2024 Grammy Awards: Red Carpet Review

I'm a little late in getting this red carpet review posted, but I didn't forget! Although I didn't actually watch the Grammy Awards ceremony, I looked all over the internet to find photos of as many outfits as I could. Most of the notable dresses fell into one of several categories: White, Black, Metallic, Belly Baring, and Structurally Impressive. There were a few other looks that didn't fit neatly into any of those categories, but were still worthy of mention, so I've added a "Miscellaneous" category. 

Let's take a look!

White

Let's begin with one of the most talked-about (and admired) looks of the night: Taylor Swift's white strapless Schiaparelli gown. It featured a strapless bodice with fan-shaped pleats that gathered over one hip and a similarly gathered skirt that fell into a circular train, with a second train that fell from the waist at the back. Swift paired the look with black velvet opera gloves, a narrow black choker above multiple longer crystal necklaces, and strappy black heels, topped with loose sideswept hair and dark red lips. A spectacular look in every detail.  

Olivia Rodrigo wore an ivory Versace column that was originally worn by supermodel Linda Evangelista in 1995. The gown had paired narrow straps and a sweetheart neckline, and was studded with pale pink gemstones that were closer together both at the hem and at the top of the bodice. Rodrigo also wore her hair loose and swept to the side and sported dark red lips, and her only jewelry was a large ring and small black-and-diamond earrings. Simple, sleek, and gorgeous. 

Ballgowns are less common at the Grammys than at other red carpet events, so Madison Beer's strapless white ballgown designed by Marmar Halim was eye-catching for its silhouette alone. The corset-style bodice was tightly fitted to emphasize Beer's tiny waist, but the bow detail at the bust balanced some feminine sweetness with the va-va-voom silhouette. I didn't love Beer's limp, center-parted hairstyle or dark lipliner, and the neckline was crying out for a y-shaped necklace, but the dress itself was terrific. 

Eryn Allen Kane credited her dress to Claire Sullivan. There are aspects that I loved about the look, and some that I hated. What I loved: The soft pink at the top fading to white; the draped pearls at the top of the bodice echoed in ropes of pearls wrapping her shoes; the combination of textures of satin and tulle. What I hated: The super-stiffness and lack of movement in the bodice; the super-short bubble hem in the front; the mismatched lengths of both the satin and tulle on the right and left sides of the skirt. Overall, I was not a fan, but Kane was so delightfully bubbly and excited about the look that it redeemed it for me.

Stephane Rolland designed Kat Graham's geometrical gown, which consisted of an oversized, stiff, square collar with a high neckline, cascading into a long train, with a barely-attached skirt with a "waistline" that angled from just under the collar on one side to halfway down the hip on the other side, forming a narrow column that puddled just a bit at the hem. I didn't find it especially flattering, but it was certainly intriguing and eye-catching. 

Kelly Clarkson went tradition yet unusual in a beautiful white Jason Wu design with an off-the-shoulder portrait collar that wrapped at the front of the bodice, and a skirt that was fitted from waist to knee then flared slightly, ending in a short train. She accessorized with a square white clutch and long diamond earrings that peeped out on one side where she had tucked her softly waved hair behind her ear. A really great and flattering look for her. 

Black

Lana Del Rey's black lace Sugar Ferrini frock was made of pretty fabric, but it felt very out of proportion to me. The jewel neckline emphasized the oversized, squared-off puffed sleeves, making Del Rey look top heavy, and the just-below-the-knee hemline combined with black pumps adorned with oversized bows on the toes created a frumpy effect. The sheer black gloves had interesting detailing at the wrists, but looked wrong with the length of the sleeves. Her long, bowl-cut, curled-under bangs and drab makeup only add to the overall frumpiness of this look.  

Janelle Monae was anything but frumpy in this sleek black sequin Giorgio Armani Prive column. The top of the double-pointed, waist-deep plunging bodice was accented with a line of silver beading that joined at the waist, which was accented with a large crystal-encrusted black-and-silver rosette, to form a single line to the floor, where the hem formed a short train. Monae accessorized with a narrow black choker with a small diamond knot at the front, tiny diamond stud earrings, and slicked-down hair with a few spiky tendrils pulled forward at her hairline. Very chic!

Jordin Sparks' black Zigman gown seemed like a random combination of parts: a shiny, futuristic, molded underbust corset that flared into a rippled shape at the bottom, topped with an upper bodice consisting of two (noticeably unsupportive and slightly crooked) chiffon panels that formed a halter topped with a large bow, and a crepe skirt that was snugly fitted to the knee, where the rest of the skirt became a long ruffle that flared into a circular satiny train. Any one of those details might have worked, but the combination of all of them looked lopsided and incohesive. 

Kelly Osborne shone in her sheer black Christian Siriano gown. Her semi-sheer scallop-edged bodice revealed a delicate web of seams and fell into a sheer, slightly flared, floor-length skirt over an opaque knee-length underskirt. Paired with strappy black heels and a whimsical clutch shaped like a portable stereo, and topped with vibrantly purple waved hair, Osborne's megawatt smile was the best accessory of all. 

Coi Leray looked very Vegas showgirl in a super high-cut panty joined with a square-shouldered, lapel-less jacket by a wrapped black sash, accented with a rhinestone band holding the jacket closed, a diamond bracelet and long drop earrings, sheer black hose, and a lime-green feathery coat or wrap, which Leray carried rather than wore. It was certainly a cutting-edge look, and Leray carried it off beautifully. 

Heidi Klum w as stunning in a gown that combined a black bra top, a flared black skirt with an inverted v-waistline cut to mid-hip at the sides, with narrow black straps from the point of the vee forming a kind of...halter bottom? The dress also had rhinestone bands across the bra top, over each hip, and from the waist to the bodice top. Interestingly, the "exposed" midriff was actually illusion fabric, which held the multiple straps snugly against her (amazing) figure. A great way to maintain the graceful lines of the design as well as creating a less bare feeling. Klum rocked it, as always. 

Kendra G rocked it a little less in her snugly fitted spangly black gown, which featured long sleeves, a thigh-high slit, and a lightning-bolt-shaped cutout down the front of the bodice. I loved the lines of the cutout, but they prevented her from wearing supportive undergarments, and the sheer cutout made her breasts look saggy and uneven. But overall, not a bad look at all. 

Metallic

Miley Cyrus created quite a stir in her sheer Maison MaMargiela dress, which was constructed only of safety pins. Although I didn't love the nakedness of the look (not to mention the thought of what would happen if any of the pins popped open when she sat down), I found the design absolutely stunning and innovative, reminding me of an elegant take on chain mail, and if she had worn it with some kind of unlying garment(s), I would have been a huge fan. But as it was, it was daring, it was impressive, and it was so very, very Miley. 

Another chain-mail-inspired look was Dua Lipa's Courreges gown had long bell sleeves, a wide plunging neckline, and horizontal slits over each hip. A closer look at the fabric revealed that it was actually a type of chunky fringe, which I'm sure caught the light beautifully. I loved the hint of sheerness in the sleeves, the straight silhouette, and the heavy crystal necklace that lay just above her collarbone. It looked fantastic - and comfortable. 

Coco Jones wore a silvery-blue beaded gown by Celia Krithariot. The wide, plunging bodice opened all the way to the waist, and the clinging skirt flared at the knee with a longer train at the back. I loved her long diamond necklace, drop earrings, and multiple bracelets, but the cinched-in waist looked uncomfortably tight, and the bodice looked ready to create a wardrobe malfunction at any moment. 

Victoria Monet absolutely knocked it out of the park in this striking copper satin Versace gown. The seaming of the corset radiated up while a gathered bustle created similarly fanned horizontal lines at the hip, then a perfectly smooth satin skirt flared to form a narrow train at the back. The crowning glory of the look was the diamond snake necklace at her throat. Glorious. 

Alessandra Ambrosio was very Morticia Addams in a skin-tight (and I mean skin-tight - hello, Alessandra's belly button) mermaid gown with a circular train in dark metallic pewter. I didn't love the pleather-y look of the fabric and the whole thing was waaaay too tight, but the color was great and I liked the simplicity of the tank-style bodice balanced by the literally out-there skirt. 

Halle Bailey reminded us all that she's all grown up now in a metallic champagne-colored not-quite-sheer gown with a plunging neckline. The color worked surprisingly well on her; there were just enough peachy-pink undertones to be different from her more golden skin tones. But she's just a hair too voluptuous for the bodice, which appeared to be straining, and the sheerness of the skirt created an awkward shadow at the crotch under the photographers' lights. A few minor tweaks, however, and it would have been a terrific look for her. No changes to hair and makeup though, because they were sheer perfection. 

Maria Mendes wore a gold lame halter gown that was perfectly lovely from shoulder to hip and a hot mess above and below. I loved the structure of the bodice, with its wide horizontal bands forming the waist and neatly fitted panels that allowed for generous cleavage but also reasonable coverage and support. However, the skirt consisted of upwardly flared panels that stuck out in stiff points where they joined the waistband, and an extremely noticeable deep hem. It also appeared to have pocket openings just above the knees in two of the front seams?? And the gold lace headpiece, although not terrible in concept, looked out of place with the dress, and the way the front panel had points that fell directly in front of her eyes was very distracting to me, and I suspect to her as well. I did love the fan-shaped gold handbag, and especially what appeared to be a jeweled hand strap.  

Belly Baring

Chloe Bailey wore a gown by Indian designer Gaurav Gupta, whose heritage was reflected in the belly-baring cut of her sari-inspired ensemble. The black dress was encrusted with lines of metallic copper beading, with a single-strap bra-style top that connected to a straight skirt with a broad, flared side slit. The beading on the dress eliminated the need for any jewelry other than a simple cuff bracelet, a few rings, and subtle earrings.

 

Ayra Starr wore a skin-baring two-piece ice-blue chiffon ensemble by JeBlanc. The bra-style top was draped with rows of crystal to match the crystal straps, with long, full, trailing chiffon strips, and the bottom of the dress consisted of a wrapped micro-mini with more trailing chiffon. The description makes it sound messy, but it actually created lovely, graceful, soft lines. I particularly loved her strappy silver gladiator sandals.  

Tyla's single-sleeve sage green Versace gown combined multiple fabric strips radiating from the waist with softly ruffled skirt panels and several sheer spangled panels to create a delicious peekaboo effect that radiated both old-school glamour and very contemporary design. I'm pretty sure she was wearing the same fabulous sandals as Ayra Starr, and bonus points for the belly-button jewelry that coordinated with her gorgeous earrings. 

Paris Jackson wore a black belly-baring Celine dress that was similar in concept to Chloe Bailey's, but much less successful in execution, and simply not as flattering for Jackson's body type. The stark straight lines of the bodice combined with the narrow skirt made her shoulders look overly broad, and although Jackson's exposed abdomen revealed zero percent body fat, her straight silhouette and narrow-hipped figure needed some curves added through her clothes. It was a fine if uninspired design, it simply wasn't right for her. 

Structurally Impressive

Dawn Richard's deep red Khosrov gown was quite lovely if a bit bland from the shoulders down, but everything above the shoulders was an architectural masterpiece. The "Arboreal" dress (as designated by the designer) explodes into trees growing from the straps, creating a kind of leafy halo over Richard's head. It's a bit of a performance piece, but I rather like it. I just wouldn't want to be the person sitting behind her in the audience. 

Laverne Cox also wore an elaborated structured red dress, a vintage piece by Comme des Garcons that she pulled from her own closet. The corset-style bodice features wide-spaced, narrow straps, worn with a skirt with a short bib topped with wide halter straps, a slender belt, and exaggerated pannier-style extensions on each side of the skirt, which are made of two contrasting fabrics and finishes. I liked the bodice and the belt/bib combination, but the skirt was too exaggerated for my taste, particularly the hanging flap in front and the super-shiny vinyl panels. Minimize the panniers and use a single fabric - or at least less contrasting fabrics - and it would be a terrific contemporary look. 

At first glance, Kylie Minogue's deep red Dolce & Gabbana gown had a simple fitted bodice and soft skirt of several chiffon panels. But a closer look reveals that the entire bodice is an elaborately woven patterns made from ribbon and crystal beading. And the criss-cross pattern was neatly echoed in her criss-cross satin sandals. A lovely look. 

Chrissy Teigen made a rare fashion misstep in a black velvet bodice with a vivid pink micromini bubble skirt festooned with an enormous rosette. Admittedly, the short skirt drew attention to her gorgeous up-to-there legs, but the dress looked hugely bottom- and side-heavy. It was like everything terrible about the proms of the 1980s, without the huge bangs.

Lady London's gown wasn't fantastically structured as some of the above looks, but her simple yet stunning gown was brought to an entirely new level with the addition of a single structural element: A stiff, bead-studded ribbon that originates from the center of the bodice top and then swirls up and down in an s-shaped pattern to create a fantastical, stylized vertical bow along the side of the bodice. It's perfectly proportioned to be intriguing without being weird. The oversized rings and diamond ear cuff are also just the right amount larger than life to complement the gown, and her smooth, impossibly shiny curled bob brings it right back to old-school glamour. 

Miscellaneous

Sheila E. sported a brightly multicolored harlequin suit over a pink top, accessorized with sparkly silver sneakers and huge hoop earrings. I actually loved the jacket, but the pants were baggy and ill-fitting, and that pattern from head to toe was a bit much. Ditch the pants in favor of a solid color pencil skirt (the same pink at the top would be terrific) and the sneakers in favor of silver ballet flats, and her look would have been as rocking as her music. 

Paris Hilton may be a vapid twit, but she has a gorgeous figure and she knows how to show it off to its best on the red carpet. Her Reem Acra gown featured aquamarine beading forming radiating lines over an ivory base dress, a tiny aquamarine belt, and side cutouts. It was simple, sleek, and gorgeous, as was her straight long blond hair and diamond cuff bracelet. 

Brandi Carlile also wore a suit that came close but didn't quite hit the mark for me. I loved the vibrant yellow with a hint of pink undertones paired with a pale pink satin blouse with a bow at the neck and trailing drapes. But the suit was not as well-tailored as it might have been; the legs were just a bit too wide and the jacket would have benefitted from a little more structure and shape. Shorten the jacket an inch, bring in the shoulders seams and nip the body in at the waist, narrow the pantlegs, make sure the deep hem isn't visible, and the look would be much more flattering. 

Lauren Daigle was just working too hard with this mish-mash of a look. The basic structure of the frothy navy gown was actually not too bad, if a little voluminous. But adding on a tangle of multicolor threads over half the bodice and zigzagging down over the hip; accessorizing with leopard-print platform sandals, stacks of bangle bracelets on both arms, mismatched earrings, and a flat-topped suede hat; and styling her hair in messy braided pigtails carried this look far, far away from its promising starting point. 

Molly Tuttle looked like she had come directly from the set of a bad community theatre production of Sunset Boulevard in a pale pink satin slip dress, a frothy marabou-trimmed robe, a bulky silver turban trimmed with a large fabric flower, and, inexplicably, thick flesh-toned tights under her low-heeled silver sandals. Sorry, Mr. De Mille, Ms. Tuttle is NOT ready for her close-up. 

Lachi's delightful black-and-white houndstooth jacket dress by NIIAMAR was trimmed with deep pink satin lapels, buttons, cuffs, and lining, a color that was echoed in Lachi's clutch, platform shoes, lipcolor, and even her cane! (Although a red and white cane is considered "standard" for many visually impaired people, I was delighted to see that Lachi coordinates her cane with her outfit for red carpet events, so I have no doubt that this cane was intentionally planned to go with this outfit.) I'm not as much of a fan of the tight-fitting beaded cap, but the pattern did tie in nicely with the houndstooth pattern, and anyway, who can argue with that brilliant, beaming smile?


I think that the best thing I can say about all these looks, good and bad, is that no-one seemed to be miserable about what they were wearing, and isn't that really what matters?