Last week, CBS issued a dress code for the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, threatening the often adventurous and revealing looks that have historically peppered the red carpet. Showing too much flesh was apparently among the list of no-nos. A dress code for the Grammys Were things getting that out of hand Unlike the Golden Globes and the Oscars, the Grammys red carpet has always been a place where an alternative expression of glamor was welcomed, even for men.
Mostly everyone played by the rules, and high fashion was a strong theme on Sunday. Carly Rae Jepsen, the pop singer behind “Call Me Maybe†was among the first to arrive wearing a charcoal sequin Roberto Cavalli gown. Undecided about her dress choice, she said she chose the Cavalli gown because she felt like Ariel in “The Little Mermaid.†She’d gotten her legs for the first time, perhaps an apt analogy for an emerging artist. Carrie Underwood, who also wore Cavalli, added a diamond bib necklace that she said felt heavy.
A large numbr of men opted for white tuxedos and jackets this year. Chris Brown, LL Cool J and Miguel were among them, but Mr. Brown wore Lanvin and white from head to toe. Whether his angelic appearance was the recommendation of his public relations team or not, it was well-put-together and complemented his tattoos. Wiz Khalifa, who arrived with his pregnant wife and model, Amber Rose, wore Tom Ford. Ne-Yo wore a silver Saint Laurent tux; Pharell came in Lanvin.
For a few men, details on bow ties and pocket squares were a chance to accessorize. Nas, who wore a bronze Brioni tux, had a chain with diamonds hanging from his pocket. Sean Paul, one of many nominees, sported an authentic mohawk, not the hipster version. He wore a Viktor & Rolf jacket with a gold vintage Versace necklace and oversized pendant.
The highlights included Florence Welch, a fashion fan favorite, who wore a custom green sequin Givenchy gown. Her monochromatic look was complete with a matching b! ox clutch and shoes also from Givenchy. Rihanna was the lady in red, wearing a fairly minimal a-line custom Azzedine Alaia gown. J. Lo, known for her flesh-baring red carpet choices (remember the Versace dress she wore to the Grammys in 2000) showed a lot of leg that was reminiscent of Angelina Jolie’s Versace dress at the Oscars last year.
No stranger to color, Katy Perry said she was inspired by Priscilla Presley. She wore big hair, big jewels with a form-fitting mint green gown. Kelly Rowland also went for a body-conscious look and wore a black dress with geometric cutouts by the Lebanese designer, George Chakra. Just before the red carpet ended, Beyoncé quietly arrived in a black and white pantsuit. She stopped for E!’s 360 camera, but not Ryan Seacrest, at least from what we could see on television. There were mixed reactions on Twitter about Adele’s Valentino dress, though it was a nice departure from her usual black.
Other artists like Janelle Monáe stuck to their uniforms with a ew enhancements. “I’m wearing ideas,†she told Mr. Seacrest. Taylor Swift stayed loyal to her flesh-toned and cream red carpet palette. Mr. Seacrest said her J. Mendel Grecian-style dress was the color of vanilla yogurt. Jack White of the White Stripes arrived in his usual wide-eyed, pale-skinned “Edward Scissorhandsâ€-inspired appearance, wearing black on black.
The couples delivered their own double dose of style. Nicole Kidman wore a gold Vera Wang gown, and Keith Urban wore Rick Owens and mix of other things, he told E!. Country Music’s royal couple, Faith Evans and Tim McGraw, wore all black. Ms. Evans wore a knee-length J. Mendel pencil skirt with transparent panels, showing off her tiny frame. Mr. McGraw was dressed in Tom Ford.
Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga skipped the red carpet - a disappointment to the many viewers who wanted to see their reaction to the outfit guidelines.
