The BRIT Awards returned in full force this weekend, with multiple unclear acceptance speeches, celebs hiding under tables doing god knows what and a handful of technical glitches. It was BRITISH as we know it best: utter chaos.
The outfits were, of course, just as messy and fun as the awards ceremony, and despite the BRITs being uncomfortably nestled between the Grammys and Oscars, two arguably bigger events, no celebrity was caught slipping.
For most people, the BRIT’s first taste of the red carpet came in the form of Sam Smith – puffed up and pouting in their latex inflatable suit, created by Kerala-born designer ‘Harri’, with huge protruding leg and shoulder elements, that looked the same. share ridiculous and amazing.
The classy illusion was somewhat ruined with a video of the singer walking around in their suit, which some quick-thinking Twitter users put to the tune of clown shoe noises or the oppressive sound of Squidward from Spongebob Squarepants’ walk.
However, they reclaimed some cool points with their performance of Unholy alongside collaborator Kim Petras where they appeared greased and leather clad on the hood of a car with a group of squirming backup dancers.
Also performing was Lizzo, who looked more like Lizzy McGuire in her two-piece outfit from Act N°1 – a huge headpiece with pink feathers, where her head was nestled in a shellfish like a pearl, paired with a long silk skirt, which the singer then ripped off to reveal a shorter skirt that allowed her to dance (and play the flute – kill) at the same time.
Harry Styles was another star who showcased multiple outfit changes throughout the night, starting with a black Nina Ricci suit complete with a huge black floral crossover — a favorite of Carrie Bradshaw — before changing into a short sequined red blazer, sans- shirt and black flared pants for his opening performance of As It Was. He ended up with a smart tailored suit and silk shirt, unbuttoned to waist height, which earned him his four BRIT awards.
One of Harry’s accolades was presented to beloved actor and cocktail king Stanley Tucci, who was all buttoned up in a black suit with a velvet blazer and his trademark thick-rimmed glasses.
There was a lot of leather in the crowd, with girl group Flo looking like the picture from Destiny’s Child in their matching maroon leather outfits, which varied slightly by artist. If Rihanna made bridesmaid dresses, this is what they would look like.
Among the leather-clad clan was comedian Daisy May Cooper, who was unrecognizable in her short black leather suit dress and sky-high heels. Cooper and Am I Being Unreasonable co-star Selin Hizli presented the award for Best Alternative/Rock Act, where they made a joke about the Sugababes’ bathroom antics (or lack thereof), which ITV rushed to censor.
There were also more skin-bare outfits. Singer-songwriter Charli XCX arrived on the red carpet in a see-through look by Ludovic de Saint Sernin, embellished with Swarovski crystals and brought together by the exposed white thong worn underneath. This wasn’t even XCX’s best look of the night though, as she opted to don a slogan t-shirt that read “Real Winner” for the BRIT’s after party (she was nominated for Best Pop/R&B Act but was defeated by Harry Styles).
And, of course, some hooded Crusaders had been spotted in the crowd. Little Mix member Leigh-Anne Pinnock showed up in an orange dress with a matching scarf, the latest trend to dominate the red carpet this year. All in all, it was leathery, breezy, OTT and a bit of a car crash – just the way the BRITs should be.
Browse the gallery above for all the looks mentioned and more.