Grammy Awards 2025 Red Carpet Review: Embrace the Weird

I caught a few minutes of the Grammy Awards red carpet coverage last night, and it was...awful. Lots of boring black. Lots of visible tan lines. More nakedness than usual. (OK, 99% of the nakedness was just one person, but it outweighed everything else. And no, I won't be showing it here.) Yes, there were a few good looks, but they were few and far between. So let me share with you some of the weirder looks (both good and bad), but at the end I'll cleanse your palate with some of the more successful (and less odd) styles. 

Let's begin with a look that was weird but very cool and very successful. Alicia Keys wore a Dolce & Gabbana design that comprised a black sleeveless column with a round neck and slightly padded shoulders, topped with an ornate gold filigree corset from mid-hip to just under the bust, with sunburst patterns and a visible "seam" at the natural waist. Keys accessorized with oversized gold filigree earrings that hung well past her shoulders, as if they were a detail on the bodice of the gown. I loved the added details of a tiny gold headband and a tiny gold necklace that served to beautifully frame her face. An absolutely gorgeous look.  

An example of a detail that unsuccessfully framed the wearer's face, Alisha Gaddis' black column gown featured two enormous white shoulder rosettes that appeared to be devouring her head. Had the rosettes been half the size, they would have been eye-catching without being overwhelming. The black-and-white dress was a lovely silhouette on her, and the vivid red lips were spectacular, but her head looks like it's floating on a sea of white satin, which is just, well, weird.  

I was fascinated by the structure of Amun Starr's deep rust textured gown, which combined a teddy-style corseted bodice with crushed fabric wrapping in front of the shoulders and over the hips to cascade down the front of the dress, and a voluminous skirt that left front openings below the bodice before joining together at mid-thigh. The look was made even more awkward by a strange tan line on her left shoulder, as if she had gotten a spray tan while wearing a one-shouldered top (she was not alone in her odd tan lines: see also Janine Rubenstein, Janelle Monae, Jess Val Ortiz, Samara Joy, and Monet Mcmichael) as well as a severe center-parted hairstyle with noticeable dark roots. The waves in her hair echoed the ripples of the dress nicely, but the sleeked-back top of the style was unflattering and didn't work with the rest of the look. 

 

Avery Wilson did a better job of balancing weird with wonderful. He paired standard black tuxedo pants with a plain black tux jacket with wide, flared lapels that was covered with pink-and-red fabric flowers. The solid black of the lapels with no shirt underneath both pulled the viewer's eye up to his face and lightened the visual weight of the flowers. One detail I didn't love was the notch in the toe of the silver shoes, which made his feet look like cloven hooves. But overall, this look was weird in a wonderful way.  

Chappell Roan absolutely committed to her weird look as a porcelain doll. Her vivid yellow tulle high-low gown, a vintage Jean Paul Gaultier design, featured images from paintings by Degas, and was accented with light blue tulle swaths and bows, and matching sheer blue gloves and choker. She finished her look with a delightful feathery headpiece, black-and-yellow Victorian boots, and doll-inspired makeup with alabaster skin, pencil-thin eyebrows, and heavily-lined eye makeup with blue and yellow eyeshadow. 

Charli XCX went weird with goth chic in a frothy gray Jean Paul Gaultier dress with an tight corset bodice topped with long, full ruffles falling from the wide v-neck to form a nearly horizontal line, and a ruffled chiffon curtain skirt that was open in the front revealing gladiator-style open-toed laced boots, and falling into a train behind. She eschewed jewelry and wore her hair simply straight with a center part. The lack of color and accessories felt drab, despite the pretty lines of the gown. I felt like it needed to either lean into the weird with some kind of wild headpiece, or to add some touch of life in an eye-catching choker or splash of vibrant color somewhere. 

Chrissy Teigen wore a sheer black structural Christian Siriano concoction with an asymmetrical corset bodice with a sheer v-shaped front panel, and a sheer slim skirt that flared into opaque black ruffles just above the knee to form a puffy train. I loved the curved detail that lifted from the top of the bodice, and the lines of the skirt were fabulous, but the sheer center panel was too wide and the way the front sheer panels extended up over the hip was unflattering even on gorgeous Teigen's perfect figure. I did adore her shorter asymmetrical bob. This look was very close for me, but not quite there. 

Clairo wore a white Miss Claire Sullivan design which featured a knee-length base dress with short puffed sleeves, a ruched button front with a full wrap collar, and an A-line skirt, topped with a Victorian-style polka dot corset and skirt swag. I loved the concept of this look, but the execution fell a little flat for me. I didn't love the gap of plain white between the corset and the swag, and the swag itself looked awkward and bunchy. I think that without the swag, with just the polka dot corset for contrast, I'd have loved it. And I'd have added a tiny polka dot fascinator. 

Another weird look that kind of worked was Doechii's Thom Browne ensemble of a plain white dress shirt with thumbhole cuffs that partially covered her hands and a red, white, and blue stripe on the upper arms, under a tapered form-fitting charcoal grey pinstriped wool dress with dropped shoulder straps, exaggerated hips, and a tiny breast pocket with a peep of white pocket square, and a matching pinstriped necktie. I didn't love the exaggerated hips, although I'll admit that they did create a lovely tapered line, which was accented nicely by the incredibly pointy-toed shoes, and I thought the stripes on the upper arms were unnecessary and distracting. But on the whole, it was a very cool take on classic menswear that was different from what we've seen before. 

Giorgia Sage went for a cowboy look in flared black crushed velvet low-rise pants and a matching cropped peak lapel jacket with 3/4-length sleeves which were fine in themselves. But she wore them over a white shirt with long cuffed sleeves that stuck out far beyond the jacket sleeves, and a loose fit that bagged out over the waistband of the pants. I loved the turquoise bolo tie and black velvet hat, and even the red-and-white print shawl would have worked in a softer fabric and perhaps a slightly smaller size. But the misstep with the shirt made the whole look seem sloppy and poorly tailored. 

Gracie Abrams inexplicably wore a Chanel wedding gown, complete with a built-in veil and a long double train falling from the corners of the veil, as well as a short single train attached to the waist of the dress. Although I liked the wide black belt and the way the bodice was gathered into a small rosette at the bust and extended across the arms to form dropped straps, the bodice looked uncomfortably low and tight, and the hem fell at an odd length. It was a pretty enough look, it just felt like an odd choice for the event.  

Another weird look that I loved was Jacob Collier's rainbow-hued bedazzled tuxedo. The colors and level of sparkle were toned down enough to be eye-catching without being obnoxious, aided by the wide black satin lapels and textured open black shirt with mother-of-pearl buttons underneath, and the casual not-quite-a-tie-not-quite-a-scarf matte black ribbons hanging loose at the neck. The cut and tailoring of the suit were impeccable, with slightly dropped shoulders on the jacket and barely tapered pants, creating a hint of a v-shaped silhouette without being too extreme. And the heavy-soled black dress shoes with white stitching worked with the slightly less formal feel of the look. 

The talk of the night was Jaden Smith's bizarre Transylvanian castle headpiece designed by Abodi, worn with an otherwise classy single-button Louis Vuitton tuxedo with satin lapels, over a standard white dress shirt with a narrow long black tie. Some eagle-eyed viewers wondered if the look was meant to be a tribute to Willem Dafoe's 2023 GC Italia Man of the Year cover photo, but if anyone knew what that connection was, I couldn't find it. The highlight of this otherwise elegant look was his beautiful black shoes with delicate white piping details, but alas, the headpiece was a blatant attention grab and a definite lowlight. 

A more elaborate and all-encompassing "bad weird" look was Julia Fox's combination of a black bra and thong, a sheer black mesh crop top and micromini, a cropped black leather jacket with deep white cuffs, above-the-calf platform combat boots, a black Juliet cap, and...a pair of yellow dishwashing gloves? I'm all for a pop of color, but she lost me with those gloves. The rest of the outfit isn't terrible, aside from the sheerness of the mesh. But if those two pieces were a little more opaque, the cuffs were smaller and silver, and the gloves were satin (and maybe not yellow), it might have worked for me. But as it was...weird. 

I loved Kacey Musgraves' metallic gold fringed Ralph Lauren skirt, which incorporated several shades of gold that caught the light and moved beautifully. I even liked her western-style belt of large silver ovals. But the plain white tank top  made me wonder if she'd forgotten the jacket or shirt that was supposed to go on top. It felt oddly unfinished and informal. 

I usually love Lady Gaga's looks, even some of her odder ones (and that bar is set pretty high). But her goth Samuel Lewis gown, which featured raised shoulders, a high collar, front lacing, and a voluminous skirt with a side slit, was just too busy for me. There were too many attention-grabbing details, making the look lose focus. I was also not a fan of the babydoll bangs with longer chunks of side-bang and the bleached eyebrows, which made her face look expressionless and bland. Even for Gaga, sometimes less is more. 

Did we not learn from Demi Moore at the 1989 Oscars? Bike shorts, with or without a 3/4 skirt over them, is not a Good Look. But Lady London gave it a shot in this all-black ensemble with a zip-front romper with stand-up collar and double-layered, padded cap sleeves and huge, angular panniers forming a modified bubble skirt, accessorized with platform sandals with wide ankle straps, large silver cuff bracelets, handfuls of large rings, a high pony with slicked-down tendrils above each temple, and impeccable makeup. From the waist up she looked great; I loved the lines of the extended shoulders of the bodice. But the panniers were ugly and too wide, and the whole look felt unbalanced and clumsy.  

In a similar vein, Lakecia Benjamin wore a gold lamé ensemble comprising a long-sleeved, high-necked, empire waist gold romper with gold piping and crystal details on the bodice, a floor-length semi-sheer sparkly gold cape with wing details on the shoulders, and gold thigh-high platform boots. To add insult to injury, the outfit was so poorly tailored that her belly button was clearly visible through the fabric. Worst. Superhero. Ever. 

By comparison, Lalah Hathaway's outfit wasn't bad at all. Her dark gold gown featured extended, squared-off shoulders, a keyhole front opening, floor-length fringe all over, a built-in fringe cape, and a short train. The square shoulders made her look bulkier than she needed to be, but the long fringe was lovely when she moved, and the lines of the bodice were flattering on her voluptuous figure. Lose the long sleeves and the giant shoulderpads, and this look could be a winner rather than a weirdo. 

Laura Carpman embraced the weird in this delightful black-and-white Beetlejuice-esque ensemble. Her eye-boggling black-and-white variegated glen plaid pants and the oversized pointed lapels of her black-and-white narrow-striped shirt were busy, but were offset by the solid black hip-length jacket and waist-cinching wide white belt. Her accessories were also nicely balanced, with just a few long beaded chains and a pair of retro pointed black-and-white sunglasses. This is the way to do weird. 

In lieu of a tuxedo jacket, Mustard topped his black tuxedo pants and white dress shirt with long black necktie with what appeared to be a hand-knitted zip-front cardigan in variegated black and beige with wide cream edging and pocket trim. Maybe it was cold in the theater; maybe his Grandma knitted it. Maybe he should have made a less weird sartorial choice. 

Nikki Glaser's Stella McCartney dress wasn't bad except that the horizontal line of the jewel neck and squared shoulders, combined with the overlapping drape of the capelet, looked like a pair of old-fashioned curtains. Maybe she saw it in the window and just couldn't resist it? 

Norah Jones should have taken notes from Laura Carpman's restraint (no, seriously) and changed some of the busy details in her short-sleeved, above-the-knee frock. It featured a busy black-and-gold print, high button neck, lacy yoke, sheer black bodice overlay, short cuffed sleeves, and rows of metallic discs running down the front with adjacent black wedges, topped with a wide red buckle belt. Too many tiny, busy details! I love the red belt, but either keep the metallic print in the sleeves and skirt sides and make the front panels solid black, or keep the studded panels and make the sides solid black. But our eyes need a break!

Pei-Tzu Lee had a similar "busy-ness" problem in her cobalt blue and flame orange chevron gown, which featured a high neck, long puffy sleeves with deep cuffs, circular cutouts at each side of the waist, and a long blue ruffle falling from an orange zig-zag band just below the knee. The silhouette was terrific, and very flattering on her, but the busy pattern combined with two very strong opposing colors was a bit of an assault on the eyes. I loved the broader bands of color in the cuffs, neck, and shoulder seams, as well as the ruffle and zig-zag hem band, but the narrow chevron pattern in those two colors was too much.

Poppy wore a red satin Simone Rocha shift minidress with puffed sleeves that ended just below the elbow, a draped jewel neckline with snap closures, and a short, geometric chopped-out hem over a pale pink super-full crinoline with a satin underlayer, accessorized with matching pale pink ankle strap platform sandals and a pale pink satin reticule. While there was some degree of cuteness, the lack of structure in the red dress looked droopy and ill-fitting, like it was sliding down off her shoulders. And although I appreciated that the designer toned down the fullness of the tutu-style tulle layer from the original design, it needed a more cinched-in or at least defined waist to be in proportion.

Shawn Everett wore a red and white ensemble comprising red leather leggings under a robe that seemed to be based on a traditional tracksuit from the waist up, with white piping down the shoulders and sleeves, a raised white collar, and white cuffs at the end of 3/4-length sleeves over long red leather gloves, but then dropping straight to the floor, caftan-style, with two thigh-high slits in the front. Each of the components wasn't terrible on its own, but combined it was just a style mish-mash that didn't mesh. 

Is that Marie Antoinette? Or a fairy princess? Maybe even Glinda the Good Witch? Nope, it's Sierra Ferrell, in a frothy white off-the-shoulder Jeffrey Kelly Abess gown with pearl beading on the bodice, layers of sheer iridescent ruffles at the shoulders and panniers, pearl and crystal patterning and trailing strands of beading on the full skirt, long narrow ribbons falling from the wrists, a thickly ruffled and beaded floating collar, and a bridal-like headpiece with a pearl circlet and veil with large structural pearl and floral details jutting out at the sides. Oh, and she was carrying a large, pearl-encrusted scepter, because what else would you wear with this outfit? The construction was impressive, but the look was A Lot.

Proof that a single detail can ruin a look, St. Vincent wore an otherwise respectable (if not especially memorable) black tuxedo mini-dress with black tights and pointy-toed black slingbacks, but then for some unknown reason decided to throw on a pair of semi-sheer white knee-highs as well. The black gloves, large ring worn over the glove, diamond tennis bracelet, and diamond ear cuff were great accessories; the knee-highs were not. 

Teddy Swims wore a beautifully tailored 3-piece tuxedo in champagne satin over a slightly darker champagne shirt. The edges of the double-breasted waistcoat (which had brass buttons) and the jacket lapels were trimmed with rows of gold pearls, and the body of the jacket featured lines of various sizes of white, gold, dark gold, and brown pearls. He finished off the look with cream-colored cowboy boots with gold toe caps and a pearl-studded cream-colored satin Gatsby cap. The fact that he chose the look because he has a baby due in June, who will have pearl as a birthstone, made the look even more sweet. Pearly King, indeed - weird, but a definite winner. 

Tefi Pessoa could actually have pulled off the unusual mustard color of this dress, but the droopy, shapeless lines were too much for her. She looked like she grabbed her 6-foot-7 dad's bathrobe to answer the door. Shorten the sleeves by 18 inches, bring in the shoulders by 2 or 3 more, reduce the volume of the wrapped fabric, nip it in at the waist to create some shape, and you might have a look that works. But this? This was weird. 

When you're dressing a client like Victoria Monet, with killer abs and a very straight, athletic build whose figure doesn't nip in at the waist, with narrow hips and not a particularly large bust, a low-rise skirt or pants with a bandeau top is not a bad choice. But the floating bodice sat oddly high on the bust, highlighting underboob rather than cleavage, and the flared vertical band connecting bandeau and skirt was oddly proportioned and looked off-center whenever she moved. Also, the slight curve of the waistband would have been more flattering if it hit the top of the hipbone at each side and dipped to the same level as this design at the midline. I loved the cape that clasped at the neck with a diamond snake collar and formed a type of sheer cuffed sleeve, as well as a short train, and her shiny high ponytail and cream manicure were nice touches. But the overall effect is a little weird.  

There are times when I am in favor of visible lingerie on the red carpet. But Willow Smith's Alexander McQueen ensemble, gorgeous as the individual pieces are, did not work for me. On the beach, her black bustier top and high-waisted panty, both encrusted with crystal starbursts, would look amazing. And over a different underlayer, I might have liked even the over-emphasized shoulders and too-long sleeves of her tuxedo-styled ankle-length black overcoat. But neither one worked on the red carpet, and certainly not together. The bustier and panty were great cuts for under a semi-sheer minidress, and the overcoat might have worked under a light-colored dress or cropped ankle pant and simple top. But they were different levels of formality and completely different aesthetics, and it just didn't work. And don't even get me started on that horrible grill. 

And now for the great red carpet looks that were only wonderful, and not weird at all. (Or at least, only a tiny bit weird, but in a good way.)

Brandon Victor Dixon rocked the red carpet in a cranberry crushed velvet double-breasted tuxedo jacket with half-satin notched lapels, darker cranberry tuxedo pants, a snow-white tux shirt and perfectly hand-tied matching cranberry bow tie, finishing with a stunning pair of burgundy patent opera shoes with satin tops. 

Sabrina Carpenter's ice blue satin halter mermaid gown by JW Anderson fell just short of the "weird" label due to its balanced proportions. The halter was topped with a twisted knot that tied onto a rope of pale blue and white gemstones that fell all the way down the open back, ending in a large pale blue gem surrounded with rhinestones in a starburst pattern.  The gown featured a circle of soft marabou feathers at the hip, forming a kind of peplum, and horizontal seam just above the knee, at which point the skirt flared into a smooth circular train trimmed with more marabou. It was the perfect blend of old Hollywood glamour and a few daring details. 

Cynthia Erivo was striking in a two-piece Louis Vuitton design, which layered a sleek, fitted midnight blue gown with long sleeves, a flared skirt with a short train, and a plunging v-neckline, over a metallic silver satin cropped top with a high neckband and an inverted-v hem, which nicely framed Erivo's perfectly toned abs. The simplicity and elegance of the look was accessorized with two unmatched diamond cuff bracelets worn over the sleeves, a handful of sparkly rings, and Erivo's signature long blingy manicure and rows of tiny silver hoop earrings mixed with a few delicate diamonds. Magnificent. 

Jim Gaffigan made my best-dressed list? Really? Yes, indeed he did. His newly-trim physique was flattered by a well-tailored standard black Canali tuxedo that he wore over an open-necked white dress shirt with narrow vertical black stripes, and finished with a spectacular pair of black-and-white patent leather shoes with white uppers and black toes and laces. Well done, sir!

The always luminous Kelli O'Hara wore a Grecian-style strapless Gemy Maalouf gown that featured multiple bands of charcoal-gray crystals across the matte-finish bodice creating a fitted silhouette above a full, soft-tulle skirt. It wasn't the perfect color for her, but she still looked amazing - and comfortable. 

As much as I hate to admit it, Paris Hilton looked spectacular in a sheer pale gold gown with a plunging neckline, embellished with crystal beading radiating from the center front, and topped with a graceful, floaty cape. I even liked her rose-tinted sunglasses. 

Raye's impossibly shiny black strapless Armani Prive column featured a crystal-encrusted sweetheart neckline and a short train. A good example of a fabulous fabric standing up to a simple design and a restrained hand with embellishments. 

I love a good monochromatic satin tuxedo, and Ricky Dillard's super-shiny ensemble was exactly that. Everything from the straight-leg tux pants, to the double-breasted jacket featuring pocket flaps and a ribbon tie closure rather than buttons, to the satin shirt with oversized pointed collar and long necktie, to the ankle-length high peak wide lapel overcoat casually draped over his shoulders, to the flat-brimmed hat with ribbon edging, to the patent loafers with gold buckles, every detail is simply *chef's kiss*.

Another edgy look that tiptoes up to "weird" without actually getting there, Shaboozey wore a Diesel design double-breasted straight-hemmed jacket in a silver glen plaid. In lieu of lapels, the neckline of the jacket consisted of long fringe along the left side. The lower part of the fringe was tossed over his right shoulder, while the upper part was twisted into a kind of scarf that wrapped over his right shoulder and around the back of his neck before falling straight down over the front of his left shoulder. There was just a peep of a black collarband shirt closed with a beautiful diamond brooch, and the look was finished with black tuxedo pants and square-toed patent dress shoes. An absolutely fantastic look. 

Any favorites that I missed? Anything you considered weird that I didn't mention? Let me know in the comments!