Monday evening’s Grammys ceremony met plenty of shady moments, laidback cats, technical difficulties, and blazing tributes as music celebrated its finest annual accomplishments. Beyond the music and the general spectacle of the evening, fashion fans and critics will enjoy picking apart the dresses. Why? Because fashion can be a fun sport in and of itself, so lighten up, Francis. The awards don’t mean much beyond recognition, no matter what Kanye West may believe. Nor do the dresses, but they’re not pretending to hold much significance. Let’s get superficial and rundown the (arbitrarily) best and worst ensembles of the evening.
Best: Lady Gaga nailed it. We already hit upon this outfit as Gaga wafted onto the red carpet at the last possible moment, but it begs for more attention. This Bowie fashion tribute by Marc Jacobs communicates all Gaga intentions.
Worst: Ciara stood one 45-degree bend away from a wardrobe malfunction. This Alexandre Vauthier dress required all the double tape one could muster. Does an exposed pelvic bone look sexy or destroy the mystery? The bottom line here is that Ciara doesn’t look like she’s enjoying this dress at all.
Best: Taylor Swift nabbed one of the evening’s most memorable outfits with this color-blocked Atelier Versace outfit. The design house paired a red bandeau with a high-waisted pink skirt, and Swifty went with a geometric-looking faux bob. Never fear, the longer hair will be back tomorrow.
Worst: Kaley Cuoco prompted the obvious joke from those who wonder why she appeared at the Grammys. Still, look at her expression. She looks like she wandered onto the red carpet by chance, and the sloppy, sequinned Naeem Khan jumpsuit doesn’t help matters.
Best: Florence Welch counts as someone who consistently does not care about what people think of her style. A pink Gucci nightgown covered with stars, moons, and dragonflies? We should all be so lucky to pull off such whimsical nonsense. You gotta love it.
Worst: The Hollywood Vampires also try to give no f*cks, but the effect doesn’t work as well here. These dudes are trying too hard to be cool, and it shows. A great deal of effort is required to pile on a million scarves and vests while trying to appear effortless. Simplify, guys.
Best: Demi Lovato went simple and let her voice carry her evening onstage. Lovato tends to fall into 1980s, Debbie Gibson-esque fashion, but she’s found a grownup look lately. One tight black suit goes a long way to escape post Disney drama.
Worst: Ariana Grande didn’t wear a truly terrible dress, but she has chosen similar outfits so often that girlfriend needs some adventure. This valentine-y Romona Keveza dress is alright, but a little more adventure can only help.
Best: Chrissy Teigen refused to let her pregnancy lead to bad fashion. She chose a white Yousef Al-Jasmi gown with a sparkly cape, and she accessorized with John Legend. There’s a winning combination, and if you say otherwise, Chrissy will smack you down on Twitter.
Worst: Kacey Musgraves‘ teal, purple, and blue Armani Prive ball gown may have taken too much inspiration from Katy Perry’s Prism era from two years ago. You can sort of picture Russell Brand cracking a randy joke on the sidelines, yes?
Best: Serayah McNeill looked absolutely stunning in this drapey Vera Wang dress with strategic openings. The one-shoulder look and the revealing leg slit brought the sultry appeal in spades. Best dress of the night? Quite possibly.
Worst: Ellie Goulding wore a dull, blush pink Stella McCartney dress. This dress didn’t carry much oomph, although some chain detailing in the back sparked interest. Ultimately, Stella dresses are usually shapeless, and this number is no exception.
Best: Adele did well by Adele fashion standards, which weren’t amazing a few years ago. However, this Givenchy gown’s flattering silhouette lent intrigue to what could have otherwise been a basic black dress.
Worst: Janelle Monae confused folks, for who really knows what she was going for with this funky hat, black-and-white circular skirt, and matching top with lacy boots. This ensemble has too much going on at once.
Best: Carrie Underwood‘s Nicolas Jebran gown was suitable for a variety of award shows. Perhaps it wasn’t the most Grammy-oriented look, but she pulled it off well. This dress was a little prom-y but fine.
Worst: Giuliana Rancic may have belonged to E!’s Fashion Police for years, but her fashion game isn’t superb. This gold, bejeweled ensemble tries to evoke shades of Cleopatra, which is simply a bizarre red carpet goal.
Best: Selena Gomez called this a “date” dress, which was likely an offhanded comment, but the gown itself was pretty great. Calvin Klein should be favored by more stars, for the cuts are usually flattering. Also, the dress’ sparkle factor is just right.
Worst: Bella Hadid attended to support The Weeknd by wearing this Alexandre Vauthier dress that required whatever double sided tape Ciara wasn’t using. The ensemble’s deep, plunging bodice was further accentuated with slits and cutouts a plenty. Far too much drama here.
