Photos: Zimbio; Style.com

MY VERDICT: Nicole glittered in gold wearing a floor-length semi-sheer metallic lace Vera Wang dress. The sleek v-neck design comes from the designer’s Spring/Summer 2013 runway collection. The cut was a near-perfect fit for Nicole, but it just doesn’t feel like a Grammys dress to me. It’s going to be hard to top what she wore to the ceremony in 2011. Nicole completed her look with super sleek tresses, Fred Leighton jewelry, a dark manicure and matching L’Wren Scott Spring 2013 sandals.

Photos: Zimbio; Tony Ward Couture

MY VERDICT: Ashanti seemed ready for spring to get here when she hit the Grammy red carpet wearing a cutout sheer black Tony Ward Couture gown, which was completely covered in scatters of colorful delicate floral embroidery.  The glamorous design included a cutout at the bust, half illusion cap sleeves, and a sexy thigh slit.  Perhaps the singer broke the dress code with a the sheerness of the frock providing a clear view of her black briefs.  I don’t believe it was too bad;  I think we see more at the beach, but I doubt the folks at CBS feel the same way.

Ashanti gathered her long dark hair into a chignon before completing her look with mixed metallic, gemstone-encrusted bangles and statement earrings.  While I’m loving her intense smoky eyes, I’m not into her white talon nails.

Photos: Zimbio; YSL: Style.com; BOY London

MY VERDICT: It was one hypnotizing performance when Wiz Khalifa and Miguel hit the Grammy stage to perform the “Adorn” remix while wearing coordinating black-and-white suits in vivid patterns.  The 25-year-old rapper changed out of his Tom Ford tuxedo from the red carpet and went shirtless in a zig-zag blazer with matching trousers from the Fall 2013 Menswear collection by Neil Barrett.  Wiz additionally slipped on a BOY LONDON classic black cap before adding a little gold with two necklaces, detailed sunglasses and a pair of embroidered black velvet loafers. | continue reading..

Photos: Zimbio; Jimmy Choo; Kimberly McDonald

MY VERDICT: I had a few ideas in mind of what I would’ve liked to have seen Miranda wear at the Grammys as I had grown tired of ill-fitting looks that had been letting her down on the red carpet recently.  She may have worn something that didn’t even cross my mind as a possibilty, but that doesn’t mean I disliked it.  The Country singer looked beautiful in a midnight blue silk-chiffon Roberto Cavalli gown, which featured a plunging neckline and a high thigh slit.  I love the color, and the draping at the waist gave her a bit of a slimming effect as well—what woman doesn’t love that?

Miranda styled her long honey-blonde locks in a pretty partially gathered swept ‘do that allowed for her multicolored geode Kimberly McDonald statement earrings to, well, make a statement.  | continue reading..

Photos: Zimbio; Style.com

MY VERDICT: Carey passed on the red carpet but was, thankfully, spotted backstage at the Grammys after Mumfod & Sons won big during the ceremony.  The actress married lead singer Marcus Mumford last spring.  Carey looked very cool in her event-appropriate ensemble of a jumpsuit, cropped tuxedo blazer and gold accessories.  She wore head-to-toe Lanvin; Look 1 from the Spring/Summer 2013 collection.  Carey practically donned everything exactly as it was on the runway, with the exception of one longer necklace.  I would say that it was missed as I liked it a lot on the model, but I think it might have been a tad to much. | continue reading..

Photos: Zimbio; Style.com

MY VERDICT: According to Florence + the Machine’s front-woman, you can never have too much green!  The English singer hit the red carpet for the Grammys wearing a custom made Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci poison emerald sequin gown with lizard-inspired spikes along the chest, back, and arms.  A similar high-neck black version was seen on the runway for the Fall 2009 Haute Couture collection.  This dress is insane!  I like the serpent idea, which she complimented with matching snake rings, but I think elements of it made it too busy–especially the matchy-matchy bag and shoes.

To be honest, I like the turtle neck design more.  Florence completed her look with loosely swept up hair and a dark pout.

Photos: Zimbio

MY VERDICT: Alicia Keys flaunted her curves on the Grammys red carpet in a Azzedine Alaïa shiny black leather crop top paired with a full-length wool-crepe skirt with a pleated hem.  While many could argue that she broke the issued dress code rules, I say she just stayed on the edge.  I actually loved this outfit on her.  Alicia complimented the style with black and diamond snake earrings with a matching ring by Lorraine Schwartz, before completing her look with a tightly swept up-do and shiny ruby lips.

She was one of my favorites of the night!

Photos: Zimbio; Style.com

MY VERDICT: Joined by her husband Tim McGraw, Faith stepped out on the Grammys red carpet in a sexy sheer cocktail dress by J. Mendel.  The Country singer opted for a new frock from the Pre-Fall 2013 collection, a black bustier knee-length dress connected to a sheer embroidered long sleeve upper body design.  It wasn’t clearly visible in the presentation, but the lower portion of the dress features a navy textured panel in the center of the pencil skirt. I thought this was a great choice for her; I like the shortened hemline.  As for the rest, I found Faith’s hair to be a bit too refined for a dress of this style. I wish she would have let her locks go free, but she’s a beauty regardless.

This outfit was complete with sapphire jewelry and a shiny pair of black patent Tom Ford pumps.

Photos: Zimbio; Style.com; Tom Ford

MY VERDICT: I’m one of those people who thinks it’s hard for Jennifer Lopez to look bad in anything, but I swear she was testing me at the Grammys this year when she donned this Anthony Vaccarello dress. Staying within the CBS-issued dress code rules that forbid anything too revealing, J.Lo opted for the full-length techno black asymmetric gown from the designer’s Spring 2013 collection.  The upper part was so slouchy, and visible bra molding through a smooth fabric is never a good thing. The silhouette is standard “Grammy uniform”, and therefore I found it anticlimactic. | continue reading..

Photos: Zimbio; Style.com; Jimmy Choo

MY VERDICT: Taylor was one of my favorites this year in her ivory goddess gown by J. Mendel with metallic sequin-embellished straps at the plunging neckline and open back.  I was really hoping she’d wear color (maybe red?) considering we often see the singer in cream dresses, but I just can’t deny how hot this design is.  It was originally seen during the finale of the Spring 2013 runway presentation, but without the harness detail the center of the neck.  I can’t decided which version I prefer.

I liked the braided headband woven into her chignon, but for another red carpet moment.  This hairstyle was too sweet, too themed, and too safe for the Grammy Awards.  | continue reading..