Dear Miss Red Carpet,
Let’s talk about what glam means now that we are teetering right on the edge of a recession (and possibly tipping into the mouth of the volcano soon) and with inflation galloping away at a brisk clip. A reduced, and quiet type of glam won the night at the recent 2023 British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA). You need look no further than the leading fashion icons in attendance – both Catherine, Princess of Wales and Hollywood actor Cate Blanchett were seen in familiar looks working the red carpet.
It was later revealed that both ladies had worn “recycled” dresses: Catherine’s Grecian Alexander McQueen gown, modernised with dramatic opera gloves, was the same dress worn by the princess to the 2019 BAFTAs; The floral detail at the shoulder was craftily replaced by a more elegant, trailing bow. The style memo that emphasized thrift became even clearer when the princess, who could have chosen to wear some of the world’s most famous gems, ditched diamonds for a pair of Zara earrings. As for Cate Blanchett, she wore a modest black haute couture dress created by John Galliano for Maison Margiela, which she had worn to the Oscars in 2015.
Gold was a popular choice; Anya Taylor-Joy wore a gold Schiaparelli cocktail dress and a matching operatic cloak, but although the end result dazzled, please note that it was stripped down in design, and as minimalist as a gold cloak can be. Michelle Yeoh also wore gold, but the gold that was sedate and buffed, and her Dior suit was a dignified understatement. Hoyeon Jung wore a gold ballgown that was fetching, youthful and ingenue because it was stripped of all decoration and detail. There were quite a few low-key blacks: Julianne Moore wore a rather subdued black Saint Laurent dress, and so did Carey Mulligan.
The leading men also supported this recession style code. In contrast to recent award events that had the men experimenting with clickbait fashion, harnesses, gender fluid ensembles, and the spectrum of loud and sparkly, they returned to classic dinner suits in trusty black. Austin Butler, Rami Malek, Colin Farrell and Jamie Dornan all looked splendid and handsome in tuxedoes, with Eddie Redmayne in his all-black Alexander McQueen onesie looking quite dashing.
We at ABARA has always championed a look that is quietly luxe, and our bestsellers have classic shapes that you can wear now and, more importantly wear years and years down the road of life. ABARA handbags are made with durability in craftsmanship and design. Our meticulous workmanship, top quality leather and enduring shapes ensure that each ABARA creation will see you through the years with style.
