Awards Season’s Coziest—and Most Underrated—Red Carpet? At Sundance

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival kicked off today in Park City, Utah, marking its final year in the snowy, mountainous city before moving to Boulder, Colorado next year. And while the lineup promises lots of buzzy movies and documentaries (including The Moment with Charli XCX and The Gallerist with Natalie Portman), we’re especially excited about the star sightings. After all, it’s not every day that celebrities are out promoting their films in cozy coats and scarves.

Over its 41-year-long history, Sundance has become synonymous with chic winter dressing. Compared to its more formal counterparts (like Cannes, Venice, or awards ceremonies like the Golden Globes or the Oscars), the proceedings in Park City tend to feel more laid-back. You’re not likely to see A-list stars hitting the red carpet in a fancy gown or black tie suit; instead, many take the step and repeat in their plushiest outerwear, winter boots, and sometimes even a kooky little hat.

Chloe Sevigny in 2003Photo: Getty Images

That isn’t to say there haven’t been extremely cool looks at Sundance in the past. In fact, quite the opposite: Remember, back in 2020, when Tessa Thompson wore a white puffer coatdress from Loewe (with the hood left up!) to an after-party? The look was voluminous and dramatic—it had all the makings of a great red carpet look—while still keeping her warm. In 2023, Anne Hathaway sported a similar look from Versace—hers in black—and just last year, Ayo Edebiri hit Sundance in a green knit ensemble from The Row, including a mossy green dress and a huge shawl scarf.

Anne Hathaway in 2023

Photo: Getty Images

There is something nicely unstuffy about seeing top actors in such wearable and relatable looks. (Stars get cold, just like us!) Compared to at high-stakes awards shows—when they have teams of stylists working on custom-made looks for months—there is a sense of spontaneity and realness to the snuggly outfits at Sundance.

Will we be seeing even more inventive takes on cold-weather formal dressing at Sundance 2026? We certainly hope so. It’s a different challenge from dressing for a glitzy Hollywood ceremony—trading in gowns for gorpcore, if you will. And that’s why Sundance will always be the quirkiest, coziest, and most underrated affair of awards season.

Below, scroll for more cozy looks from Sundance over the years.