Lupita Nyong'o Trades One Elie Saab Dress for Another
Celebrities often ditch their red carpet gowns for party dresses before hitting any of the numerous after parties post-awards show. They can spend the night letting loose without worrying about a long train being stepped on on the dance floor or leaving a trail of beads and feathers hopping from one event to the next—they can also score two best dressed mentions in one night. The second dress of the night usually deviates from the first (different settings do call for different dress codes), but Lupita Nyong'o simply switched into a shorter version of the Elie Saab gown she wore to Sunday’s SAG Awards.
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The 31-year-old actress wore a multicolored floor-sweeping dress with long sleeves and deep V-neck. Vertical black stripes overlaid a floral print and the pleated skirt was belted to give the gown some shape. But after taking pictures and presenting the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries onstage with Jared Leto, Nyong'o made a small change.
Instead of completely altering her vibe, the 12 Years a Slave actress chose to wear the same print in a different silhouette from Elie Saab’s Pre-Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear collection. The more festive version featured a shorter hemline hitting just above the knee and the neckline shifted from plunging to a more modest crew cut. Her Fred Leighton earrings remained the same, as did her braided updo, and the red Sophia Webster heels that were hidden beneath layers of fabric got their chance to shine.
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While the transition from step-and-repeat to after-party dressing is, most of the time, more noticeable — who can forget when Shailene Woodley traded her heels for barefoot running shoes? — the subtle switch was unique and charming (just like Nyong'o herself).
