Written by Keira Eveland and Zander Hix, Staff Writers
The 2026 Emmys were full of glamorous looks, but not all of them were well received. Ranging from classic and elegant to unexpected and humorous, attendees choose between playing it safe and taking risks with outfits that would inevitably be heavily analyzed by the media.
For women this year, V-necks, mermaid silhouettes, soft spring colors, and metallics were popular choices. There was also a memorable mix of soft, flowing fabrics and eye-catching embellishments, such as crystals, beading, and sequins. Zendaya, Chase Infiniti, Selena Gomez, and Sarah Pidgeon are a few prominent nominees who incorporated a number of these trending design elements into their red carpet looks. For men, looser suits and oversized blazers were seen frequently on the carpet, with stars like Thaddeus LaGrone, Riz Ahmed, Oscar Isaac, and Dan Levy jumping on the trend. Overall, there was a clear pattern of laid-back, flowy pieces with shine, texture, or an interesting silhouette that dominated the catalog, serving as a reflection of the decade’s interests.
One of the most favored looks this year was Zendaya, nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, wearing custom crystal-embroidered Prada, styled by Law Roach. During the event, Law shared in an interview that Zendaya wanted to pay homage to Halle Berry with her pixie cut, and that her dress was inspired by the crystal chandelier pieces from the Spring 2010 Prada collection. The sheer dress with a plunging tulle neckline featured crystals and bead embroidery, giving an illusion that the embellishments were floating over her skin. Her look was finished with an archival silk duchesse belt also covered in crystals and teardrop pendants, pulled from the Spring 2010 collection the dress was inspired by.
An underrated look of the night was Jessica Williams’ who wore Honor, styled by Sarah Slutsky. Williams, who was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, stated on Who What Wear that she “wanted to feel like a pretty mermaid.” Her dress featured a sweetheart neckline that flowed into a corseted bodice with exaggerated hips and a beautiful tiered lace skirt. The dusty lavender color paired with dainty silver accents brought forth the soft “pretty mermaid” image Jessica had in mind.
Dressed as a life-sized Emmy award was Meg Stalter, an American comedian and actress also nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Her look received much attention, with some praising her for her humor, while others had more mixed feelings. In an interview during the red carpet she shared the inspiration for her look, “I don’t know. I just got off a plane and we just threw something together really fast.” Her unserious response reflects the comedic personality shown in her fashion choices–rather than following the traditional glamorous red carpet look, Stalter leaned into the humor she is known and loved for.
Shailene Woodley’s outfit undoubtedly received a bulk of the criticism of the night. A nominee and the winner of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, this was her first nomination in almost a decade, and she kicked it off with a conversation starter of an outfit. Karla Welch dressed Shailene in a set from Balenciaga’s F/W 26 haute couture collection, but what works on the runway does not always translate well to the red carpet.
Originally, the plunging blue top and baggy sequined pants were worn on a runway model, with a huge black coat, and the pieces worked together. But the way Karla Welch styled the outfit with maroon latex gloves, a colorful chunky necklace, and an unusual slick-back ponytail that covered Shailene’s ears, had people wondering if her outfit was a joke. People were quick to comment on TikTok, “this is a perfect example of the difference between wearing the clothes and the clothes wearing you.” Another user wrote, “when your stylist hates you.” Though, that is not to say everyone hated her look. Some people enjoyed the uniqueness and described her as “iconic.”
The 2026 Emmys showed that there is no single way to dress for the red carpet. Serving as a reflection of the broader cultural trends of the period, taking a magnifying glass toward the various ways celebrities choose to present themselves to the media can allow for analyzation of elite and high culture, and also broader discussions about self-expression and celebrity culture. While some celebrities chose classic gowns and tuxedos and others experimented with silhouettes, metallics, unusual styling, and even costumes, the most memorable red carpet looks are often the ones that give people something to talk about–whether positively or negatively.