News Awards & Events Oscars Lupita Nyong'o's Red Carpet Style By Kelsey Glein Kelsey Glein Twitter Kelsey Glein is a Seattle-based writer and editor who covers all things fashion, beauty, and pop culture. She was previously the Digital Editor of InStyle and is currently a Social Media Manager at a cosmetics company. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on January 5, 2017 @ 10:00AM Pin Share Tweet Email Trending Videos Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage There's no question that Lupita Nyong'o is the breakout style star of this awards season. The young actress nabbed an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her part in 12 Years A Slave, which has kicked her career into high gear. "There's no way that I could have dreamt any of this stuff up. It's just been an incredible journey, and it continues to be that," Nyong'o tells InStyle. It's an adventure and a very exciting one, a very rewarding one and a very revealing one as well." Usually wears: Bright, solid colors like scarlet red, emerald green, and robin's egg blue in sleek and modern cuts. "I’m dark-skinned so primary colors pop the best," Nyong'o says. Favorite designers:Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Cushnie et Ochs, and Lanvin. Wildcard factor: The rising icon has kicked off awards season in style, opting for fresh and striking silhouettes in bold hues like the chic Ralph Lauren cape dress that left us speechless at the 2014 Golden Globes. "This is a woman that can wear every single color of the rainbow and then some," states InStyle's editor Ariel Foxman in our #OscarsDressDebate. What we'd like to see: Color, color, color! "I'm still in love with her in solid colors. I think it's really brilliant that she's come out and created this very distinctive visual impression by matching her dress with her shoes and her makeup," says InStyle's Fashion News Director Eric Wilson. "I'd like to see another bright color." We agree, and are craving more eye-popping color from Nyong'o, but hope she mixes it up and chooses a new hue. "I'm really interested in seeing new saturations of color on her, like a beautiful salmon," states designer Rachel Roy. "She looks absolutely incredible in these bold, solid colors. I'd never want to see her in a black dress," says Beth Buccini of New York City boutique Kirna Zabete. "She can really carry a strong look. I'm thrilled with the solid colors still." Want more Lupita Nyong'o? Look through our gallery to see her best red carpet looks from this awards season! MORE:We've Decided the Red Carpet Fashions for the Oscars!Why We're Obsessed: Lupita's Golden Globes DressListen Up: Here's How to Say Lupita Nyong'o's Name 01 of 19 In Elie Saab, 2016 Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic The actress looked elegant in a lavender Elie Saab gown with a matching headwrap and Graziela Gems earrings for the L.A. premiere of Disney's Queen of Katwe. She paired the hue with even more bold color—pink on her lips and mauve on her lids. 02 of 19 In Rosie Assoulin, 2016 Karwai Tang/WireImage Nyong'o looked like a queen IRL in a Rosie Assoulin printed bustier and high-waist blue pants. She paired the ensemble with a matching headwrap and Rebecca de Ravenel ombré drop earrings. 03 of 19 In Jason Wu, 2016 Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Nyong'o accessorized with a Hugo Boss bag and with Tiffany & Co. jewelry at the Tony Awards. 04 of 19 In Calvin Klein Collection, 2016 Jamie McCarthy The actress sparkled in a Calvin Klein Collection gown with Jimmy Choo shoes at the Met Gala. 05 of 19 In House of Herrera, 2016 Dominik Magdziak Photography/Getty Nyong'o chose a strapless yellow gown, adorned with a royal blue floral pattern for the Queen of Katwe premiere at the 41st Toronto International Film Festival. 06 of 19 In J. Crew, 2016 Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock Lupita wore a custom neon green J.Crew tee with a deep-V design and a gold sequined skirt with slit pleats to the L.A. Jungle Book premiere in 2016. 07 of 19 In Balmain, 2016 Walter McBride/WireImage Nyong'o wore a gorgeous emerald Balmain dress at the opening night party for her Broadway debut in Eclipsed. 08 of 19 In Zac Posen, 2015 Larry Busacca/Getty Images Lupita wore a Zac Posen dress in collaboration with Google at the Star Wars “Force 4 Fashion” event at Skylight Modern in New York City. 09 of 19 In Gucci, 2015 FilmMagic At Cannes, the actress opted for a custom pleated chiffon gown with hand-painted floral crystals along the waist and plunging neckline. 10 of 19 In Calvin Klein Collection, 2015 David Livingston/Getty Images Nyong’o wore a strapless beaded Calvin Klein Collection gown to the 2015 Vanity Fair Oscar party. 11 of 19 In Gucci, 2015 Antonio de Moraes Barros Filho/FilmMagic The actress wore a belted chiffon dress to the 15th anniversary of the Tropheé Chopard during the 68th annual Cannes Film Festival. 12 of 19 In Elie Saab, 2015 Ari Perilstein/Getty Images She attended the Weinstein Company and Netflix 2015 SAG after-party in a short version of the printed Elie Saab dress she had worn earlier that day on the red carpet. 13 of 19 In Giambattista Valli Couture, 2015 Steve Granitz/WireImage Nyong’o wore a floral strapless Giambattista Valli Couture gown to the 2015 Golden Globes. 14 of 19 In Christian Dior, 2015 Dominique Charriau/WireImage To attend Christian Dior's fall 2015 couture show during Paris Fashion Week, Nygong’o chose a short pleated red dress by the designer. 15 of 19 In Calvin Klein Collection, 2015 WireImage At the Academy Awards in a custom-made gown by Calvin Klein Collection that was made up of over 6,000 pearls—famously stolen from her hotel room and then returned two days later. 16 of 19 In Elie Saab, 2015 WireImage In a printed Elie Saab gown at the Screen Actor Guild Awards. 17 of 19 In Gucci, 2014 Theo Wargo/WireImage Nyong'o chose a vibrant Gucci gown with an embellished neckline for the 2014 SAG Awards, which she paired with Fred Leighton jewelry. 18 of 19 In Christian Dior Couture, 2014 AP At the 2014 BAFTAs in a Christian Dior Couture emerald green gown and Ana Khouri jewelry. 19 of 19 In Ralph Lauren, 2014 Steve Granitz/WireImage At the 2014 Golden Globes, Nyong'o chose a caped Ralph Lauren dress, Fred Leighton jewelry, and a Monica Rich Kosann clutch.