The 12 Best-Dressed Stars at the 2025 Critics' Choice Awards Are Crowd-Favorites

Last weekend, the red carpet spotlight highlighted hitmakers at the 2025 Grammy Awards. This weekend, all eyes are back on stars of the TV and movie theater screens at the 30th Annual Critics' Choice Awards. The best-dressed list is exactly what you'd expect for a Friday night focused on the most acclaimed acting performances of the year: formal and polished, but not quite as over-the-top glamorous as the BAFTAs and Oscars. Still, we're on the road to the Academy Awards now, and every outfit counts in pursuit of a little golden trophy.

Nominees including Ariana Grande, Mikey Madison, and Monica Barbaro gathered at the Santa Monica Airport's Barker Hangar in their Friday night finest for the Feb. 7 Critics' Choice ceremony. Several of the Critics' Choice Awards best-dressed guests matched the black carpet in sequin gowns (Cynthia Erivo) and tulle-overlay dresses (Lupita Nyong'o). Others made a bolder statement in splashes of red (Zoe Saldaña), turquoise (Dakota Fanning), and silver (Ella Hunt). Then there was Nicole Kidman—who flipped the gowns-only script to walk the carpet in a khaki suit. While fashion critics expected a quieter night—and there were notable absences, like Critics' Choice nominee Selena Gomez—social media was ablaze with praise for these outfits and more. Awards season fatigue hasn't set in yet; these looks are clearly crowd-favorites.

Bottom line: While critics elected the evening's winners, it's the stars (and their teams) who decided on the best looks of the Critics' Choice Awards red carpet. Read on for the outfits we couldn't miss before heading into the weekend.

Mikey Madison wearing archival Giorgio Armani

The link-up between Anora star Mikey Madison and stylist Jamie Mizrahi has been one of my favorites to follow through awards season. So far, the pair has mostly hewn toward custom pieces and recent runway—but what are patterns for if not breaking? At the 2025 Critics' Choice Awards, Madison opted for a vintage Giorgio Armani gown circa Fall 1992. It veered stately without encroaching on Oscars territory, with help from a white satin cummerbund and colorblock velvet opera gloves.

Ariana Grande wearing Dior Couture and Bucherer Fine Jewellery 

Ariana Grande's 2025 Critics' Choice Award look said she's ready to branch out from Glinda pink for good. Stylist Mimi Cuttrell instead consulted Dior's couture runway—which only debuted in Paris last week—for this balletic hoop skirt gown. The semi-sheer piece features several details that are so nice, from floral appliqués along the shoulders to carpet-skimming fringe all over the skirt.

Lupita Nyong'o wearing Chanel Couture

Ah, Lupita. How the red carpet has missed you (and stylist Micaela Erlanger)! The duo has been working together for a full decade now, and their penchant for fun is so clear in this Chanel Couture creation from the Spring 2024 collection. Plenty of other guests went with simple black gowns, but Lupita decided on only a sheer black layer with sequin florals underneath. The contrast in textures is just delicious; so is the experimental energy it brings to a carpet that typically plays it safe.

Zoe Saldaña wearing Saint Laurent

Many of the costumes in Emilia Pérez, including Selena Gomez's covetable coats, were Saint Laurent designs. Naturally, the French house has played a major role in award season contender Zoe Saldaña's press wardrobe. The duo teamed up after their Golden Globes collaboration for this custom red silk number, defined by a collarbone-skimming neckline and a draped, open back. Bonus points for the thick leather choker stylist Petra Flannery picked out as a finishing touch—it's a refreshing break from red carpet diamonds and gemstones.

Cynthia Erivo wearing Giorgio Armani Privé and Bucherer Fine Jewellery 

Like her Wicked: Part One co-star, Cynthia Erivo has gradually gotten more experimental with her witchy fashion over the past year. What started as a parade of Elphaba greens and dramatic black cloaks has evolved into more subtle tributes to the misunderstood sorceress she portrays. Case in point: the Giorgio Armani Privé gown (and bespoke white manicure) she wore to make the 2025 Critics' Choice Awards best-dressed list. Those liquid-black sequins and open back channel the more dramatic moments in her 3-hour musical, but she didn't have to resort to an Emerald City palette to do it.

Nicole Kidman wearing Saint Laurent

There's nothing Babygirl about Nicole Kidman's 2025 Critics' Choice Award entry to the best-dressed list. Instead, she and stylist Jason Bolden went full boss-mode in an off-the-runway Saint Laurent suit. Win or lose tonight, the strong shoulders and '80s-inspired tie says Kidman is calling all the shots on the red carpet.

Ella Hunt wearing Fendi Couture

Ella Hunt may play an SNL cast member in Saturday Night, but her look for the 2025 Critics' Choice Awards was no laughing matter. She absolutely glowed in a Fendi Couture gown resplendent with silver sequins. The scale-like arrangement would make Ariel jealous; the all-over shine paired to a simple bateau neck silhouette is not anything of this world.

Dakota Fanning wearing Dolce Gabbana

Dakota Fanning and stylist Samantha McMillen make magic on every red carpet they attend together. (The same goes for McMillen and Fanning's sister, Elle.) Toasting the elder Fanning's work in Netflix's Ripley, the duo pivoted away from the dark noir energy of the series in custom Dolce Gabbana. Instead, they embraced a springy palette of seafoam green in Fanning's corseted gown with an impressive cross choker necklace by Irene Neuwirth to match. It's early-aughts pop goddess meets modern red carpet royalty—and it's too good not to get a shout-out here.

Demi Moore wearing Schiaparelli Couture

Demi Moore and stylist Brad Goreski are on a roll this awards season. Following her statuesque gold Giorgio Armani Privé gown at the 2025 Golden Globes, Moore arrived at the Critics' Choice awards to defend her Best Actress title in a sensual Schiaparelli Couture number. Much like her role in The Substance, the piece was full of unexpected twists with a major payoff. Those included a bulbous, embellished corset bodice and a half-deconstructed skirt.

Leighton Meester wearing Dior

A Critics' Choice appearance I didn't see coming, with an even more dreamy result. Leighton Meester joined her husband Adam Brody—nominated for his work in Nobody Wants This—in a princess-like Dior gown with a corseted bodice and champagne-glitter skirt. It's classically "red carpet," complete with the diamond choker and soft beauty beat. This look alone is enough to make me call Meester's agent and demand she land a role where she can return again next year as a nominee.

Monica Barbaro wearing Prada and Bulgari jewelry

Monica Barbaro has been on the awards circuit for a few years, but she's finally getting her due in the form of Best Supporting Actress nods for her work in A Complete Unknown. I'd also like to hand-deliver a best-dressed trophy for her starry two-piece set by Prada. The intricate embellishments toe the line between whimsical and formal so beautifully. If only the designer (and stylist) behind it had come forward by press time so they too could get their flowers.

Angelina Jolie wearing Elie Saab

There's always a strong chance Angelina Jolie will go to the archives or her own Atelier Jolie workshop for any given red carpet look. But at the 2025 Critics' Choice Awards, she upended my expectations by plucking this Elie Saab Spring 2025 dress from the runway. I can see why she didn't want to wait for a custom piece: The peachy boho lace is even more decadent than it was on the catwalk with Jolie's bright red lip and loose waves.