The 2026 Grammy Awards: the Academy’s annual awarding of top music artists, and the world’s worst outfits. No, I’m kidding. But there definitely was a fair share of peculiar styles artists gravitated towards on the red carpet.
There’s a trending video describing when a group of friends get together and don’t discuss the dress code. The punchline is the variety of styles brought to the dinner date: athletic clothes, loungewear or a full-beat going-out outfit. The 2026 Grammy Awards encapsulated this social media phenomenon. There was a chaotic split between sleek, timeless, classy elegance and completely absurd fashion choices.
Celebrities tend to embrace that shock value which makes it all the more entertaining. There are simply no rules. Stars like Tate McRae, Noah Kahan and Benson Boone can wear elegant gowns and tuxedos by prestigious designers. You can even show up in a black swan inspired Matières Fécales feathered couture gown. Or maybe that’s just Lady Gaga.
With this year’s collection of the good, the bad and the ugly, it was clear who fit under each category.
Sabrina Carpenter: Angelic on the carpet. Captivating on the stage. Multi-Grammy nominee Sabrina Carpenter took a demure route in a Valentino gown on the carpet before changing for her show-stopping performance. The sheer glimmer with a ruffle tiered skirt was her pre-show attire. She looked fabulous.
Sombr: Record of the Year nominee came with confidence. The glitter suit with red accents and sequins was slightly obnoxious. The pointed shoes he chose to pair the ensemble with were questionable. However, he was saved by his lace-trimmed shirt by Valentino.
Olivia Dean: The Best New Artist winner wore a Chanel gown. The sparkling black bodice came down to feathered embellishments around the waist. The ballroom skirt made her even more princess-like. For me, this was one of the top looks of the night. Simply stunning.
Chappell Roan: I think we all expect her to throw us for a loop. Roan is known for her red carpet debuts to be full of wildly chaotic dresses and exotic makeup. She paired her red chiffon cape with the rest of her minimalistic custom Mulgar gown that hung from her nipple rings. There was an audible gasp that shook the room when my friends and I witnessed this one. I couldn’t help but wince.
Justin Bieber: From a perfect pair on the carpet with his wife, Hailey, to half-naked on stage for his performance. Justin wore a classy Balenciaga tuxedo standing with Hailey in Alaia. Both minimalistic and fully black from head to toe. That was until his live performance. My friend Lilly said it best: “Justin Bieber can literally do anything he wants.” Like go up on stage, play a fantastic acoustic version of his top song…in boxer shorts. A metaphor for raw talent? Let’s go with that.
Bad Bunny: Swept the awards with three huge recognitions, including Album of the Year. Bad Bunny accepted each award in style. His sleek tuxedo from Schiaparelli was nothing short of perfection.
Addison Rae: This may be a controversial one. I felt like her dress was designed backwards. Her Alaia gown draped long in the front and short in the back. The deep v-neck line and asymmetrical structure was not appealing.
Lady Gaga: She has really lived up to her recently released album “Mayhem.” Her black swan-inspired look was definitely a unique choice to start with. She then moved to wearing a headpiece that resembled a straw basket. Her performance was impeccable. Her style was one of a kind.
Shaboozey: His split between a casual Saturday afternoon and half black tie was amusing. He paired an average tuxedo with a black train conductor hat and bow-tie. Blue jeans on the bottom. His look might’ve been a tad strange, but I adored execution to tease indecisiveness.
Honorable mentions: Kesha in her ratty blanket-like dress that smothered her. Fka Twigs with a dress that looked fitting for Halloween. Heidi Klum essentially shuffling around in solid plastic fitted to her body type, making it impossible to walk normally. Miley Cyrus covered in random items as if she glued them to her outfit.
