Oscars glam looks effortless. Behind the scenes, stylists sweat diamonds, double-sided tape and stains.
Oscars glam looks effortless. Behind the scenes, stylists sweat diamonds, double-sided tape and stains.
Suzy ByrneFri, March 13, 2026 at 6:05 PM UTC
0
We know Oscar nominees Wunmi Mosaku, Amy Madigan and Elle Fanning will dazzle on the red carpet. The glam doesn’t happen by chance — stylists work overtime, and they’re sharing the grit behind it with Yahoo. (Photo illustration: Julia Meslener/Yahoo News; photos: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images, Earl Gibson III/Deadline via Getty Images, Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
The morning after the Academy Awards marks the end of the frenetic few months known as awards season. It’s no spa day for celebrity stylists.
“I'll be returning diamonds,” Shameelah Hicks, who dresses Sinners star and Best Supporting Actress nominee Wunmi Mosaku, tells Yahoo. “That's the first thing I'll do.”
Ensuring a client’s red carpet look is perfect from head to toe is essential — and so is making sure they’re having fun in a high-fashion look, with no faux pas. But the “most stressful thing,” hands down, is getting borrowed jewelry — sometimes worth millions — secured and returned properly.
“Once everything is accounted for, I can finally relax,” she says.
Golden Globes, Actor Awards, BAFTAs, Critics’ Choice Awards, nominee luncheons, photo ops and press days have been a blur. Now, the grand finale — the Oscars — arrives Sunday with Conan O’Brien returning as host.
As you watch, remember: Behind every dressed-to-the-nines star is a largely invisible team making sure everything is just right. The red carpet moment lasts minutes, but preparation starts months earlier — and until stylists are no longer on the hook for a million dollars’ worth of diamonds or a borrowed couture gown, the stress lingers.
“Anyone who says they're not worried … I don't know how that's possible,” stylist Andrew Gelwicks tells Yahoo.
‘Once I see the photo … I can breathe’
Gelwicks has been styling Weapons actress and Best Supporting Actress nominee Amy Madigan this season. She won at the Critics' Choice Awards and the Actor Awards.
“You put so much energy — mentally, physically and emotionally — into every single look that you just want it to go well,” he says. “You don't want a zipper to break. There are so many factors [at play].”
Neither Hicks nor Gelwicks typically walks the carpet with their clients. Celebrities often prep in hotel rooms near the venue, with glam teams arriving for hair and makeup. The dress or suit, shoes and jewelry go on last.
“I end at the hotel,” Gelwicks says. “Once they’re out the door and in the car, they’re on their own. They’re with their publicists and team.”
Mosaku's stylist could exhale when she saw this photo of the Sinners actress at the Golden Globes. (Christopher Polk/2026GG via Getty Images)
Then comes the waiting — refreshing Getty Images for photos or keeping eyes glued on E!’s red carpet coverage.
“I'm hoping that everything stays in place,” Hicks says. “It’s nerve-racking. But once I see the photo, I'm like, OK, I can breathe.”
Pregnant — but not the point
The stakes rise when an outfit carries extra narrative weight.
Mosaku effectively announced her pregnancy in a sunny, form-fitting Matthew Reisman gown at the Globes.
“We were like, ‘We can't keep concealing the pregnancy. When are we going to do this?’” Hicks says. “Because it was her decision, [she felt] that would be the perfect time. And yellow gave that golden glow.”
Since then, Mosaku has continued to glow in an array of looks while picking up awards at the BAFTAs, NAACP Awards and the Actor Awards. But the pregnancy is not the headline.
“The whole thing for us is not solely to focus on the bump,” Hicks says. “It's an addition. It’s fashion — and she happens to be pregnant.”
Mosaku, at the BAFTA Film Awards and the NAACP Awards, requested colorful gowns that were comfortable, and flats have been a must. (Getty Images)
Practicality matters, too. Events can stretch six hours or more.
“‘Color, comfort and practical,’” were Mosaku’s notes. “She’s like, ‘I don't want to be in a dress I can't go pee in.’”
As Mosaku’s body changes, so do the styling needs. Stretchy fabrics are a favorite, and flats are essential.
“I got her into one heel this entire time,” Hicks says. “But it’s been a challenge because nobody makes really good flats. It’s been harder to find flats than pregnancy-friendly [gowns].”
Tailored to her
Madigan’s style is distinct in a different way. She’s worn tailored suits almost exclusively.
At the start of the season, she and Gelwicks decided to focus on suiting and tailoring — bringing “something a little bit different” to the carpet.
At the Globes, she wore Thom Browne. At the Critics’ Choice, an embroidered all-denim look from Dior’s menswear collection.
“Amy really has her own aesthetic,” he says. “I want these pieces to feel intrinsically and authentically her.”
Amy Madigan — at the Oscars nominee lunch, the Critics' Choice Awards and the Golden Globes — in suits her stylist helped her pick. (Getty Images)
On Gelwicks’s dream client list is Best Supporting Actress nominee Elle Fanning, as well as past winners and Hollywood icons Meryl Streep and Cate Blanchett.
Advertisement
“I always gravitate toward people who have a strong sense of self,” he says. “These are women with very different styles who really appreciate fashion and style, even if it’s not necessarily the most important thing in their lives.”
With so many big names in one room, standing out is no small feat.
“It goes back to instincts,” he says. “You can never fully predict what's going to hit. I always just have to trust my gut.”
Gelwicks says he never puts his client in anything “I'm not 100% confident” about — and mostly ignores social media commentary.
“There are only a few people I really care about what they think,” he says.
The smallest star makes a big impression
One of the awards season’s most memorable moments came from one of the smallest stars.
Duke McCloud, 6, who plays Sarah Snook’s son on All Her Fault, delighted on the Globes carpet in a powder blue suit and brooch, flashing the 6-7 gesture (when that was still in) for photographers. He went viral for his style and charm.
Stylist Lisa Cameron focused on two priorities: confidence and comfort.
“There's not a ton of kids' clothing brands that are well-made that make suits specific to the Golden Globes,” she tells Yahoo.
Tailoring is always key — Cameron also dresses Duke’s older brother, Dash — but this suit, from KJ Kids Couture Corp., arrived as the “dream scenario”: No alterations needed.
Duke McCloud knows how to accessorize at 6. When the child actor got to his fitting, he went directly to the accessories table and picked a pocket square. (Jason Armond via Getty Images)
At the fitting, McCloud went straight to the accessories, picking his pocket square. Cameron had sourced a vintage brooch, pairing it with wingtip shoes.
“Black is always the go-to for men, but we wanted to keep the suit fun with the color — and the double-breasted cut made it more sophisticated,” she says. “We elevated it [with accessories] so it looked styled — not like he just went to the mall and bought a suit.”
Cameron was “overwhelmed” by the viral response, including best-dressed mentions from Vogue and GQ alongside A-listers.
“It brought joy to my heart,” she says.
How did the suit survive a full night out?
“He was able to keep the suit, so I didn’t get it back,” Cameron says. “But it actually looked pretty good. They stayed the whole night and even attended an afterparty for a bit.”
Stair tests and survival kits
At events like the Oscars, “it's all about being nimble,” Gelwicks says.
“Anything can go wrong,” Hicks adds — double-sided tape failing, a stitch coming loose, accidental stains from lipstick.
Her emergency kit includes a needle and thread, Shout wipes and makeup remover. A tailor remains on standby.
The Globes had a dramatic staircase this year, requiring additional prep for attendees — like Minnie Driver, another Gelwicks client.
“With Minnie, we definitely did some stair tests,” Gelwicks says. “A carpet like the Globes is intimidating enough — then you add stairs and heels.”
That staircase had nothing on Minnie Driver. She had practiced for that moment. (Amy Sussman via Getty Images)The morning after
While the celebrities may sleep in the day after the Oscars, stylists do not.
As Hicks noted with her diamond worries, it’s another busy day: There are returns, travel home and other clients to dress for covers, premieres and press tours.
Plus social media demands.
“People want to see the ‘get ready with me,’” Hicks says. “They want a look at the diamonds up close, all of it.”
It's all in the details. A closeup of Mosaku's Messika diamonds at the Globes. (WWD via Getty Images)
After months of private pressure, there’s a fleeting moment of public payoff.
“The day after is kind of like a sweet moment, because you feel like you've just put something out into the world,” Gelwicks says. “And it’s fun to recap with the clients.”
He adds, “But at the same time, you have to keep on chugging along.”
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
