2022 Tony Awards Red Carpet Fashions

Let me begin my red carpet review with an inarguable statement: Ariana de Bose was a charismatic, enthusiastic, talented, fun, and well-dressed host. She wore a series of outfits over the course of the evening and there was not a clunker in the bunch. So let's start with a review of some of her fashions.

De Bose walked the red carpet in a black sequined gown with a hip-height slit and a bra-style top with high-waisted skirt. It was sexy without being overly revealing and shimmered beautifully under the lights. 

The main part of the awards ceremony opened with a production number, during which she wore a circus-style white and silver ensemble with semi-opaque tights and a long-sleeved spangled leotard, topped with a silver sequin vest and a black-trimmed broad-brimmed white hat. Very Broadway, very showy, very fabulous. 

She segued from that number into hosting duties by removing the hat and swapping out the silver vest for a marvelously tailored long white satin jacket with broad lapels that changed her look (quite appropriately) from performer to ringmaster. 

At nearly every commercial break, she changed into a different outfit. The first 5 or 6 were all white or mainly white, including this lovely white satin strapless dress with deep pink stripes on the skirt descending into solid pink at the bottom. Simple, but with beautiful, graceful lines. 

Later on, the changed into an open-fronted white jacket as she danced and sang her way through the audience. I appreciated that even though the bodice was quite open, the outfit was so well-tailored that she had no fear of costume malfunctions even as she threw herself onto the lap of a delighted Andrew Garfield. 

Later in the evening, she changed into a black halter gown which, like her other looks, had simple but elegant lines, but I was not able to find a photo so you'll just have to trust that it was lovely and flattering.

She ended the evening by changing into a gorgeous short purple coat-dress that had an attached train at one time that - being the consummate performer that she is - she flipped around to great dramatic effect as she owned the stage in a wonderfully fun closing medley. 

I loved that all her outfits were crisply tailored, with simple, clean lines that emphasized her graceful movement and kept the attention on her, rather than her clothes, while at the same time being flattering and memorable. 

So how did some of the other attendees do with their fashions? Just as with the Tony Awards, there were winners and there were losers. Let's begin with the, er, less successful looks.

Kara Young's copper gown had a lot going for it - the fabric itself, for one. It was a gorgeous color with a sheen that gave it wonderful depth as she moved. But the huge bubble skirt looked bulky and unwieldy instead of light and flowing. I liked the wide waistband with the bra top, but the cropped shrug/jacket she wore over it was cut at an odd length that broke the lines of the bra, and the ruffles along the shoulder were stiff and reminded me of a dinosaur's spikes. Get rid of the shrug and half the volume of the skirt and this outfit would have been a knockout.

I missed seeing Sarah Silverman on the red carpet, so my first glimpse of this outfit was only from the shoulders up, and my husband remarked (and I thought), "Huh, she looks much classier than she often does at these events." Then it cut to a full-body shot and we both said, "Um, never mind." I really like the bodice and sleeves of her outfit, but the frilly shorts, thigh-high socks over fishnet stockings, and clunky combat boots did not work with either the bodice or the red carpet. Maybe for the VMAs, but not for the Tonys.

Jordan Roth's look was another disappointment for me. Much like with Young's look, the fabric was magnificent and the concept wasn't bad, but the execution fell short. I liked the kimono-style neckline and the embellishments that increased toward the hem, but the one-sided panel didn't quite balance the plain black pants, and the panel hung awkwardly when Roth wasn't specifically posing. I also found his silver finger-covers to be very distracting and strange. The look had some good aspects but it just didn't come together in a unified way for me. 

Sarah Paulson was another look that took gorgeous fabric (it was encrusted with a mosaic of tiny mirrors and bits of colored glass) and put it together in a terrible way. The giant bubble at her hips was not flattering and did not move well. If that were gone and the matching puffiness of the sleeves had been minimized, it could have been rather a nice look. I will say that Paulson carried off the slicked-back hair better than any of the many attendees sporting the style last night. 

Marcia Gay Harden's dusty rose gown was very close to being a winner for me, but I found the main body of it to be too bland. The fabric needed some kind of visual interest, whether a subtle print or even just a less matte finish, or perhaps just a more interesting neckline or a long necklace. I did like the soft draping of the long attached cape, but the main body of the dress needed a pop of something, somewhere. 

I love a well-tailored pair of pants on the red carpet, but Anna Fleischle's pants were not that. The dropped crotch didn't work with the width of the pantlegs, and I have no idea what the shiny curved panel in the front was supposed to be, but the overall effect was just droopy and dumpy, which was a shame, because her top and shoes were simple and fun, respectively, and a flowing pair of well-tailored wide-legged pants or even properly-fitted skinny cropped pants would have made it a spectacular look. 

Rachel Dratch's look wasn't terrible, but there were a few features that could have been so much better. 

The fabric and overall silhouette were terrific and looked great on her, but the angle at which the shoulderless lace sleeve was attached looked like it pulled uncomfortably as she moved, and the pointy detail on the right shoulder made the diagonal line of the top of the bodice disproportionate and unflattering. I'd love to rip both sleeves right off the dress, then Rachel would look like a million bucks!

I wanted to love Lilli Cooper's look, and most of it I did. The wide-legged palazzo pants, the sheer black attached cape, the tiny gold belt and gold detailing on the bodice. But the open front was just too wide. So much boobs. So much use of double-sided tape in evidence. The viewer will appreciate your boobs much more if they don't look like they're working that hard. But if you are going to expose that much of your chest, use some bronzer where the sun don't shine so the underside of your breasts isn't noticeably paler than the rest of your chest. 

Yet another great concept that struggled with the execution and the details, Danielle Brooks' outfit was a fabulous fabric, which worked really well for structure of the skirt and relatively well for the front of the bodice. But the puffiness at the back made it look like she was wearing a stiff, inflatable backpack. It made her look top-heavy and it did not move with her movements. I also found her hairstyle to be at odds with the style of the dress. It could have worked with a more angular, more playful look, but this dress calls for softer lines and a more elegant flow. She did have fabulous shoes, though. 

I really liked Joaquina Kalukango's dress when I saw it from the front. I loved the shimmery gold fabric, the flattering vertical lines, and the sleekness of the attached cape. I found her braided hairstyle positively exquisite. But then I saw the lumpy, wrinkled, lime green satin train that looked like a wad of used chewing gum. What a terrible addition! But she did go home with the ultimate accessory of a nicely coordinating gold Tony Award, so I don't think she's too disappointed with her evening.

So those are some of the outfits that didn't work for me. But what about the ones that did? Here are some of the sartorial stars of the evening.

This photo of Philippa Soo's dress does not do it justice. The black chains holding up the bodice were so graceful and created such lovely lines. The whole silhouette was simple and elegant and just marvelous overall.

My favorite look of the night was this gorgeous gold-and-blush ballgown worn by Jennifer Simard. This skirt is the perfect example of fullness that is floaty instead of bulky. I loved the depth of color created by the gathered fabric, both in the skirt and around the bodice, with just the right amount of shimmer and movement from the metallic gold streaks in the fabric. I hope she has the opportunity to wear this gown again, because I suspect it would be even more stunning with her natural brunette hair. 

LaTanya Richardson Jackson's softly draped, bright yellow column was lovely on its own, but it was truly brought to life by the colorfully embroidered long jacket she wore over it. Her proud husband at her side wasn't a bad accessory, either.

Kelli O'Hara looked stunning in a simple, softly draped white halter column, accented with a climbing trail of black flowers. It looked stylish, flattering, and comfortable. 

Lynn Nottage proved that a single fabulous accessory can make or break a basic dress. Her muumuu-style peach satin gown could have been somewhat blah, but the collar of concentric gold bands reaching nearly to her shoulders brought the look to life. Marvelous. 

Ruth Negga showed how an open-front bodice can work when it's properly tailored. Her bodice front extended far enough to the sides to keep it firmly in place and move with her body instead of gapping awkwardly. I loved the fullness of her spangled skirt and how it tied in visually with her sparkling diamond choker. Her curly, tousled hair and pop of rich burgundy lipstick were the perfect finishing touches. 

I love gowns that pair a slim, fitted skirt with a full overlay, and clearly so does LaChanze. Not many people could pull off vivid chartreuse satin, but it looked amazing on her. The softly shirred bodice with its angled halter straps created a stunning silhouette on a figure that's already pretty stunning. Fabulous.

I really liked the draped diamond ribbons at the front of Julianne Hough's red carpet gown. It was just a hint of art deco without being overtly Erte. The soft loops were nicely balanced by a sharply plunging neckline that was clearly firmly structured to stay in place. Well done. 

Cynthia Erivo's flowy white gown was another good example of balanced fullness. Her voluminous gown was floaty rather than heavy, and I loved the wrapped waist and hooded cape that a friend pointed out had just a hint of Princess Leia, which felt very appropriate. She looked gorgeous and feminine, but still warrior-like.

Jenn Colella did pants right by pairing black, slightly-flared wide-legged pants with a sheer white, long-sleeved, high-necked blouse with an opaque white tube top underneath. It accentuated her long, slim build and exquisite face. I loved this look so much on her. 

Sharon D. Clarke acknowledged her heritage in a gown made of a very traditional African print cotton fabric. The border print on the bell sleeves hinted at a dashiki style, but the flared overlay on the skirt was all designer glamour. And her cowrie-shell necklace, earrings, and hair clip were just the right accessories.  

I really liked Jessica Chastain's pale pink satin wrapped gown with its drooping straps and teeny train. It was like a pastel version of Jessica Rabbit, and it was fantastic old-school glamour. 

Antwayn Hopper wore a delightful take on a white Elvis jumpsuit in this open-fronted white-and-gold shirt with flared cuffs, paired with slim (but not too tight) white pants and a fun little drape of tulle at one hip. He played it up to the hilt on the red carpet, turning a somewhat kitschy look into a truly fun and charming one. 

Utkarsh Ambudkar hit it out of the park with his take on a Victorian Pearly King outfit. His traditional black tuxedo was decorated with mother-of-pearl discs forming decorative lines and florets. He looked both dignified and delightful. 

There were plenty of other outfits on the red carpet last night, but these are the ones that stood out to me as the real eye-catchers and the real missteps. Did I miss any that you loved or hated? Feel free to post a comment and let me know!

The Tony-Award-winning costumes from SIX: The Musical,
designed by Gabriella Slade