The 10 best dressed celebrities of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards

Jessie Buckley in Dior and Boucheron jewelry
Mia Goth in Dior
Elle Fanning in archival Ralph Lauren and Cartier jewelry
Chase Infiniti in Louis Vuitton and Messika jewelry
Britt Lower in Bottega Veneta
Audrey Nuna in Marc Jacobs
Teyana Taylor in Saint Laurent and Tiffany & Co. jewelry
Renate Reinsve in The Row and Lisa Eisner jewelry
Bella Ramsey in Prada
Eva Victor in Ferragamo

The Critics Choice Awards officially begin the 2026 awards season. Tonight's ceremony brings together actors, directors, and writers from across film and television—many of whom will continue to gather in venues and on red carpets throughout the coming months, culminating in the Academy Awards in March. But for now, we're off to a strong, albeit subtle, start, style wise that is.

Tonight's red carpet felt quite subdued, a palate—or rather, palette—cleanser after the cacophony of the holiday sparkles. The words "simple" and "classic" come to mind. Keri Russell, Sarah Snook, and Eva Victor each reimagined the traditional elements of tuxedos for the evening (Victor's was Ferragamo). Renate Reinsve pared back in a streamlined black strapless dress from The Row while Mia Goth dressed in a liquid silk bias cut number with a twisted neckline from Dior. There was a lot of black. A lot of white. A hint of metallic. And, as always, a few surprises.

Subtle is one thing you'll never see from Ariana Grande as she continues her promotion of the Wicked franchise in a frothy pink, tulle-overlaid gown from Alberta Ferretti. Nor from Teyana Taylor, who wore a khaki Saint Laurent suit accessorized with a feather boa and thigh high boots. Perhaps the biggest attention grab of the evening, Meg Stalter and Paul W. Downs replicated of Timothée Chalamet's and Kylie Jenner's matching orange ensembles from Chrome Hearts.

But, of course, there's room for excitement even in the subtlest of color palettes—and that's the category in which many of our favorites were found. Audrey Nuna embraced the dramatic shapes and proportions of recent Marc Jacobs collections but rendered in inky black. Britt Lower leaned into texture with a creamy, faux-dress backless top and trousers from Louise Trotter's new Bottega Veneta. And Jessie Buckley paired a draped silk blouse with black pants from Jonathan Anderson's Dior.

Excitement came in the details tonight, often via light twists on classic eveningwear tropes, which, in this case, proved there's beauty in restraint. But it's only the beginning. This group of nominees has piqued our interest, and we look forward to seeing what they have in store throughout the season.