Many people turn to the red carpet of the Academy Awards in order to see what the next big fashion trends will be. This makes sense, as most of the dresses worn came straight from the designer’s runway. On top of that, the Oscars are known for setting many trends, since the awards show is one of the most-watched ones every single year.
The style round-ups are viewed by millions of people, and plenty of fashion designers keep an eye out to see what the big trends are so that they roll them into production. Here are eight of the very best trends that you’ll see in stores this year.
- Pink Is the Color of the Season
Every year the Oscars red carpet anoints a new hot color of the year (or even the season.) This year, the color is pink, as a variety of shades, ranging from light baby pink to fuschia, appeared on actresses. Examples of the women who donned this shade include Sarah Paulson, Gemma Chan, and Angela Bassett, among others.
Look for pink clothing – from dresses to tops – in stores near you. This color will more than likely be hot from spring through the end of summer.
- Pants Suits on Women
While women have worn pants suits for decades (think of the 1980s “power suit,” complete with shoulder pads) they are definitely back in fashion. Many of the women who wore this trend, such as Elsie Fisher and Amy Poehler, stuck with a monochromatic look that included blouses that perfectly matched the separate pieces of the suit.
The fits varied, with some wearing the suit equivalent of skinny pants and others a more straight or bootlegged cut. No matter what, there were some feminine touches, which kept them from veering straight into “borrowed from men” territory.
- Statement Necklaces
It seems as though every ten years or so statement necklaces come back into style. This year was no exception with plenty of stars, including Amy Adams, Helen Mirren, and even Charlize Theron wearing large diamond necklaces with their gowns.
While yours may not be made of diamonds, you can still capitalize on this trend by wearing statement necklaces with appropriate outfits.
Simple Ponytails Are In Style
Yes, hair can be a fashion trend, especially when the same style is worn by multiple women at once. Gone are the fussy up do’s of the past. They’ve been replaced by sleek ponytails – nice and simple, yet chic at the same time.
Many of the ponytails on the red carpet (worn by Angela Bassett, Kacey Musgraves, and Constance Wu) were low on the head – right above the back of the neck – and held in place with invisible fasteners. The best thing about this overall style is that it’s easy to do yourself. You won’t need to go to a hairdresser or spend hours fussing with your hair.
Red Is Still Hot
Although pink was the main color on the red carpet, many stars wore red. They include Rachel Weisz and Jennifer Hudson, both of whom wore dresses in this bright, attention-getting hue. While it seems odd to have two hot, trendy colors appear on the red carpet, in this case, it makes sense, since red is very close to pink.
As with that shade, keep an eye out for multiple red garments on the store racks. You’ll be able to wear this color throughout the rest of the year.
Shoulder-Bearing Dresses
Who doesn’t want to show off their shoulders? Since the cold-shoulder tops of the mid-1990s recently went out of the style, it makes plenty of sense that the next variation of this trend pops up on the red carpet. The only difference is that the sweetheart neckline might stick around for a bit longer than those tops.
After all, it’s almost universally flattering and very easy to wear. Just look at the gowns worn by Octavia Spencer and Michelle Yeoh if you need an example of how lovely this trend can be.
Capes on Gowns
Who doesn’t love a good cape? They allow for a very dramatic entrance and exit and add an entirely different dimension to an outfit. Capes appeared on gowns worn by Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, and Glenn Close, all who wore very differently styled dresses in order to highlight the versatility of this trend. It should pop up this spring in the form of prom dresses.
Silhouettes with Structure
Not only did stars like Emma Stone and Holland Taylor wear dresses with structural silhouettes on the red carpet, but you can wear this trend as well. Although the outfits that you’ll find on the rack might be a bit different, they’ll have the same slim silhouette and interesting built-up details.

















