loews Hotel on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Adam Driver and Joanne Tucker attend the EE British Academy Film Awards 2020 at Royal Albert Hall on Feb. 2, 2020, in London, England.

Adam Driver arrives at the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Leonardo DiCaprio arrives at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Leonardo DiCaprio arrives at the 92nd Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at the Loews Hotel on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Antonio Banderas, right, and Nicole Kimpel arrive at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Antonio Banderas attends the New York Film Critics Circle Awards at TAO Downtown on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020, in New York.

Actor Joaquin Phoenix poses for photographers upon arrival at the Bafta Film Awards, in central London, Sunday, Feb. 2 2020. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Joaquin Phoenix poses in the press room at the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall, Jan. 19, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Jonathan Pryce arrives at the 92nd Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at the Loews Hotel on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Brad Pitt poses in the press room at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Brad Pitt arrives at the 92nd Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon at the Loews Hotel on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Brad Pitt poses in the press room at the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall, Jan. 19, 2020, in Los Angeles.

Joe Pesci, left, and Martin Scorsese attend the New York Film Critics Circle Awards at TAO Downtown on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020, in New York.

Al Pacino poses for photographers upon arrival at the Bafta Film Awards, in central London, Feb. 2 2020.

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PHOTOS: What 2020 Oscar-nominated actresses, actors wore on red carpets this award seasonCharlize Theron arrives at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

If this year's red carpet couture serves as an Oscar bellwether, then keep an eye out for stars dressed in sequin this Sunday.

2020 acting nominees have literally sparkled ahead of their red carpet appearances for the 92nd Academy Awards at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. See highlights in the gallery above.

SEE FULL LIST: Oscar nominations 2020

"Bombshell" nominee Charlize Theron, for instance, wore a stunning custom Louis Vuitton gown with gold sequins to this year's Costume Designers Guild Awards.

Perhaps the most show-stopping example: "Harriet" nominee Cynthia Erivo rocked a sparkling tuxedo-inspired gown that took 800 hours to make at the 2020 Golden Globes red carpet.

Sequin was also spotted on fellow acting nominees Laura Dern, Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson, Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pughin in recent public appearances.

"Abandon any idea of sequin gowns from proms or vintage red carpets. The new sequins have been dipped in an expansive rainbow including shades of purple, blue, green, orange and yellow," said Brooke Jaffe, a contributing editor at Variety.

This award show season, Erivo has happily embraced the big and the bold in her fashion choices. Her Valentino ensemble at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards showed off two more recent red carpet trends: puffy sleeves and voluminous skirts.

The twice-nominated Johansson and "Little Woman" nominee Ronan both flaunted dresses with exaggerated skirts, and Pugh's extravagant pink gown for the BAFTAs had larger-than-life sleeves.

"Statement sleeves are a huge, huge trend we're seening on the red carpet this season, lots of poof," style expert Melissa Garcia told Good Morning America.

Despite more colorful examples of men's fashion at recent red carpets, the Oscars male acting nominees have played it safe -- unless we're willing to count Joe Pesci's fedora and leather blazer worn at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards.

Last year, metallic was queen of the carpet, with stars Jennifer Lopez, Glenn Close and Brie Larson all sparkling head to toe.

Compared to the Met Gala, the Oscars red carpet doesn't typically push the envelope.

What happens to red carpet dresses, suits after the Oscars and other award shows?

This doesn't mean those "wow" moments won't happen. Cher's 1986 getup, featuring a massive feathered headdress and revealing two-piece gown, still makes headlines, and more recently, Billy Porter's gender-bending tuxedo dress in 2019 had everyone and their grandma tweeting.

Celebrity 'Facialist to the Stars' helps Glam Lab get Red Carpet ready

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