Shailene Woodley’s Balenciaga look at 2026 Emmys sparks mixed reactions online

Shailene Woodley divided fans with her striking red carpet look at the 2026 Emmys, nearly a decade after her previous appearance at television’s biggest awards ceremony.

The Big Little Lies actress attended the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards wearing a Balenciaga ensemble featuring a plunging periwinkle top and beaded gold trousers.

Instead of the black cloak used with the look on Balenciaga’s Fall/Winter 2026 runway, Woodley paired the outfit with burgundy opera gloves and a gemstone Howl Jewelry necklace.

Photo: AFP

The 34-year-old actress completed the look with her hair slicked back into a low ponytail. Her appearance quickly prompted mixed reactions online, with viewers questioning the combination.

“What in the kitchen gloves arts & crafts is going on here?” one commenter wrote in Vanity Fair’s comments.

Another posted on X, “I have questions. A lot of them,” while a third wrote, “Shailene Woodley arrives to the 2026 Emmy Awards wearing … truly unsure but hey you’re there, I’m not. Go off.”

Not everyone criticised the ensemble. One fan praised the outfit, writing, “Omg I think this outfit is fun!” Another commenter offered a more divided assessment: “I have very mixed feelings about this outfit. All nice pieces, odd together.”

Woodley nevertheless left the ceremony with a major career milestone.

Fresh from her first Creative Arts Emmy win for Paradise, she won the Guest Actress In a Drama Series award for playing Annie, a former Graceland tour guide.

She was previously nominated in 2017 for Big Little Lies.