Selena Gomez Finally Breaks Her Little Black Dress Streak With a Cherry Red Ball Gown in London

Selena Gomez wearing a red ball gown and diamond necklace on the emilia perez red carpet

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published October 11, 2024

Selena Gomez finally broke her protracted streak of little black dresses at the Emilia Pérez headline gala during the BFI London Film Festival on Oct. 11. The gown that made her switch things up was a cherry red A-line dress with a scooped neckline and a twisted bow detail cinching the waist. The bold Oscar de la Renta creation nearly matched the red carpet beneath her and recalled the crimson Prada ball gown she famously wore to the 2016 American Music Awards, where she made an emotional speech about fighting to win back her mental health.

It's unclear whether the reference was intentional, but stylist Erin Walsh clearly has a handle on current color trends. Nearly every designer from Stella McCartney and Ferragamo to Proenza Schouler and Tibi incorporated the punchy red color trend into a collection last year. Now, celebrities and civilians alike are carrying the hyper-fixation into fall and winter 2024.

A photo of Selena Gomez posing with her "Emilia Perez" co-star Karla Sofía Gascón — Selena Gomez poses with her *Emilia Pérez* co-star Karla Sofía Gascón at the BFI London Film Festival on Friday.

I have to say, it's a relief to see the Only Murders in the Building star experimenting with color again. The all-black outfits looked stunning on her, of course, but there are only so many ways to continue iterating the same look across two adjoining press tours. (Gomez's takes included everything from a tongue-in-cheek velvet Schiaparelli keyhole gown to a mini blazer dress.) Frankly, I was concerned what her hot streak might do to the supply chain ahead of holiday party season.

For a welcome dose of sparkle, she accessorized the stunning gown with a diamond pendant necklace, diamond crawler stud earrings, and two pear-shaped diamond rings.

A photo of Selena Gomez wearing a diamond necklace and earrings, plus two diamond rings — Selena Gomez wears a diamond necklace and earrings, as well as two diamond rings.

Gomez has been working with the same glam team for years, and her latest red carpet look is a testament to their synergy. Hairstylist Nikki Lee pulled her brunette locks into a sleek high ponytail with a couple of waves left loose to frame her face. Makeup artist Hung Vanngo seemingly used warm orange and brown eyeshadows to carve out her crease, then applied a dusting of rose-colored blush to her cheeks before finishing with a glossy, nude-pink lip and laminated brows. All of the key products likely come from Rare Beauty, but given the soft matte look of her skin, I feel pretty confident saying her beat was topped off with a layer of the brand's newest launch: True to Myself Tinted Pressed Finishing Powder.

A closeup of Selena Gomez wearing nude lipstick and a high ponytail — Selena Gomez smiles for the press wearing nude lipstick and a high ponytail.

Rare Beauty True to Myself Tinted Pressed Talc-Free Finishing Powder

It's a glorious day indeed when Selena Gomez wears color for the first time in months. Reader, we are so back.

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Hanna Lustig is a staff writer at Marie Claire, where she gets to gab every day about the topics she holds most dear: fashion, beauty, and celebrity. Hanna’s editorial journey began with formative internships at Elle and InStyle, where she was lucky enough to work for some of the smartest women in media while she was still in college at the University of Tennessee. Hanna then accepted a digital culture reporting fellowship at Insider, where she helped carve out a new beat dedicated to covering influencers. Those experiences later served her well as a staff writer at Glamour, where she developed a knack for spinning quick turnaround celebrity news and trend reporting into juicy feature stories. Some of her greatest hits include an earnest ode to the no-pants trend, this meticulously reported feature exploring the rise of endoscopic facelifts, this snappy take on the Chanel-designed fantasy of Sofia Richie’s wedding, this tribute to WAGs past and present, and this timeline of Katie Holmes’s life and career as told through her denim collection.

Diane Keaton once hung up on Hanna during an interview, but thankfully that mishap did not derail what has otherwise been a deeply fulfilling career writing for and about women. As one of Marie Claire's resident experts on style and culture, her current coverage ranges from exploring TikTok's contrast makeup theory and the return of the boat shoe trend to interviews with costume designers for hit shows like Nobody Wants This and The Penguin. When she’s not at work, Hanna can probably be found listening to pop music, talking to her dog, and gossiping with her best friends. For more of Hanna’s perfect opinions on pop culture, you can follow her on Instagram and X.

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