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Nicola Coughlan tries the 'no trousers' trend for her red carpet debut with boyfriend Jake Dunn
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Nicola Coughlan tries the 'no trousers' trend for her red carpet debut with boyfriend Jake Dunn
Nicola Coughlan plays woodland fairy Silky© PA Images via Getty Images

Nicola Coughlan tries the 'no trousers' trend for her red carpet debut with boyfriend Jake Dunn

The Bridgerton star opted for teeny micro shorts at the BAFTA TV and Craft Awards 

Clare Pennington
Associate Editor
April 25, 2025
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Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan is one of the rare actors whose style off-screen is as exciting to behold as the dramatic period gowns she wears in the hit Netflix show.

Known for her penchant for polished yet playful fashion choices, the Derry Girls star delivered a masterclass in contemporary tailoring at the BAFTA TV and Craft Awards in London.

Nicola is standing on a grey tiled platform outdoors, backed by an enormous gold BAFTA mask sculpture and surrounded by a lush arrangement of pink hydrangeas, violet delphiniums, and blush roses. She wears a black ensemble with strong structural elements — a tailored longline coat with oversized buttons and a sculptural tulle train cascading from the back. The coat falls just past the hips, revealing glossy black micro shorts, black opaque tights, and peep-toe platform heels with a sheer panel. Her hair is styled in a sleek, straight, shoulder-length blonde look, and her makeup is kept fresh and natural, highlighting her fair skin and warm pink lips.© Getty Images for BAFTA
Nicola Coughlan attends a BAFTA event in a no-trouser ensemble

For the event, Nicola opted to eschew trousers altogether, hopping on our favourite recent 'no trousers' trend, instead plumping for micro shorts teamed with an immaculately tailored blazer, and best of all, an absolutely huge mesh bow that fell all the way to her feet. 

We've got sleek minimalism on show here (very Valentino SS25) and a daring silhouette that echoes classic Schiaparelli shapes. Excellent work Nicola. 

Another angle of Nicola Coughlan's incredible outfit - you can see here the giant mesh bow at the back of her outfit, and her skyscraper black heels© BAFTA via Getty Images
Another angle of Nicola's incredible outfit

Once relegated to editorial spreads, micro shorts have undergone a renaissance of late, emerging as a tailoring staple for spring/summer 2025. They might make your grandma wince, but we think they elevate any ensemble into top tier sartorial status and we are stocking up ASAP. 

Jake Dunn stands next to Nicola Coughlan on the pink carpet. He wears a blazer, teamed with a jumper and shirt, black trousers and trainers. © PA Images via Getty Images
Jake Dunn and Nicola Coughlan at the BAFTA event

Nicola's red carpet appearance isn't just exciting because of her cracking ensemble, it also marks the first time that she has walked the red carpet with her boyfriend Jake Dunn who was wearing a suit from Mithridate's AW25 collection. *Everyone say ahhh*

The event was hosted at the V&A Museum in London - not a bad spot for date night. The event - the the BAFTA TV and TV Craft awards nominees party - marked the start of the celebrations for this year's nominees and guests were treated to Mediterranean cuisine and Taittinger champagne. Sounds delicious. 

Who is Jake Dunn?

Jake Dunn wears a black blazer and trousers, white trainers, jumper and shirt on the pink carpet© Getty Images for BAFTA
Jake Dunn attends the BAFTA Television and Television Craft Nominees' Party

Jake Dunn is an actor who was first spotted with Nicola back in August 2024, but this BAFTA appearance marks their first red carpet event as a duo, which is very exciting. In February this year, Nicola hard launched her new boyfriend on Instagram with a sweet birthday post.

Jake is an actor with Disney+ show Renegade Nell under his belt, and William Tell, a movie that also stars Ben Kingsley and premiered earlier this year. 

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