It’s time, kittens! In this final week of 2023, your opinionated and also manly hosts are tasked with delivering unto you a list of our favorite red carpet looks of the year. Not a countdown! Not a “best-dressed” list! We reject such things, just as we reject putting together a worst-dressed list of the year. Red carpets are promotional events first, fashion events a distant second. For that reason (and also because we like to be difficult and ungovernable) we choose the entries for this year-end list based on factors other than simply elegance or chicness or style. All of those things matter and factor into our decisions (to greater or lesser extents), but we put a lot of emphasis on vague qualities like impact and boldness and memorability. Red carpets are about declarations and statements as much as they’re about hemlines and trends. So let’s see which stars made the most declarative and impactful appearances of they year, shall we? In no particular order…
Maya Hawke in Prada at the ASTEROID CITY New York Premiere
She’s had a great career year and we’ve enjoyed watching her figure out her own quirky style, far apart from the iconic looks of her parents. This is perfect for a Wes Anderson premiere without looking like a Wes Anderson film costume. It’s fun and goofy, but it also has a retro chic quality to it.
Timothée Chalamet in Tom Ford at the WONKA Paris Premiere
As we *ahem* noted to the Wall Street Journal earlier this month, Prince Timmée has been taking a decidedly un-childlike approach to dressing for his children’s movie premieres. His Wonka promo wardrobe has been nothing but one eyebrow-raiser after another as he ditched the normal holiday children’s movie promotional tact of wearing cozy, comfy, non-threatening clothes. Instead, your boy has been showing up in latex, leather, and shimmering little sheer tank tops. We approve. And we LOVE this look.
Kim Petras (in Victor Costa) and Sam Smith (in Valentino) at the Grammy Awards
The queers came to the Grammys to serve up a little Satanic fierceness in a year when a loud “FUCK YOU” to the world was more than warranted. These looks work spectacularly as a personal statement, but they’re also just straight-up (you’ll pardon the term) fabulous.
Rina Sawayama in Thom Browne at the JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 New York Premiere
An unexpected choice! Maybe? We don’t think a lot of folks would’ve predicted this one, but does it not make perfect sense, coming from us? We love Thom Browne, but we love it even more when someone works a Browne look that isn’t another gray flannel Pee Wee suit. This is rich, fierce, and eye-catching.
Andrea Riseborough in Armani Privé at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party
To Leslie star Andrea Riseborough saw her first Best Actress Oscar nomination met with a bit of controversy, as questions arose about how the Hollywood system promotes its stars and who benefits from the kind of career support that fueled her nomination. She was not involved in any part of the controversy, so it felt like this Pierrot-like look, while intriguingly and stylishly off-beat as an Oscar night choice, was a statement about the artistry of performance; how the work and the art, not the awards and the politics, are the only things that matter at the end of the day. It also happens to suit her perfectly.
[Photo Credit: Janet Mayer/startraksphoto.com, Abaca Press/INSTARimages, PA Images/INSTARimages, Doug Peters/PA Images/INSTARimages, Chang Ho/Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures]
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T Lo’s Favorite Red Carpet Looks of 2023, Part TWO
Catherine, Princess of Wales Attends Christmas Day Service at Sandringhamin in Alexander McQueen Next Post:
T Lo’s Favorite Red Carpet Looks of 2023, Part TWO
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Sarah Jessica Parker at the 2024 Torino Film Festival Opening Ceremony
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THE AGENCY Star Jodie Turner-Smith in Roberto Cavalli at the amfAR Las Vegas Benefit
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Pamela Anderson in Vivienne Westwood at THE LAST SHOWGIRL London Screening
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