Lily James Wore a Sultry See-Through Oscar de la Renta Gown to the Critics Choice Awards

Anya Taylor-Joy wasn’t the only actress who made a sheer dress a red carpet standout this evening at the Critics Choice Awards. Lily James also opted for a see-through look by Oscar de la Renta. The dress, with its full skirt and black bow, had princess vibes, with a sultry twist courtesy of its transparent tulle fabric. James wore her brown hair up in a bun with side-swept bangs framing her face. She accessorized with lots of De Beers diamonds: specifically a choker, pair of stud earrings, and three rings from the jeweler.

James posed solo on the red carpet. She appeared at the Golden Globes earlier this week in a dramatic red cutout ruffle dress by Versace.

James spoke to ELLE UK in an interview published earlier this month about her biggest beauty mistake and what beauty era most inspires her.

“I think any time I’ve over fake tanned I look back and think that was a little much!” she admitted. “Or equally when I’m overly pale. I dyed my hair really dark last year and there was one look where I wore this really beautiful brown Aya Muse suit—I loved the outfit but I think I looked a tad too gothic. Saying that, I loved the Versace campaign I did—it was the coolest thing ever.”

She added that Old Hollywood glam really inspires her, an influence you can see in this red carpet look. “I recently shot a film called Finalmente l’alba where I played a 1950s movie star,” she said. “We shot it in Italy which made it extra glamorous. I grew up watching Ava Gardner films at my granny’s house and after watching them again I’ve re-fallen in love with her. There’s something about that old Hollywood look that was enhanced by phenomenal lighting and cinematography and made those stars look so beautiful.”

Senior News and Strategy Editor

Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.