2026 Grammy Awards Red Carpet Review: Fashion Face-Off!!

I watched the Grammy Awards live last night, including early red carpet arrivals and most of the ceremony, so I got to see a lot of the fashions in real time. There were a lot of noteworthy looks! And just to change it up a little, I thought I'd review the looks in twos and threes, a kind of head-to-head (-to-head) challenge between outfits that were similar in some way. Who wore it better? Let's find out!

Bold Prints: Pink Pantheress vs. Tallia Storm

Pantheress wore a strapless archival Vivienne Westwood design with long flared sleeves and a short train in a kind of color block print in mostly red and gray. This lines were beautiful, and the only detail I disliked was an odd green line across the crotch which looked like spray paint. It looked like a mistake, the kind of mark vendors place near the end of a bolt of fabric. Storm wore a print column featuring giant comic book panels, with a round neck, a long narrow train, and long, feather-edged panels trailing from the sleeves. Both good looks, but the win goes to Pink Pantheress, because her dress looked great no matter how she posed, while Storm's looked bunchy and awkward whenever she wasn't "flapping her wings." 

Winner: Pink Pantheress

Huge Keyholes, Part 1 (same designer): Kehlani vs. Ari Lennox 

Kehlani and Lennox both wore gowns by designer Valdrin Sahiti. Kehlani's gown was a sheer black lace column with an opaque band across the hips, a halter neckline, a sheer inverted triangle cutout with sequin details around the edges, and a rosette at the top and bottom of the keyhole. Lennox's strapless black bodice had an inverted teardrop-shaped cutout and a silver sequin skirt with a flared top, like an inverted peplum, that flared from the hip. The proportions of Lennox's skirt were not flattering, making her waist look wide and her torso absurdly long. I would have liked Kehlani's gown better if the keyhole were just a hair narrower, but in general it was a great look and definitely the more flattering of the two. 

Winner: Kehlani

Huge Keyholes, Part 2 (smooth black): Madison Beer vs. Leah Kateb

Beer's custom Andrew Kwon fitted black sheath featured wide black velvet straps and wrapped black velvet detailing above the shallow, curved, inverted triangle cutout, and a short train. Kateb's black Mac Duggal halter gown featured a plunging-to-the-waist keyhole and side cutouts revealing a narrow gold chain "belt" that wove in and out of the dress and matched the halter straps. Both were good looks, but I found Beer's just a little more flattering, and it had more of a red carpet feel to it. 

Winner: Beer

Champagne with a Frothy Tiered Skirt: Tyla vs. Sabrina Carpenter

Tyla's vintage DSquared2 dress featured a gold-sequin-edged bodice with tiny straps, a dropped waist, and a feathery high-low skirt that trailed into a long, narrow train. Carpenter wore a crystal-embellished custom Valentino dress with a sweetheart bodice with narrow straps topped with a sheer, crystal-edged capelet over the shoulders, fitted to the hip, then cascading into short, tiered ruffles with a short, round train. Although I loved both of these looks, I felt that Tyla's would have been more flattering if the bodice wasn't cut quite so low and loose under the arms, which gives Carpenter just the tiniest edge.

Winner: Carpenter (barely)

Black and White: Olivia Dean vs. Molly Tuttle

The gowns featured similar silhouettes, with a simple, sleeveless bodice extending to the hip and a contrasting full skirt. Dean's Chanel gown had black sequins on the bodice, with black feathers that softened the border with the white taffeta skirt, which had a slightly raised hem in front and trailed into a train at the back. Tuttle's Winnie Couture gown featured a strapless white corset-seamed sweetheart bodice, and a full black tulle skirt, accessorized with black opera gloves. While both were lovely looks, Dean's gown had more personality due to the little details like the feathers, the train, and the raised hem, which revealed a peek of cute black-and-white pumps. 

Winner: Dean

Bikini/Skirt Combo: Zara Larsson vs. Rhea Raj

Larsson's custom two-piece sequined yellow brocade gown, designed by Kevin Germanier, featured a diagonal strap on the bodice and a straight skirt with a slightly curved waistline and a long hem that puddled around the dress. Raj's all-black ensemble featured a sequin bikini top with crystal embellishments over a drop-waisted skirt with a flared side opening topped with a crystal flower, and a sheer black attached cape. Raj's look felt very "casual beachwear"; her bikini top looked like a swimsuit and the wrap gave a "beach coverup" vibe, rather than feeling like formal red carpet wear. I loved the texture of Larsson's ensemble, and the strap was a nice touch that made the top look like a dressy top rather than a bra or swimsuit.  

Winner: Larsson

Sheer Wackiness: Andrea Echeverri vs. Audrey Nuna vs. Heidi Klum

Echeverri's self-designed outfit featured a full black tulle ankle-length skirt and a bodice and headpiece comprised a dozens of pendulous velvet breasts with prominent nipples, which on the headpiece were pierced and featured dangling crystals. The bodice also had long black mesh sleeves. Nuna wore custom Thom Browne (she has a longtime family connection to the brand) with a three-tiered white ruffled ankle-length skirt under a Picasso-inspired fantastical suitjacket with one long sleeve and one short puffed sleeve. Klum wore a nude molded latex knee-length dress by Marina Hoermanseder, which featured molded nipples and a belly button, as well as a row of buckles down each side. Although I appreciate Echeverri's "free the nip" statement, her outfit was silly; Nuna's outfit was a delightful fantasy rather than a silly one; and Klum's was just boring (plus she couldn't walk in it, never mind sit or pee).

Winner: Nuna

Wide Plunging Necklines: Addison Rae vs. Kara Craig

Rae wore a white sleeveless custom Alaia gown with a curved plunging neckline and a two-tiered ruffled ballerina skirt that came to a long point at the front of the gown. Craig's self-designed and constructed baby blue ensemble included a thigh-length tulle bubble skirt and a halter-style satin bodice, both embellished with fabric flowers, accessorized with a matching belt, fingerless blue satin opera gloves, a blue beret, and pink lace-up boots. I didn't love either of these looks, especially the pairing of the "cutesy" aesthetic with a very revealing bodice, but Rae's had more polish and formality to it, while Craig's, although cute, had the feel of a Pretty in Pink style thrifted makeover. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just not right for the red carpet. 

Bare Naked Ladies: Chappell Roan vs. Teyana Taylor

Roan's daring look was custom-designed by Miguel Castro Freitas for Mugler, inspired by a look from Mugler's 1998 spring/summer collection. Her burgundy georgette gown comprised a sheer skirt with a long train that appeared to hang from her pierced nipples (although, unlike the original 1998 runway model, Roan apparently wore prosthetic nipples), and cowled slightly at the waist. Roan initially wore a sheer cape over the gown, allowing for a dramatic red carpet reveal. Taylor wore custom Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann, a bronze, crystal-embellished gown with a not-quite-halter bodice that joined the skirt at one hip, wrapped around the back of her neck, then ended just below the breast. The clingy skirt had a short all-around train. Both gowns were clearly designed to shock, but I found Taylor's to be more flattering. Although Roan is gorgeous, the combination of cowling at the waist and unsupported breasts (young and perky though they may be) creates a droopy look. A plunging bodice with tiny straps that covers only a tiny bit more but raises the draping at the waist would have worked much better (although, admittedly, caused less of a stir). Taylor's look, on the other hand, creates interesting lines, flatters her figure, and shows off those incredible abs without feeling like it's working too hard. 

Winner: Taylor

Big Poofy Train: Doechii vs. Rosé 

Doechii's custom Roberto Cavalli gown paired a burnt orange chiffon lace-up top above a fitted eggplant taffeta bodice and multi-tiered ruffled skirt with wide front opening, ending in a long (13 feet!), voluminous train.  Rosé wore a custom Giambattista Valli Haute Couture design with a fitted strapless black velvet minidress overlain with a wide swath of crushed white taffeta across the hips and a floor-length open-fronted white taffeta bubble skirt. Doechii's look felt heavy and unwieldy, and the burnt orange of the bodice looked out of place, while Rosé's look, although voluminous, felt light and airy and more visually balanced. 

Winner: Rosé  

All Feathers: Lady Gaga vs. Kesha

Gaga wore a custom black feather Matières Fécales mermaid halter with a high neck with flared extensions and a long side train. Kesha wore a white ostrich feather Atelier Biser off-the-shoulder gown with a thick top drape and a front train.  Although I loved the texture of Kesha's gown, the oversized shoulder detail created a distinct mushroom silhouette, and the front train was just impractical, while Gaga's stark lines and sharper feathers were gorgeous and dramatic. 

Winner: Gaga

Stylish Muumuu: Queen Latifah vs. Emma O'Halloran

Latifah's Stephane Rolland gown featured what might have been a black tuxedo underneath a voluminous sheer-but-not-really-sheer-because-there-was-too-much-of-it black cape. Her gold necklace and cuff bracelets were fantastic, but the cape covered up any interesting design that was going on under there. O'Halloran's loose-fitting iridescent silvery-white knee-length trapeze dress by Natalie B. Coleman featured a vertical front panel and gathered side and rear skirt. O'Halloran's dress was too snug at the bust and too loose at the waist, causing it to move and bunch awkwardly, and although the iridescence of the fabric was interesting, it looked cheap and poor-quality. Point to Latifah, because even though I couldn't see much of it, I know there was a better design under there than O'Halloran's. 

Winner: Latifah

Leather: Miley Cyrus vs. Nikki Glaser

Cyrus wore a custom Michael Rider for Celine design which included a white dress shirt, black satin balloon pants, a black leather motorcycle jacket with a hugely oversized gold brooch bearing her initials, and black motorcycle gloves. Glaser wore a black strapless leather-look latex gown with a "shelf" detail at the top of the bodice, a single shoulder drape, and a high side slit. Cyrus' look felt over-styled and busy, with too many competing details, especially in the jacket, with zipper, collar, button, and brooch details. Glaser's simpler design created visual interest through the fabric, gathering, and unusual bodice detail, which worked in harmony for an unusual and interesting look. 

Winner: Glaser

Disheveled Schoolgirl: Billie Eilish vs. Lola Young

Eilish wore a sustainable custom design by Ellen Hodakova Larsson which included an upside-down jacket and narrow skirt constructed from discarded wool dress pants, accented with multiple buckled and unbuckled belts, worn over a white dress shirt with a dark necktie. Young wore a Vivienne Westwood print jumpsuit over a wide-collared white dress shirt and red striped necktie. Like Cyrus, Eilish's look felt over-designed and over-styled to me, with the multiple layers covering up what looked like an interesting upcycled design. Young's look could have used a little more color, but on past red carpets she's been the one who over-accessorizes, so this is excellent sartorial progress for her, and I found the rubber ducks and dolls in the print to be whimsical and charming. 

Winner: Young

Sheerly Sheer: Karol G vs. JaNa Craig

G's blue-grey sheer lace gown, designed by Paolo Sebastian, featured a low, tightly-fitted bodice with dropped shoulder straps, a row of tiny buttons down the front to the thigh-high center slit, and a long train that G could gather over her arm, a feature that I really liked. The bodice was not well-fitted, however, and her bust looked ready to fall out of the dress with a single deep breath. Craig's black lace gown by Roman Bradshaw featured sheer panels as well as cutouts at the bodice front and below the bust. I'm not always a fan of sheer dresses with strategically placed opaque areas, but Craig's gown did a nice job of incorporating those areas into the design, and the overall silhouette was simply beautiful and graceful. It might have been a tougher decision if G's gown were better tailored, but as is, I definitely have to go with Craig. 

Winner: Craig  

Basic Beige: FKA twigs vs. Margot Price vs. Coco Jones 

FKA twigs wore a "deconstructed" beige and copper off-the-shoulder custom Paolo Carzana design with hand-painted details, with matching hand-painted nude hose worn over the shoes. Price wore a sleeveless beige Ivan Bitton Style House design by Fjolla Haxhismajli with a scoop neck, a long multi-tiered skirt with shredded ruffles and a front slit, extending into a train, and long narrow shredded pieces attached to the shoulders. Jones wore a Kristina K design featuring a part-sheer corset-style bodice with a single ruffled shoulder detail, a ruched microminiskirt, asymmetrical trailing tulle strips on both sides of the skirt, and large tulle rosettes at each hip. Jones' look is immediately out of the running for me, as it feels like a mishmash of unrelated details, but both other looks have a lot going for them, and only a minor fault or two. I don't love the trailing shoulder pieces on Price's dress, because they seemed to keep getting in her way without adding anything to the aesthetics of the look, and twigs' gown included a copper front panel that felt out of place as well as the over-the-foot stockings that reminded me of Olympic ice skaters. But when looking at the overall effect, I find twigs' look to be more interesting and memorable. 

Winner: twigs

Goth Girls: Maria Zardoya vs. Courtney LaPlante

Zardoya's sleeveless black velvet custom Alexander McQueen featured a gathered sheer lace bodice, cap sleeves, and a circular "Morticia Addams" style train, accessorized with black lace elbow-length gloves. Zardoya also carried a large crystal flower. LaPlante wore black faux leather pants under a high-necked sleeveless black textured tunic with longer-than-floor-length side panels. I loved the mix of femininity and toughness in the lace and sheer panels of Zardoya's look, and although LaPlante's is a good look, Zardoya's is the more dramatic and memorable.

Winner: Zardoya  

Asymmetrical Blue Satin: Ejae vs. Susan Holmes vs. Lila Iké 

Ejae wore a single-shouldered midnight blue Dior gown with a large gold "Dior" brooch encircled by tiny black velvet flowers at the shoulder, a long scarf crossing to the opposite shoulder and cascading over the back, and a structured extended hip detail creating a slit filled with a black lace panel with a scalloped edge and strings of black velvet blossoms. Holmes wore a strapless, asymmetrical column made of a liquid-look deep blue fabric with a structured, flared bodice that extended up at one shoulder and a large flat bow on the opposite hip. Iké wore a one-shouldered teal blue satin gown with gathering at the top of a hip-high slit and a short side train. The colors of all three gowns was lovely, but I loved the unusual but well-balanced and relatively subtle details on Ejae's gown, which made it the most memorable of the three. 

Winner: Ejae   

Humongous Headpieces: Rei Ami vs. Lachi

Rei Ami's feathery Guvanch gown and headpiece were inspired by the national flower of Korea, the Rose of Sharon (called "mugunghwa" in Korean). It combined a high-necked, sleeveless white woven leather bodice with a fringed leather skirt adorned with long feathers, a long feather fringe accent at the shoulder, and a headpiece of feathers forming several large flowers. Lachi wore a banana yellow satin ensemble of a sleeveless, high-necked, sequin top, a softly pleated satin skirt with a wide waistband,  ruffled floating sleeves, and a ruffled hat that looked like an oversized chef's toque. Both looks were dramatic, but Ami's felt more elegant and put-together.

Winner: Ami

Sending a Message: Deborah Silver vs. Joy Villa

Silver, who was nominated for her Count Basie album, paid tribute to the composer in a red custom Oscar Lopez column with long sleeves and a square neckline, the name of the album, BASIE ROCKS, written down the side of the skirt in black lettering, and a full over-skirt with black and silver embroidery with floral and musical motifs. Both the overskirt and the sleeves were trimmed with black feathers. Villa's self-designed outfit (under her Joy Villa Couture label) proclaimed her recent break with the Church of Scientology after 15 years, with the words "SCIENTOLOGY KILLS" and multicolored beaded inserts on the front of her electric blue unitard and "JESUS HEALS" on the back of her bubblegum pink fur coat, which was lined with pieces of paper listing the names of people with ties to Scientology. She topped off her outfit with a stunning cobalt blue stylized kettlebrim hat covered with deep pink and white roses. As much as I adored the hat, the rest of the outfit was not great. 

Winner: Silver

Jumpsuit: Roselilah vs. Samantha Fish

Roselilah wore a utilitarian-looking, baggy gray jumpsuit with large flap pockets  and straps at the wrists, shoulders, and waist. She also wore heavy black boots with one pantleg tucked in. Fish wore a custom Cat O'Nine strapless black satin jumpsuit with  sweetheart neckline, silver medallions running down the sides of the flared pants, and floating sleeves. Fish looked like she belonged on the red carpet; Roselilah looked like she belonged fixing a plane. 

Winner: Fish

Golden Glow: Karen Wazen Bakhazi vs. Queen Sheba vs. Keltie Knight

Bakhazi wore a sleek Nicolas Jebran halter with a short, structured peplum at the lower hip and a softly draped skirt. Sheba wore a gold floral frock with a wide v-neck and narrow straps, and a pleated tea-length skirt with an attached black half-skirt that trailed on the floor, accessorized with black elbow-length gloves and a narrow black belt. Knight wore a revealing one-shouldered Godoy design with a long narrow keyhole slit in the bodice, a triangular cutout over one hip, and a slit up to the waist, with a short train. The deep slit in Knight's skirt caused more than a few underwear reveals on the red carpet, and Sheba's dress would have been vastly better without the bulky black skirt extension, but Bakhazi's gown was sleek and interesting, relying on gorgeous fabric and a single striking detail to make it memorable. 

Winner: Bakhazi  

Oops, It's the Same Dress: Ledisi vs. Jasmine Simpkins

The two wore the same gown from the Vogue Couture Collection, designed by Fjolla Haxhismajli, which featured an off-the-shoulder sheath silhouette, copper and silver metallic fringed fabric, and a structured ruff at the top of the bodice that circled away from the shoulders. Both women have gorgeous figures and looked great in the gown, but I found the style to be set off better by Simpkins' long, sleek, off-the-face hairstyle rather than Ledisi's heavy bangs, which covered a lot of her face and made her head look too small in proportion to the dress. 

Winner: Simpkins

Denim: Jordan Tyson vs. Rebecca and Megan Lovell

Tyson's sleeveless pin-striped denim dress featured a v-neck, a pleated skirt with a thigh-high slit, and corset-style seaming at the waist. It was cute and flattering but too simple and casual for the red carpet. The Lovell sisters wore multi-color denim from head to toe, with one in an ankle-length medium-wash straight skirt with ruffled peplum, and combination darker and lighter wash bodice, accessorized with a self-belt and patchwork denim boots, while the other wore a shredded, light-blue bandeau with tiny white ribbon straps and a high-waisted full skirt in several washes of denim. The styles were fine, but it was a LOT of denim. But between these two looks, the Lovells' is closer to red carpet-appropriate (even though Tyson's is a look that I would personally wear, just not to a formal event).  

Winner: Lovells

Simply a Suit: Amanda Taylor vs. Angélique Kidjo vs. Reem Kanj 

Taylor (fun fact: She's local to me and teaches at Groton Hill Music School) wore a metallic floral slim-fit suit with no shirt but multiple delicate necklaces. Kidjo wore a burgundy velvet Louis Vuitton suit with flared trousers and a double-breasted jacket, topped with a matching headwrap and dark sunglasses. Kanj wore an oversized black suit with broad shoulders and overlong sleeves and wide-legged, overlong pants. I hated the fit of Kanj's suit, and I was very torn between Taylor's and Kidjo's looks, because they're both great, but I had to give the nod to Taylor because we've seen a lot more velvet tuxedos than cute metallic pantsuits on the red carpet of late.

Winner: Taylor

No Pants: Sia Arnuri vs. Cirie Fields vs. Dionne Harmon

Arnuri wore a custom Paolo Carzana and Slim Barrett black tuxedo jacket with crystal trim along the lapels and crystal Mardi Gras masks scattered over the jacket, accessorized with a crystal chain draping across her face, long crystal earrings, a pearl and silver brooch on one shoulder, and a red bindi-style vertical stripe above the bridge of her nose. Fields wore a blush peach satin double-breasted jacket accented with three-dimensional fabric flowers, worn over a visible crystal-trimmed bra. Harmon wore a black minidress with a deep v-neck and patch pockets echoing a tuxedo jacket design, accessorized with a heavy gold chain necklace and gold-tipped black pointy pumps. I wasn't in love with any of these looks, but I did like the color and floral accents on Fields' jacket better than the basic black of the other two. 

Winner: Fields 

Shiny Metallic Columns: Sussan Mourad vs. Gayle King vs. Alyssa Smith

Mourad wore a strapless metallic silver custom Maison Vemian sheath with a huge stylized rosette on the bodice. King wore a metallic gold Sergio Hudson halter with a high neck and a straight silhouette. Smith wore a strapless metallic gold column with a raised waist seam and minimal detailing. King's gown was pretty but did not fit her well, bunching across the crotch and under the bust, and showing a belly button dent, and Smith's was simply boring. 

Winner: Mourad 

Group Effort: Flo (left to right: Stella Quaresma, Renée Downer and Jorja Douglas) vs. Katseye (left to right: Yoonchae, Megan Skiendiel, Lara Raj, Daniela Avanzini, Sophia Laforteza, and Manon Bannerman) vs. HAIM (left to right: Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim)

The members of Flo wore similar cobalt blue Luar designs, with Quaresma in a black and blue beaded tank-style crop top and a drop-waisted blue column skirt with a matching wide black and blue beaded band across the top of the skirt; Downer in a black and blue beaded bandeau top and a blue skirt with fitted top panel with a slight v front and a fuller skirt starting at mid hip; and Douglas in a black and blue beaded bikini-style top with a draping blue skirt attached at the top of the bikini on both sides, with a deep side slit and a short rectangular train. The members of Katseye wore coordinated ivory lace and spangled silver gowns by Ludovic de Saint Sernin, with Yoonchae in a gown with a flared lace skirt with short train and a corset-style bodice with a strapless white leather top with lacing and silver grommets; Skiendiel in a strapless silver column with a thigh-high slit and grommet-studded leather detail at the bodice top; Raj in a flared lace halter with a high neck and broad keyhole in the bodice and grommeted leather bands at the waist; Avanzini in silver spangled bralette with silver grommets along the top and attached long lace skirt with gores at the ankle creating a slight mermaid silhouette; Laforteza in a silver spangled bralette with silver grommets along the top and criss-cross straps and a fitted floor-length skirt; and Bannerman in a lace halter gown with grommeted leather bands forming criss-cross straps at the neck and a basque waistline, and a skirt that flared just above the knee and formed a short train. The members of HAIM wore coordinating crystal-trimmed black satin Louis Vuitton designs, with Este in a straight tea-length skirt with crystal beading along the hem and edges of the thigh-high slit, paired with a bandeau-cut top with triple crystal straps; Danielle in an ankle-length slip dress with criss-cross crystal straps and crystal edging on the bodice and along the hem of the skirt; and Alana in the same skirt as Este and a narrower, more fitted bandeau top with crystal halter and shoulder straps. The three wore matching pointy black pumps. Although, all three sets were nicely coordinated while still allowing each design to be unique, I thought that Katseye did the best job of using the motifs of the grommeted leather bands and lace and silver spangle fabric to coordinate the looks without being too "matchy". 

Winner: Katseye