Red Carpet Realness: A Reflection on Iconic Red Carpet Looks

From meat dresses to matching denim ensembles, red carpet looks have always been a cultural staple, good and bad. For a long time, people have been comparing and contrasting these looks, like the infamous G Hannelius and Beyoncé striped dress fiasco. 

But I think it’s really important to look at the early 2000s and how these looks hold up today and how our attitudes towards red carpet fashion has shifted.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of red carpet looks from the Y2K era is Ashley Tisdale and her iconic pink boa outfit. This perfectly encapsulates the time period and how a look ten years ago we would’ve considered ugly has now grown into something that we now deem culturally significant. And this is the truth for a lot of the looks from that era. When you describe them using words, they sound bizarre, but when you see the outfits in action, you can see that there was real vision behind these looks.

One of the most iconic looks from this era is the matching denim ensembles worn by Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake to the 2001 American Music Awards. This look has been copied and costumed for the past 24 years, which really shows a testament to how long-lasting this moment was. Although it appears to be just denim outfits, it’s the coupling of a denim gown with a full denim tuxedo that makes the impact of these outfits even more iconic.

Another pop diva of the time that continuously stunned on the red carpet was Christina Aguilera. Each time she came out onto the carpet, she embodied sex appeal. From cutouts to croptops and mini skirts, Xtina always had a way of catching the camera’s eye the moment she stepped foot onto the red carpet.

Avril Lavigne, the Canadian singer/songwriter, also brought her own spin to red carpet fashion. Unlike her contemporaries in the industry, Lavigne continued to bring her pop-punk aesthetic onto the red carpets. She routinely sported combat boots, fishnet gloves, and baggy jeans. And she would accessorize with neckties and studded bracelets that really emphasized her rocker charm. All of the things she wore now seem pedestrian, but when putting her outfits into the context of the time, she stood out for her more relaxed aura.

Missy Elliott is another red carpet demolisher. When looking back at photos, it was very clear that Missy had a vision and an understanding of what worked for her. On every single red carpet, Missy Elliot walked out in some version of a two piece set, whether it was a track suit, jersey or baggy tux, she always found a way to accersorize and shine on the carpet. One of her best looks was a denim tuxedo with a matching newsboy cap that she wore to the 2006 Grammy’s. It perfectly showcased her individual style while still being timely, she was able to fully encompass fashion in a winning moment.

It wasn’t only women who were able to shine on the red carpet, but there were a few men who were able to showcase that they also had style. Ginuwine is one of the best examples of that. His signature look was a twist on the standard tuxedo. Only this time, it was cropped, showing off his abs in the process. The only accessory he had was a cross necklace that he wore regularly. 

This trend of mainly women and girls being the primary moments of iconic red carpet looks still rings true today. But I believe it has shifted with the changes in fashion. Comparing today to the early 2000s, there seems to be a huge drop in personal style on the red carpet. Where looks like the iconic JLo Versace dress that created Google images doesn’t seem to happen anymore. This loss of personal style has then created a rush of men just wearing black tuxes on every red carpet with little to no difference. Of course, there is the occasional skirt addition or maybe the suit is a different color, but that doesn’t make up for all the effort that is put into the women's outfits.

Of course, not all red carpet looks recently are terrible. A prime example is all the looks that are put together by Law Roach for Zendaya. She has been one of the celebrities to pioneer method dressing, where celebrities are styled for red carpets in correlation to the character they played and the project they are working on. The way the two of them have been working on her outfits has really shown that there is still a lot of care for personal style but also the fashion and effort that needs to be put into these looks.

One thing the Y2K era got right about red carpet looks was style. Although many trends were prominent throughout all the looks, the celebrities' styles and images played a huge factor in their outfits. A halter top worn by Beyoncé wasn’t going to be worn the same way by Jessica Alba; their stylist were able to take these trends and adjust them to make them unique for the artist they were styling for. 

But there is hope; as we begin to see the rise of method dressing, we continue to see a shift in red carpet looks. Men are beginning to take more risks, and style is becoming a greater part of styling again.

Written by Clark Gérôme

Directed by K Pereira @kaleb.pereira922

Photography by Roberto Meadows @_.rubbertoe

Styled by K Pereira & Margaret Wells @margymarg_

Pulled from: Luxe Treasures and Boutique @luxetreasures.277

Production: Chloe Kaleah Stewart @chloe.kaleah, Amanda Manson @_.amanddaaa, Mark Bluemle @barks.mindd

Talent: Rayna @im.rayna

Talent: T’L @swishmontanaa

Talent: Kosi @gettingkosi

Talent: Christiana Mercedes @tia.mercedess

Talent: Arlo @_carlantonino_