Pink parade lights the way forward at the SAG Awards

The coordinated black-dress blackout of the Golden Globes earlier in January may be in the rear-view mirror, but there was still plenty of sartorial symbolism to be found on the arrivals red carpet at the 24th Screen Actors Guild Awards.

For the occasion at the Shrine Auditorium, there was a platoon of pinks and a squadron of sequins that, coming just one day after the pink-hatted second annual Women’s March, created the feeling of a women’s movement on the move. (A feeling underscored by this year’s SAG Awards having mostly female presenters.)

Those shades of pink included the pale pastel of nominee Margot Robbie’s pink silk crepe chiffon Miu Miu gown, Samara Weaving in a fuchsia Miu Miu gown, Uzo Aduba in a custom pink chiffon Christian Siriano gown and Saoirse Ronan’s Louis Vuitton silk gown with silver mini paillette details as well as the strapless fuchsia J. Mendel number worn by host Kristen Bell.

Others marching in the pink parade included Kate Hudson (in a Valentino gown festooned with what appeared to be black hearts), Laura Linney (in a pale pink J. Mendel gown embroidered with feathers), Madeline Brewer, Dakota Fanning (in a silk organza Prada gown accented with all-over metallic paillette embroidery), and Millie Bobby Brown (in a rose sequinned Calvin Klein cocktail dress designed by the label’s chief creative officer, Raf Simons).

Fanning’s and Brown’s surfeit of sequins put them in step with the evening’s other noticeable trend – sparkly, often metallic, sequins and paillettes that added festive sparkle to many of the gowns and, for a few, created an armour-like look. Among those in the latter camp were Natalie Zea in a shimmery form-fitting gown by Ports 1961 and Allison Janney in a custom, form-fitting Yanina Couture gown covered in gunmetal grey paillettes.

“It makes me feel like I have armour on,” Janney told E!’s Giuliana Rancic on the red carpet, further making the connection between best dressed and battle-ready at this year’s SAG Awards.

Others on the evening’s sparkle train included Olivia Munn (in silver-sequinned Oscar de la Renta), Brie Larson (in a multicolour sequin beaded floral Gucci gown), Allison Williams and Laurie Metcalf.

“This is the year of the woman,” nominee Holly Hunter told E!’s Rancic, and the evening’s two over-arching red-carpet trends appeared to echo that sentiment loud and clear.