Lea Michele arrived at the 2023 Tony Awards in New York City on June 11, 2023, wearing one of the evening’s most romantic floral looks: an Emilia Wickstead gown from the designer’s Resort 2023 collection.
While her footwear never appeared beneath the sweeping skirt, the look remains a strong example of how red carpet styling often prioritizes silhouette over shoe visibility.
Although Michele was widely praised for her performance as Fanny Brice in the Broadway revival of Funny Girl, she was not eligible for a Tony Award because she joined the production after opening night. Under Tony Awards rules, performers must appear in the show’s opening performance and meet the required number of performances for voters to be eligible.
Lea Michele wears a red rose-print Emilia Wickstead Resort 2023 gown with a structured square neckline and full pleated skirt, which completely conceals her red carpet shoes beneath the floor-sweeping hem (Credit: M10s / TheNews2 / Cover Images)
Michele told The New York Times that she was not concerned about losing her eligibility for the Tony Awards when she took up the role in September 2022, saying, “You might think that’s the biggest piece of bulls*** that I’m going to say to you all day, but I really don’t care about that at this point. It’s just about being able to play this part.”
Despite being ineligible, Lea Michele and the Funny Girl cast closed out the evening with a showstopping rendition of Don’t Rain on My Parade.
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For the ceremony, the Scream Queens star chose an Emilia Wickstead Resort 2023 gown featuring a crisp white backdrop covered in bold red roses.
The structured design combined a square neckline, wide shoulder straps, a fitted bodice with subtle boning, and a full pleated maxi skirt that created dramatic movement on the red carpet.
The floor-length skirt completely concealed Michele’s footwear throughout the evening, and no photographs from the event reveal the shoes she wore. Like many formal gowns with sweeping hems, the design would have required supportive heels to maintain its proportions while keeping the focus on the floral silhouette.
Lea Michele hits the Tony Awards red carpet in a white and red floral dress from Emilia Wickstead’s Resort 2023 collection (Credit: Janet Mayer / Startraksphoto)
Stylist Brian Meller complemented the statement floral gown with understated fine jewelry rather than competing with its bold print. Lea wore Briony Raymond’s gold and diamond “Aura Sphere” earrings alongside a delicate gold bangle from Jemma Wynne, allowing the structured Emilia Wickstead design to remain the focal point.
Her beauty look balanced the romantic dress with clean, classic styling. Makeup artist Allan Ponte emphasized her eyes with soft winged liner and fluttery lashes, while hairstylist Jennifer Yepez finished the look with a sleek side-parted bob that echoed the gown’s structured neckline.
Lea Michele parts her tresses to one side and wears dramatic eyeshadow and fluttery eyelashes to highlight her brown eyes (Credit: Janet Mayer / Startraksphoto)
Lea Michele’s red carpet wardrobe shows both sides of footwear styling. Some looks, like her sweeping Emilia Wickstead gown at the 2023 Tony Awards, use shoes primarily for support and proportion, while others make them a defining part of the outfit.
That contrast is especially clear when looking back at her 2016 Teen Choice Awards appearance, where blush pink Casadei pumps became one of the look’s standout accessories.
Lea Michele Turns Heads in Plunging Lace Bralette at 2016 Teen Choice Awards
In July 2016, Lea Michele attended the 2016 Teen Choice Awards at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
Lea Michele center parts her hair for the 2016 Teen Choice Awards held on July 31, 2016, at The Forum in Inglewood, California (Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / FayesVision / WENN)
Although the “Glee” star didn’t win the Choice TV Villain and the Choice TV Actress in Comedy awards, the petite actress was victorious on the red carpet.
Lea Michele pairs a floral Self-Portrait lace bralette and matching midi skirt with blush pink Casadei pumps, adding a soft pop of color to the monochrome ensemble
She stood out in a flirty, feminine two-piece ensemble from the London-based contemporary fashion label Self-Portrait.
Lea elegantly displayed a tasteful amount of décolletage and subtly revealed a hint of her midriff in a delicately plunging guipure lace bralette, skillfully paired with a corresponding floral lace midi skirt.
The open-back Self-Portrait set highlights Lea Michele’s delicate lace detailing from every angle, while her sleek center-parted hair and blush Casadei heels keep the look polished and modern
The “Scream Queens” star finished the look with understated rings and earrings, wearing her hair in a sleek center part with nude pink lipstick and subtle blue eyeliner that added a soft pop of color without competing with the intricate lace ensemble.
Lea Michele balances the plunging neckline and sheer lace panels of her Self-Portrait ensemble with understated styling, letting the pastel Casadei pumps provide the outfit’s subtle contrast
Lea wore a pair of pink python-detailed suede pumps by Casadei.
Lea Michele’s blush pink Casadei pumps feature sharply pointed toes, delicate ankle straps, and striking python-covered stiletto heels that add texture and contrast to the feminine design
They featured crisscross vamp straps, adjustable buckle fastenings, and four-inch python heels.
Crisscross ankle straps and sleek pointed toes give Lea Michele’s blush pink Casadei pumps an elegant, leg-lengthening silhouette, while the exotic python heels provide a bold finishing detail
How Lea Michele Uses Heels to Shape Her Red Carpet Silhouettes
Although her shoes remained concealed beneath the sweeping Emilia Wickstead gown at the Tony Awards, Lea Michele’s wider style history shows a consistent preference for footwear that adds height while keeping the silhouette polished.
From crystal-trimmed mules and velvet Mary Jane pumps to metallic T-bar sandals, these appearances offer a closer look at the designer heels behind some of her most memorable outfits.
👠 Explore More of Lea Michele’s Best Shoe Moments:
- 📏 Standing at 5’2″ (157.5 cm) and wearing a US shoe size 8, Lea Michele frequently turns to pointed pumps, slim stiletto sandals, and platform heels to add height without overwhelming her petite frame.
- 🖤 Her black velvet Jimmy Choo “Lacey” pumps brought a polished Mary Jane finish to a sheer Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini lace dress and tailored AllSaints coat during a 2017 appearance in Manchester.
- 🌈 Lea’s multicolored Jimmy Choo “Visby” sandals added bright leather, snakeskin, and mesh straps beneath a graphic Zimmermann dress at San Diego Comic-Con in 2015.
- 🦋 Sophia Webster’s black suede “Madame Butterfly” sandals paired laser-cut butterfly detailing and a 4.25-inch heel with Lea’s metallic one-shoulder Lela Rose dress at The Grove.
- 🍷 Her burgundy Christian Louboutin “So Kate” pumps echoed the rich color of her embellished Zuhair Murad mini dress while adding the sharply pointed toe and steep 120 mm stiletto associated with the iconic red-soled style.
- ✨ Metallic Christian Louboutin “Athena” sandals created a delicate contrast beneath her geometric Fausto Puglisi mini dress at the 2014 Teen Choice Awards, using slim T-bar straps to keep the focus on the dress’s bold color blocking.