We don’t normally feature many men in the Red Carpet Commentary because, well, mostly their outfits aren’t worth commenting on. For the really big events, they’re all in pretty much bog standard tuxedos or at the other end of the scale for less prestigious ones, they look like they’ve just stumbled up the red carpet in their standard everyday street wear. But some of this year’s Brit Awards attendees actually got suited and booted (literally in most cases) so we thought we should give them some attention too.

The Arctic Monkeys are an obviously place to start because they all coordinated their game plan and came in costume as country gents - complete with shooting sticks and fake ducks. Quack quack.
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Blue was the colour for the Grammy Awards 2008.

It usually isn’t a popular choice on the red carpet because of the obvious colour clash but also because it’s quite a difficult colour to pull off in luxury fabrics - it all too often looks cheap when it’s shiny and boring when it’s muted. But this year’s Grammy women really did it proud.

Now Rihanna’s fun blue frock looks too busy close up lots of unnecessary ruffles and stuff but take a step back and all that fades away a bit to reveal the great shape. I love the colour, I love the skirt, I love the feathering under the skirt - I just wish the bodice had been simpler.

Conversely, I love the bodice on Beyonce Knowles‘ gown. Is there anyone, anywhere that carries sparkles better than Beyonce? I love the shape of it and the shape it gives her, I love how the bodice trails into the skirt and I love how the structure around the boobs flatters instead of squishes (as is her usual style). My, my, I am gushing with love this evening but what can I say, they’re great dresses.
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Like many people, when it comes to my own clothes, I’m a big fan of the colour black. It’s slimming so can be very sexy and it’s practical because it hides a multitude of sins (including dinner spillages) - but, at red carpet events, it’s also usually really boring. The women in black blend into the sea of men in tuxedos and the dresses tend to be frustratingly safe. The women in sparkles or gorgeous, shimmering colours steal the day every time.

But what’s this? Sexy and stylish black dresses on the red carpet!

Sienna’s gown is a strange combination of structure and floatiness but it really works - and that neckline couldn’t get any sexier if it tried. But my most favourite thing about it is the beadwork on the plunging back. She obviously like showing off her flesh back there - she had a similarly open dress for the BAFTAs last year too - but the beadwork pumps up the glam and stops it just being a repeat of the expanse of flesh from last year.

And the similarly blonde Jessica Biel? Safe yes, but oh so sexy. The shape - admittedly probably helped by her figure - is divine and the small train takes it up a glamour and interest level. But the best bit is how, unlike most strapless dresses at award shows, she doesn’t look like she’ll be yanking it up all night. It looks like there is some structuring support around the waist and it fits her as it should fit her. Such a novelty.
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Sometimes less is more but at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last night, more was definitely more. You weren’t in the cool kids group unless you were wearing enough fabric to make a ball gown for the Statue of Liberty.

Angelina Jolie went for miles and miles of brown tie-dye-ish cloth with no shaping or definition whatsoever but because she’s Angelina Jolie, she just about pulled it off. She does have the ultimate accessory hanging off her arm though - and the prettiest mancessory in the box does go along way to making her look elegant when she’s just wearing something featureless.

Sandra Oh went for more tailoring for her gown - but just as much fabric. The bow at the front is a little too big for my liking but the skirt and the colours are very fun - and I like to think she smuggled a stowaway into the ceremony under her dress. Perhaps Patrick Dempsey.
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There is an old fashion/etiquette adage about not wearing white after Labor Day: clearly Hollywood didn’t get the memo this year though because the palest shade was most popular at the 59th Annual Emmy Awards Ceremony last night.

Christina Aguilera and former Will and Grace star Debra Messing both wore white gowns with black trimming - Christina’s bow and structured shape covering up her much rumoured baby bump.

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The key look of last night’s MTV Video Music Awards was very much tight and shiny.

Double award winner Rihanna and Transformers star Megan Fox both went for blistering pink for their tight and shiny dresses - Megan got the cocktail version while Rihanna got the more formal one, serving up her breasts on a platter of structured satin.

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