Now, on to the reviews! I have grouped most of the looks into categories.
Ladies in Red
Pantsuits
Given the more casual atmosphere of the Grammys, we often see a variety of pantsuits and mixed separates on the red carpet. Three very different pants looks were seen last night on Halsey, Jill Scott, and Trace Lysette. Halsey's outfit was a good concept gone horribly awry. Although the color was gorgeous, the fabric was wrinkled and saggy all over instead of being smooth and crisp, the pants and sleeves were much too long, and the pajama-style top was droopy and unflattering, as well as being much too open for not wearing anything underneath. Had this look been well-tailored and properly fitted, and paired with a lacy corset or bandeau top, it would have been a stunner. However, as is, it looked like she rolled out of bed and directly into the limo. Scott, however, benefitted from really excellent tailoring. Her black-and-white checked, double-breasted suit was perfectly fitted to her curves, and the choice of a tiny peep of black corset, black buttons, and understated white shoes really worked well, along with a whimsical jeweled hair clip shaped like sunglasses. Lysette's look was halfway between these two, with a softer, midnight blue fabric with black leather trim shaping nicely to her curves and flaring slightly at the hip and hem. The plunging neckline was not too open but still sultry. Well, two out of three ain't bad in this category.
Mature Looks
Older performers often struggle more at the Grammys than at other red carpet events, since it's more difficult to pull off the usual "edgy" looks after a certain age. Both Enya and Judy Collins chose more subdued yet still elegant looks last night. Enya's white gown had a lace overlay capelet trimmed with black beading that added just enough visual interest and softness, and Collins' long black lace gown had a broad v-neck and a slightly full skirt which was both dramatic and feminine. Well-played for both.
Novelty Looks
Short Dresses
Short dresses are also quite common at the Grammys, and there were three short dresses in particular that caught my eye, worn by Giuliana Rancic, Heidi Klum, and Taraji P. Henson. From the waist up, Rancic's high-necked, long-sleeved, wide-belted, white lace gown looked prim and almost Victorian. But the short skirt, ending in a small pleated ruffle matching the trim on the sleeves and neckline made it work on her. Rancic is quite tall but very slight, and often ends up being worn by the dress rather than the other way around, but this look worked really well on her (although I think an ivory or even champagne color might have been more flattering). Klum wore a simply metallic gold sheath that was practically a long t-shirt. Although it was less noticeable on the televised red carpet, still photos tended to show her boy-cut black briefs (which may have been intentional, as her bra did not seem to be equally visible). But they were modest and unobtrusive, so it didn't bother me much. Henson's purple satin dress was embellished with silver curlicues and ruffled epaulets, and could have been a real winner if it hadn't been quite so tight. She tugged at her skirt when she arrived at the podium to present, as if the dress was riding up as she walked - a sure sign that the dress doesn't fit as it should. I also found her slicked-back hair to be too severe with the softer lines and broad shoulders of the dress. Almost right, but not quite.
Cleavage-Baring Necklines
Any red carpet event always has plenty of cleavage on display, and last night was no exception. Although it was mainly plunging v-necks, there were a few other styles of cleavage-baring gowns in parade. This category includes Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Kristin Cavallari, and Tinashe. Dion was stunning in an emerald spangled column with plunging neckline and open-fronted skirt drawn into a wide green ribbon belt with a diamond buckle. It emphasized her tall, slender figure, and was just soft enough to offset her severe, slicked-back hairstyle which set off her gorgeous diamond drop earrings. Lopez wore a soft lavender chiffon gown with a full train and an open keyhole neckline, although I wasn't a fan of the stiff tulle poufed collar. Cavallari's black halter gown had a broad, curved v-neck held together by tiny straps, but the feature I really loved was the side slit with full black mesh insert. The unexpected detail added interest to what could have been a bland gown and instead made it quite striking. Tinashe's black satin gown had some interesting criss-cross straps, but the overly open bodice and cleavage was not flattering - her breasts seemed to be defying gravity in a very artificial and not pretty way. Definitely a bit of a mixed bag in this category.
Frothy and Feminine
Lace and Openwork
One-Shouldered
One-shouldered gowns is another trend that is becoming more and more popular, and were worn last night by Kat Graham, Laverne Cox, and Solange Knowles. Graham's bold spangled black, white, and red diagonally-striped gown was a column that ended in a rather unfortunate side train. The heaviness of the beaded fabric was too stiff for the length of the train, and did not move well. I loved Cox's tea-length leather sheath with metallic lacing up each side and a slight shoulder drape. It was simple but interesting, hip but not weird, and sexy but not revealing. Knowles, on the other hand, had a little too much of everything: the color was too mustardy, the ruffle on the sleeve was too big, the peplum was too long, and the hairstyle was too wild. I did love the pleated skirt that flared just a bit as it brushed the floor, and the short crisp pleated ruffle along the neckline, but the other details were just out of proportion.
Metallics also encompasses a wide range of styles, three of which were sported by Katy Perry, Lauren Daigle, and Cassadee Pope. Perry's gown had two distinct sections: a loose-fitting dropped waist gold lame top with long sleeves and a high round neck, and a column skirt of champagne eyelash fabric (or possibly marabou feathers). I liked both parts, but they didn't really work together. The skirt was very 1920s but the top was distinctly 1970s. Daigle's sleek silver fitted column, on the other hand, was modern with hints of 1920s art deco beading adding just enough visual interest to make the simple cut work. Pope's silver draped gown featured an almost cowl-style neckline revealing a long but narrow line of cleavage, and the full skirt with long train flared beautiful from the hip. The fabric itself was interesting enough to not require any additional detailing.
The two-piece gown (crop top with long skirt) seems to go in and out of fashion. It's not terribly popular now, but both Lea Michele and Rihanna wore good examples of the look. Michele's heavily embroidered black halter top and slim skirt with just a hint of train gave off a very ethnic, almost sari-inspired vibe, and worked well with her sleek, straight hair and stark makeup. Rihanna went for a much fuller, more voluminous look in a full, textured ballgown-style skirt and a bright orange halter with metallic gold banding underneath. I felt like she could have used a little more support in the top, but perhaps the curvy look was her intent. The volume of the skirt could easily have overwhelmed her, but the bright color of the top, along with her long full hair worn down, balanced out the look and she pulled it off well.
Other Looks of Note
Adele struggles with choosing age- and figure-appropriate red carpet gowns, often looking somewhat matronly. This olive green gown with pretty geometric patterning is one of her more flattering looks. The waistband hits her at the narrowest part of her body, emphasizing her curves, and the combination of soft, draping fabric with angular lines is interesting and flattering. It's not the best color on her, but I'm so happy that she's not wearing plain black again that I don't mind.
Hillary Scott's black column with mesh yoke and covered with silver stars was simple, but fresh and pretty, and worthy of mention. It's a beautiful look without needing to be couture - which is a good thing.
I loved how well-unified yet individual Little Big Town's looks were. The women both wore eggplant gowns, but in totally different styles that reflected their personalities: one with a long flared trumpet gown with plunging neckline, shoulder cutouts, and (I think) a small capelet, and the other an ankle-length beaded vintage gown with bell sleeves and a fringed hem. The men also both went formal in their own ways, both wearing standard black tuxes with satin collars, but one with a black shirt and black long tie, and the other with a crisp white shirt and no tie. I only wish they had kept this look for their onstage performance.
And one final shout-out for group unity for a group called Raging Fyah: Five dark tuxes, but ranging from true black to shades of midnight blue; black shirts and white shirts; red ties, blue ties, black ties; and bow ties, long ties, and no ties. Each has their own unique look, but tied together in a shared color palette and similar level of formality. For this, I'll even forgive them the goofy spelling of their name.
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