Every year, millions of viewers gather online to critique the red-carpet looks from multiple exclusive events: the Emmy Awards, the Golden Globes, and most recently, the Grammy Awards. Famously deemed as music’s biggest night, nominated artists and guests pull out their custom, designer ensembles to impress the cameras. The night of Feb. 4, 2024 was no exception. As I perused the hundreds of outfits worn, most were increasingly mundane, while a select few had me gasping in delight at their originality. Although the selections were in no comparison to the incredibly creative outfits from the Met Gala, some celebrities showed up and showed out on the red carpet.
The first outfit that stunned me was Tyla’s flowy sea-foam green dress. Adorned in custom Versace, the dress featured an asymmetrical, cutout, chiffon tie cascading down into a slitted skirt. Netted crystals from Swarovski covered her from head to toe as well. Her perfectly styled pinned-up hair and jewelry only added to the already gorgeous look. Even though I had multiple favored looks on this red carpet, I must admit this was my favorite. This was my first time seeing one of Tyla’s red carpet dresses, but based on her exceptional style and talent—she won the inaugural Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance—I hope to see more from her in the future.
Another one of my chosen looks was Laufey’s enchanting Chanel set. Even before stepping onto the official red carpet, Laufey attended the Grammy’s premiere ceremony, where she performed her viral song From the Start and immediately won a Grammy in the category of Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. An upcoming jazz artist, she charmed in a rosy pink, polka-dot, tie-back top with an A-line skirt, perfectly complete with gently curled hair and sparkling, star earrings. Laufey is my favorite artist, so I cannot express how proud I am of her. This was her first-ever Grammy’s red carpet and win. I know she will continue to deliver quality music and elegant dresses as her popularity in the music industry rises.
Speaking of a first-ever win, Miley Cyrus arrived at the event in an incredible feat of artwork: her outfit was composed of 14,000 gold safety pins, a custom design from Maison Margiela. The fashion company stated it took “675 hours of meticulous work” to assemble the metallic dress. From a design perspective, the dress is a sensation in itself, perfectly arranged to create a collar and undergarments. This ensemble isn’t my favorite, but her overall confidence helped the outfit maintain its impressive glory.
Dua Lipa stepped onto the runway in dramatic fashion, extending the theme of metallic dresses, displaying a custom Courrèges gown completely done in chainmail, finalized with a plunging V neckline and long sleeves. For jewelry, she added an opulent diamond Tiffany and Co. necklace, twisted in two koi fish encircled around her neck. From the first look of this dress, it instantly reminded me of the custom Versace armor gown Zendaya wore at the 2018 Met Gala. Although Dua Lipa’s version is less extravagant, it didn’t feel original enough to be a star stunner on the Grammy’s carpet.
Of course, the only way to properly end this article would be with the iconic Taylor Swift. She entered fashionably late to this year’s Grammys (literally) with a custom Schiaparelli gown. The luxurious dress was cream-white with a long, flowing train styled with black, opera gloves. Swift was accessorized with multiple necklaces to accommodate her splendid attire, the most notable being a jet-black, diamond choker set with a vintage clock programmed to exactly midnight.
This was a reference to her nominated album, Midnights, which earned six nominations in total. Upon seeing this outfit on social media before the ceremony, I was instantly tricked into thinking that she would release Reputation (Taylor’s Version) that night. With the black-and-white theme, it seemed apparent. However, Swift threw a curveball at the world and announced her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, effectively fooling the population of Swifties. Her gown was reminiscent of old Hollywood glamour, which I immensely enjoyed. The dress was styled wonderfully to match her features, displaying how Swift will always be omnipresent in the world of fashion.
In all honesty, I have to admit my personal style isn’t the greatest. However, I love browsing through all the significant fashion moments featured in award shows and magazines, such as this one. The world of fashion never fails to pique my interest, whether on a runway or merely on a downtown street. At the 2024 Grammys, many musical artists showed that they could write and perform incredible songs and stun photographers on the red carpet, illustrating the hope for many more amazing looks to come in the foreseeable future.
