Saoirse Ronan moved through three very different red-carpet looks during a busy awards-season weekend in Los Angeles in January 2020, culminating in the 77th Golden Globe Awards. Her outfits ranged from Ralph Russo Couture to an embroidered Giambattista Valli set, while her footwear included crystal-detailed Roger Vivier sandals, Giuseppe Zanotti statement heels, and metallic strappy sandals by Celine.
At 5’5¾” (167 cm), Ronan has often used heels to change the proportions of her red-carpet looks, from stacked ankle boots early in her career to the barely-there evening sandals she favored during the 2020 awards season.
Saoirse Ronan Pairs a Metallic Celine Gown With Gold Strappy Sandals at the Golden Globes
At the 77th Golden Globe Awards on January 5, Ronan, then nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for Little Women, stepped away from her typically restrained red-carpet style in a shimmering Celine by Hedi Slimane slip gown.
Saoirse Ronan wears a shimmering Celine by Hedi Slimane gown with delicate gold sandals at the 77th Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles on January 5, 2020 (Credit: Instar / WENN)
The then-25-year-old actress, who often favored more restrained silhouettes on the red carpet, chose a more revealing look for the Golden Globes. The sequin-embellished floor-length gown featured a plunging cowl neckline, spaghetti straps, an open back, and a thigh-high slit.
Stylist Elizabeth Saltzman told Vogue that Ronan “feels different in Celine.”
“She talks about the brand so much, I had to listen to her,” Saltzman said of Ronan’s choice to wear Celine.
The stylist explained that the intention was to celebrate Ronan’s femininity while giving the look a stronger, sexier edge than audiences were accustomed to seeing from her.
A thigh-high slit reveals Saoirse Ronan’s metallic Celine strappy sandals beneath her crystal-covered Golden Globes gown
To complement the 1970s-inspired gown, hairstylist Adir Abergel styled Ronan’s hair in soft textured waves with volume at the crown and gently rolled ends.
Celebrity makeup artist Kara Yoshimoto Bua used Chanel makeup, keeping the beauty look understated with pink eyeshadow, mascara, soft pink lipstick, and blush.
Saoirse Ronan complements her plunging Celine slip dress with softly textured blonde waves, Atelier Swarovski jewelry, and understated pink makeup
Atelier Swarovski earrings and rings added more shine, while Ronan completed the look with gold strappy sandals by Celine. The barely-there metallic heels echoed the gown rather than competing with it, creating a continuous line of gold from dress to shoes.
Slim metallic straps dotted with sparkling accents give Saoirse Ronan’s Celine sandals a barely-there finish beneath her sequin gown
After the ceremony, Ronan attended the 21st Annual InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes after-party in the same Celine look.
Saoirse Ronan carries her head-to-toe metallic Celine look to the InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes after-party (Credit: Instar / WENN)
Crystal Roger Vivier Sandals Add Sparkle to Her Giambattista Valli BAFTA Tea Party Look
A day earlier, Ronan took a very different approach at the BAFTA Tea Party, pairing an embellished Giambattista Valli Spring 2020 look with white satin Roger Vivier heels.
She wore a Giambattista Valli Spring 2020 two-piece ensemble: a sleeveless zip-front top with bows at the sides and a high-waisted miniskirt with a thigh slit and scalloped hem. Gold beading and floral embroidery covered both pieces.
Saoirse Ronan pairs an intricately embroidered Giambattista Valli Spring 2020 set with white satin Roger Vivier sandals at the BAFTA Tea Party on January 4, 2020 (Credit: Instar / WENN)
Ronan wore her hair in a neat bun that left her gold earrings visible, while shimmery pink eyeshadow and lipstick continued the outfit’s softer palette.
A sleek updo and minimal gold earrings keep the focus on the elaborate floral embroidery of Saoirse Ronan’s Giambattista Valli look
Ronan finished the look with white satin Roger Vivier sandals. The open-toe heels featured slender ankle straps, crystal-embellished buckles, square-shaped toes, and sparkling crystal details at the approximately 4-inch heels.
The jewelry-like finish was particularly well suited to the Giambattista Valli outfit: instead of introducing another color, the crystals picked up the light alongside the gold embroidery.
White satin Roger Vivier sandals feature square open toes, slender ankle straps, crystal buckles, and sparkling accents at the heels
The choice also continued Ronan’s history with the French footwear house. Four years earlier, she had worn custom-dyed Roger Vivier heels with her emerald Calvin Klein Collection gown at the 2016 Academy Awards, creating a monochromatic green look.
Her 2020 pair shows another side of the brand. Roger Vivier became known for treating the heel and buckle as decorative elements in their own right, and the crystal detailing on Ronan’s sandals places much of the visual interest around the ankle and heel rather than across the front of the foot.
Roger Vivier’s silver I Love Vivier sandal combines a square toe and slim ankle strap with a distinctive crystal sphere set into the heel
The black suede version of Roger Vivier’s I Love Vivier sandal contrasts a slender stiletto with a glittering crystal sphere at its base
Ronan had already shown a preference for decorative evening sandals on other red carpets. At the 2018 Directors Guild of America Awards, for example, she paired a metallic Calvin Klein Collection dress with Christian Louboutin Galeria sandals featuring jewelry-inspired studded straps.
Giuseppe Zanotti Farrah Sandals Complete Her Ralph Russo AACTA Look
Ronan’s awards-season weekend began on January 3, 2020, when she attended the 9th AACTA International Awards at SkyBar at the Mondrian Los Angeles in West Hollywood for her performance as Jo March in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women.
She took to the stage in a black metallic Ralph Russo Couture gown with a strapless sweetheart bodice and floor-length pleated skirt.
Saoirse Ronan wears a black metallic Ralph Russo Couture gown at the 9th AACTA International Awards in West Hollywood on January 3, 2020 (Credit: Instar / WENN)
Beneath the floor-length gown were open-toe Giuseppe Zanotti Farrah sandals. Slim straps kept the front of the shoes relatively minimal, while sculpted heels covered in crystals supplied the statement detail at the back.
The Farrah sandals created an interesting link between all three of Ronan’s looks that weekend. Her AACTA heels placed crystals around an architectural heel, her Roger Vivier sandals brought sparkle to the buckles and heels, and her Golden Globes sandals reduced the idea to slim metallic straps. Across three very different outfits, the shoes remained light and open rather than visually heavy.
Ronan has worn other dramatic Giuseppe Zanotti styles, including silver Betty platform sandals with Carolina Herrera at the European premiere of Mary Queen of Scots. The towering Betty platforms were a much heavier silhouette than the delicate Farrah sandals, showing how differently she has used the Italian designer’s footwear on the red carpet.