Emmys red carpet: Best dressed at 2023 Emmy Awards

By Valli Herman, Maane Khatchatourian

Photography by

Jan. 15, 2024 4:29 PM PT

Though the 75th Emmy Awards were rescheduled to land in the middle of awards season, that’s all the more reason attendees at Monday’s event seemed to abide by an unwritten rule of the attention economy: If you want to be noticed, go for the glamour.

Pushed into January instead of their usual season-opening September date, the Emmy Awards took place a day after the Critics Choice Awards, a week after the Golden Globes and eight days before the Oscar nominations will be announced. Yet nominees arriving at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live showed the same dedication to the art of looking good as they did to the principles that kept them on the picket lines during the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023.

Eager to throw off the strikes’ cloak of invisibility, many nominees illustrated how charismatic — and valuable — actors are, particularly when they exercise that ineffable star power in a fabulous suit or gown.

Several trends made repeat appearances at the ceremony. For the women, the color red, corset tops, deeply plunging necklines and mermaid gowns were the favorites. For the men, the majority stuck to a notch-lapel tuxedo with a white shirt and black bow tie — a safe choice.

Red wrapped Sarah Snook in a voluminous Vivienne Westwood gown, while Elizabeth Debicki went for ruby red in a custom velvet Dior, and Juliette Lewis chose a sleek red beaded halter gown by Moschino. Meghann Fahy’s red corset gown by Armani was trimmed at the bust line with roses, while Janelle James called on Rodarte for a bias cut gown in saturated red. In signature Valentino red, Suki Waterhouse showed how an apron-front gown accommodates a heavily pregnant belly.

Red-adjacent tones of rose, pink and purple also made the cut. Emmy winner Quinta Brunson was subdued but classic in a pinky-rose, tea-length Dior, and Rachel Brosnahan went for sexy in an amethyst corset gown by Versace.

So many men kept to the classic tuxedo and bow tie that it was a welcome relief to see RuPaul of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” pick up another trophy and score a fashion win in his sequin suit and bow blouse. Many men demurely added a little glitz with a bejeweled lapel pin.

Jeremy Allen White, who has been wearing a lot of monochromatic white on the awards circuit, picked up his Emmy for “The Bear” in a white tux jacket and shirt, as did Paul Walter Hauser of “Black Bird.” However, White’s co-star Ebon Moss-Bachrach accepted his trophy wearing a black suit that could have come from his role in “The Bear” as an elegant waiter in an exclusive restaurant.

Sheryl Lee Ralph was doubly on trend with a white tuxedo dress with a mermaid silhouette, a custom Christian Siriano gown selected by her stylist daughter, Ivy-Victoria Maurice. Niecy Nash-Betts, who took home a trophy for supporting actress, added ruffle-edge black elbow gloves to her Greta Constantine mermaid gown. “Ted Lasso” star Hannah Waddingham showed how an hourglass figure benefits from the mermaid look with her custom Marchesa green halter gown with a flowing, frilly train.

Now that designer houses have literally sewn up red carpet fashion, many of their star clients are showing a surprising aptitude for wearing couture. Christina Ricci looked especially elegant in a Saint Laurent black velvet gown with a neckline plunging to her waist. Jessica Chastain opted for an acid green Gucci gown with long, beaded fringe flowing from the knees. Selena Gomez was a bombshell in Tiffany gems and an Oscar de la Renta sheer gown with a leafy cover of appliques.

Having designers and stylists on call has taken a lot of awkward surprises out of awards show fashion, but some of the iconoclasts illustrated that a different kind of look can be stunning. Hats off to Issa Rae for wearing an ivory cape gown covered in feathery fringe, pearls and sequins by Pamella Roland. Nominee Simona Tabasco was colorfully fun with a patchwork of exaggerated floral appliques on her custom Marni gown.

Though the red, or rather, silver, carpet was awash in glamour, it was also full of fun, and no small amount of relief that the stars finally had their day in the sun.

Here are the best looks from the 2023 Emmys: