Emmys 2019 boasts bold looks from TV's stars

The 2019 Emmys saw the purple carpet filled with a wide array of looks. While some stars showed up in amazing ensembles, others wore looks that just did not work. The first look that missed the mark for me was Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Oscar de la Renta. This was surprising since I typically adore anything that Oscar de la Renta creates, but this look was an exception. The sparkly gold dress, accessorized with gold jewelry and shoes, felt uninspired and plain. The accessories could have differentiated the look from any other gold gown, but instead, the fully gold accessories just added to it feeling unoriginal. Also missing the mark was the Valentino haute couture worn by Janet Mock. The bright orange and billowing material coming off of the dress made it clash with other more glamorous looks of the night. This is a dress that would look amazing on a runway, but it did not work on the purple carpet of the Emmys.

Kim Kardashian and Kendall Jenner rolled up to the Emmys in two of the more memorable looks of the night. Jenner looked amazing in her floral dress and black latex bodysuit by Richard Quinn. Jenner usually amazes with her award show looks, but I thought that this one was not her best. The floral pattern and mermaid-shape dress reminded me of a Sherri Hill dress that I might have seen at my high school prom. That being said, the black latex did make the look more unique, and I really liked this aspect. On any other celebrity, I might have said this was a win, but I just have such high expectations for Jenner's looks that it fell somewhat flat for me. While Jenner went for the bold floral print, Kardashian's gown was more subdued. The black velvet dress by Vivienne Westwood was tailored perfectly to Kardashian’s curves. This dress was beautiful because it did not rely on a bright pattern or something crazy to stand out, but instead, it was just structured perfectly. To complete the look, she wore three tiers of diamond necklaces and had loose, long waves. While the dress was very chic, the necklaces brought a more edgy mood, and the combination produced one of my favorite Kardashian award show looks. 

Gwendoline Christie in Gucci was probably the boldest ensemble of the night. It looked as if Christie had just descended upon the purple carpet straight from Zeus’ heavens. With a long white tunic, overlaid with a draping red vest and adorned in gold accents, you might think — if you looked quickly — that you just saw the goddess Athena. The outfit actually really worked for me, but the Emmys may not have been the perfect place for it, and it clashed with the other more colorful pieces worn by other celebrities. 

While many celebrities wore beautiful ensembles, Zendaya’s won the night. The blend of the rich, dark green dress with her hair styled in loose auburn waves pulled to the side made this not only my favorite of all the Emmys, but also my favorite of Zendaya’s award show looks (which is saying a lot — hello, 2017 or 2018 Met Galas). The Vera Wang masterpiece featured a sheer corset bodice with sultry green silk draped from her right shoulder to her left hip and then to the floor. The look simultaneously gave old Hollywood glamour vibes with a dash of "The Little Mermaid" (1989) thrown in. 

Another wonder in green, which was a close second for me, was Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton with Fred Leighton jewelry. Like Zendaya’s look, Williams' look felt effortlessly elegant. I appreciated the minimal styling, with Williams wearing her hair in a casual bleach blonde bob and little jewelry besides a few statement rings. The styling allowed the Louis Vuitton dress, which itself was stunning, to be the main focal point. The strapless, emerald green dress had golden vines, multicolored flowers and other patterns sprawled across it. The dress and styling complemented Williams, and she looked amazing. A close runner up to Williams’ ensemble was Kristen Bell in Dior. Bell is another star that always looks amazing, and she did not disappoint at the Emmys. The backless top part of the gown featured a statement neck and rainbow, beaded stripes, while the bottom continued the rainbow beading in radial stripes. Bell kept the styling to a minimum, wearing her hair in a bun with only earrings and rings for jewelry. 

Overall, the looks of the 2019 Emmys were a fashion success. There were definitely more wins than fails, and even the fails were unique in their own right and better than in years past.