Historically, the Grammys red carpet has been the ideal place for music stars to show off their most statement-making looks. That has included everything from ballgowns, like Rihanna’s explosion of pink tulle in 2015, to sexy, slinky dresses (Jennifer Lopez’s green Versace jungle dress comes to mind).
The 2024 Grammys has proven to be no different. Dua Lipa, for instance, channelled Joan of Arc in a custom Courrèges chainmail dress. Its silver hues provided the perfect contrast to Lipa’s red hair. Miley Cyrus, meanwhile, sported a big bouffant hairstyle very much in the spirit of her musical godmother Dolly Parton (it’s timely too, following Marc Jacobs’s buzzy, doll-inspired fashion show at New York). The Flowers singer’s outfit was just as bold: a gold Maison Margiela dress made entirely from safety pins. Cyrus’s naked dress was created just for her by the designer of the moment, John Galliano, and was inspired by one of his designs for his eponymous label’s Fall/Winter 1996 collection.
Despite these dramatic displays, there was also room on the Grammys red carpet for classic, but no less noteworthy looks. Taylor Swift led the pack: dressed in a white Schiaparelli haute couture gown and black opera gloves, the pop star had all the sophistication of Truman Capote’s “swans”, the high society ladies who ruled New York in the mid-20th century. Those fashionable women are now back in the spotlight thanks to Ryan Murphy’s new TV series, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. And they surely would have loved how Swift completed her look with over 300 carats of Lorraine Schwartz Diamonds, which includes a vintage watch that was transformed into a sparkling choker.
By Swift’s side was her collaborator Lana Del Rey, an artist who is similarly obsessed with old-world glamour. At the Grammys, the singer wore a black velvet floral dress with a boat neckline and puffy sleeves. She also slipped on a pair of short lace gloves, rooting her look in the ‘50s. In fact, her ensemble may have been from the era: both her dress and her black handbag were vintage. There were nods to the ‘60s as well, namely through her bangs, which were inspired by the decade’s style icons, Sharon Tate and Brigitte Bardot. But there were also touches that you could consider “modern”, like the bows that adorned her hair and her shoes. Those embellishments are a hallmark of TikTok’s current coquette trend.
Olivia Rodrigo was another champion of vintage fashion at the Grammys. The Gen Z star brought Old Hollywood glamour to the red carpet via her vintage Versace dress, which was modelled on the runway by Linda Evangelista in 1995. Designed by Gianni Versace, the white gown features red beads and sequins. Rodrigo added an extra dash of dazzle with her Bulgari High Jewellery pieces, including ruby and diamond earrings. Her look, as well as her long wavy hair, seems to have been put together with the ‘40s screen siren Veronica Lake in mind.
Another young star that stole the spotlight was Gracie Abrams, one of the opening acts of Swift’s Eras tour. Abrams sported a Chanel haute couture crop top and a ruffled satin skirt, an elegant outfit worthy of the singer’s debut on the Grammys red carpet—and, one can imagine, in a ballroom.
The appeal of timeless clothing is not lost on Sofia Richie Grainge, who attended the awards in a floor-length black Saint Laurent dress with cape sleeves. The look, which showed off her baby bump, is the latest example of Richie Grainge’s refined maternity style. It’s also proof that the 25-year-old socialite, who emerged on fashion’s radar for wearing three Chanel dresses at her wedding last year, will continue to champion the “Old Money” aesthetic that has so captivated teenagers on TikTok. She would not be making a fashion faux pas: if this year’s Grammys tells us anything, it’s that old is still gold.
Olivia Rodrigo in Versace
Sofia Richie Grainge in Saint Laurent
Gracie Abrams in Chanel
Lana Del Rey
