LOS ANGELES _ At first blush, those arriving at the Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium on Sunday appeared to have little in common, style-wise. Some clearly paid homage to the awards' silver (25th) anniversary, including the silver carpet itself (sponsored by Reynolds Wrap), by stepping out in silver metallics (Melissa McCarthy and Betty Gilpin, among them), while others favored neutral shades, including Elisabeth Moss (in Monique Lhuillier), Yara Shahidi (in Fendi Couture), Rachel Bloom (in Cristina Ottaviano) and Patricia Clarkson (in Zuhair Murad).
To be accurate, eye-catching color wasn't wholly absent; it just seemed to be the exception to the rule. Emily Blunt (in a cotton candy pink confection from Michael Kors Collection) and Susan Kelechi Watson (in a sunny yellow Christian Siriano gown) were among the most memorable bright spots of the evening.
But by the time the final footfalls had faded from the silver carpet and the ceremony had started, there was one thing that tied the evening's standout ensembles together in one great big bow _ pumped-up volume. Structural volume came thanks to pleats, ruffles and good old-fashioned bows (a trend we started to see bubble up at the Golden Globes this month). The standouts of the bow brigade included Alison Brie, whose black satin strapless Miu Miu gown sported a crystal-embellished back bow, and Faithe Herman, who accessorized her blue tiered Valdrin Sahiti ruffle dress with a big black House of Cyndarella back bow.
The pleats came mostly by way of Grecian-style gowns, with two standout examples being Gilpin sparkling in a silver pleated dress with a plunging neckline and Sydney Sweeney, who wore a tricolor silk tulle asymmetric dress from Delpozo.
Those rocking ruffles included Amy Adams in a Celine by Hedi Slimane black bustier dress, Angela Bassett in a gray, sleeveless Georges Chakra V-neck couture collection gown and Gemma Chan in a high-low Oscar de la Renta gown with immense ruffles that resembled feathers.
Feathers, real and otherwise, were a staple too. They added volume to the Elie Saab ensemble worn by Chan's "Crazy Rich Asians" co-star Michelle Yeoh that included an ostrich feather skirt, and the feather-like fringe of Lady Gaga's straight-from-the-runway ivory Dior Haute Couture look trembled like a starlet's lower lip with every step.
