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A is for Accessories: Rings, broaches, clutches and hats — a good Golden Globes outfit is about much more than the dress. Tracee Ellis Ross had the right idea in 2017 when she walked the red carpet in a Stephen Jones for Marc Jacobs turban.
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B for Black dresses: Hollywood celebrities joined forces in early 2018 to form the Time's Up movement, a response to the #metoo scandals that rocked the entertainment world. And as a symbol of protest and solidarity, female stars arrived at last year's Golden Globes in black dresses. Showing how to do it in style were (L-R: Reese Witherspoon, Eva Longoria, Salma Hayek and Ashley Judd, 2018)
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C for Couture : For those with an appreciation for handcrafted gowns, the red carpet is the place to spot the latest couture designs. (Penelope Cruz wearing Chanel couture, 2007)
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D is for Diamonds: The jewels often cost more than the dress. For instance, "American Hustle" star Amy Adams wore Lorraine Schwartz diamond jewelry worth a reported $8 million to the 2014 Golden Globes.
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E for (Ancient) Egypt: Long before cultural appropriation had a name, Juliette Lewis walked the red carpet in a Cleopatra-style headdress. (Juliette Lewis, 1994)
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F for Flats: Walking the red carpet in 6-inch heels isn't mandatory, and, over the years, stars from Sarah Jessica Parker to Natalie Portman have sensibly opted to walk in flats. (Sarah Jessica Parker 1999)
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G is for Gold: If you're going to wear gold to any awards ceremony, then the Golden Globes is surely the one. For a lesson in doing so stylishly, look no further than Beyoncé in this plunging Elie Saab gown from 2007.
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H is for Headpieces: Why not accessorize with a headpiece, or, in the case of actress Fran Drescher in 1996, an entire bouquet of flowers?
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I is for Injury: If anyone can rock a wrist cast on the red carpet it's Brad Pitt (in 1995).
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J is for J-Law: Jennifer Lawrence made a splash with this red dress at the 2016 Golden Globes, where she won an award for her leading role in "Joy." She then made headlines again when she revealed that it was her "plan-B dress," and that, due to being on her period, she'd switched outfit in order to wear something more comfortable.
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K is for Kids: The cast of popular Netflix show "Stranger Things" looked adorable as they hit the red carpet in 2018.(LR: Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink and Noah Schnapp)
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L is for Legs: Floor-length gowns are definitely the traditional choice for red carpet but that hasn't stopped stars opting for short dresses too. Cameron Diaz was all legs in 2003, when she was nominated for her role in "Gangs of New York."

Cameron Diaz during The 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Arrivals at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, United States. (Photo by Dan MacMedan/WireImage)
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M is for Mismatched: Don't let Helena Bonham Carter's elaborate dress distract you from the fashion statement on her feet -- the mismatched green and red shoes she wore to 2011's Golden Globes.
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N is for Naked dresses: Sheer or daring "cut-out" dresses have taken various forms on the red carpet. Take Jennifer Lopez, who arrived at 2013's Golden Globes in this stunning flesh-colored number by Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad.
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O for OTT: Every red carpet has risk-takers, and the Golden Globes has seen its fair share of over the top and outlandish fashions. (Melanie Griffith in a garish rainbow-striped gown, 1987)
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P for Pantsuit: Recent years have seen a refreshing number of women rejecting red carpet orthodoxy in favor of pantsuits. (Emma Stone in a chic Lanvin outfit, 2015)
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Q for Queen: Elizabeth Taylor opted for regal glamor in 1957, when she turned up in a sparkling tiara.
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R is for Ruffles: Ever the statement piece, ruffles have made prominent appearances via the likes of Chloë Sevigny, Christina Hendricks and Kate Hudson. Most recently, Jane Fonda (pictured) turned heads in 2016 with this memorable Yves Saint Laurent creation.
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S for Suits: Julia Roberts showed that suits are for everyone when she wore an oversized two-piece in 1990, and a slightly better-fitting one the year after.
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T for Tutu: In 2003, "Twin Peaks" star Lara Flynn Boyle channeled her inner ballerina with this frilly pink tutu.
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U for Umbrellas: January is one of LA's rainiest months and the red carpet can get wet. But, as Tina Fey demonstrated in 2010, the show must go on.
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V for Valentino: No red carpet is quite as glamorous without Valentino. (Jennifer Aniston in Valentino, 2004)
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W is for Whoopi: Whoopi Goldberg took home a Golden Globe in 1986 for her performance in "The Color Purple." And she secured her place in the awards' fashion history with one of the red carpet's oddest looks, combining a white blazer with yellow leggings, leg-warmers and a pair of white Reebok sneakers.
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X is for... Strike: In 2008, there was no fashion to speak of, as a strike by the Writers Guild of America saw the show -- and its red carpet -- canceled. Winners were later announced at a news conference.
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Y for Yellow: It really shouldn't work on a red carpet, but the color yellow has been consistently popular in recent years. And 2017 was a particularly strong year for the hue, when the likes of Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon and Viola Davis (pictured, in Michael Kors) all showing up in yellow dresses.
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Z is for Zeitgeist: The Golden Globes red carpet has proven its ability to project zeitgeist onto the world's stage through the prism of fashion, let's see if 2019 will deliver again.

Editor’s Note: For more on the intersection of politics, culture and fashion, watch CNN Original Series “American Style” on Sunday, January 13 and January 20 at 9 p.m. ET.

CNN  — 

As the first major awards ceremony of the year, the Golden Globes offers a hint of what to expect at next month’s Oscars. And, just as importantly perhaps, its attendees give the fashion world their first taste of red carpet style for the year.

Seven decades ago, at the birth of the Golden Globes, it was the likes of actors Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck who set the sartorial tone with demure gowns and classic tailoring. The awards’ red carpet has since blossomed into an A-list conveyor belt of the groundbreaking, the trendsetting and the downright bizarre (look no further than Whoopi Goldberg’s yellow leggings-and-sneakers look from 1986).

Greek tragedy and railways: An unexpected history of the red carpet

With the men usually confined to suits and tuxedos, it’s in the realm of womenswear that fashion houses clamor to make headlines. The result has been bold looks that were memorable for the right reasons (think Jennifer Aniston’s daring black dress in 2004) and the wrong (think Juliette Lewis’ Cleopatra headpiece in 1994).

As fashion-watchers speculate about what we’ll see at the Globes’ 2019 installment Sunday night, we look back at some unforgettable style moments from its red carpet. Scroll through the gallery above to see our fashion A-to-Z.

CNN Style’s Fiona Sinclair Scott, Stephy Chung, Oscar Holland and Jacopo Prisco contributed to this list.