The 12 Best-Dressed Stars At The Delayed 2023 Emmy Awards

One happy side effect of being in what many consider a golden age of television (aside from, well, all of the very good television) is that Fashion with a capital F is not just welcome but also expected on the Emmys red carpet. And tonight, the postponed TV award ceremony brought more than its fair share of glitz and glamour to our small screens.

The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri continued to prove she's the breakout style star of the moment, in a custom 3-D printed Louis Vuitton gown. Suki Waterhouse walked in Rihanna’s footsteps with a red cutout Valentino gown that put her baby bump on full display (tied in a bow!). And Jessica Chastain had us crossing our fingers and toes that Sabato De Sarno’s Gucci brings more fabulous bright green gowns to every red carpet.

Ahead, the 12 best looks at the delayed 2023 Emmys.

1. Ayo Edebiri in custom Louis Vuitton

When Laverne Cox asked Emmy and Golden Globe winner Ayo Edebiri if she’d dreamed of a night like this when she was a little girl, the Bottoms actor answered in a way only she would: “I did not! I dreamed of dental [insurance]!” But sometimes, you end up with dental coverage and a custom Louis Vuitton dress, which she admits is definitely the dream.

Edebiri has become a recent style star, and this 3-D moulded dress is just another example of her keen eye for fun fashion that feels so in line with her cheeky sense of style and humour. As for what she loves most about the look, she said, “We’re snatched—and loving it!”

Related article: All The Red Carpet Looks From The 2024 Golden Globes

2. Laverne Cox in archival Mugler

It’s rare to see a museum piece on a red carpet, and even rarer when it isn’t on loan, but rather from the star’s personal collection. But then tonight, there was Laverne Cox, whose Mugler dress from SS 1989 was pulled from her own closet. The mermaid gown was inspired by the lost city of Atlantis, and there is truly no one more fit to look like an actual ancient sea deity than Cox.

3. Aubrey Plaza in Loewe

It feels like Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe has recently taken over the red carpet. And tonight, Aubrey Plaza continued the brand’s award-ceremony streak with a runway look from the house’s most recent Spring 2024 show. With a pin cutting through the dress’s top fold of buttery yellow fabric, Plaza looked as decadent as a slice of Rodolphe Le Meunier. Anderson always manages to create beauty with a playful twist, which is why his designs truly feel alive in a way most red-carpet gowns don’t. Maybe it’s time for them to take a trip to the next season of The White Lotus.

Related article: Every Moment You Missed From The 2024 Golden Globes

4. Claire Danes in Balmain

Just when we think we’ve reached peak Barbie-pink fatigue, the Fleishman Is in Trouble star comes out in a rosy vintage Balmain. With a draped crisscross back and jewelled buckles on the shoulders, the look feels particularly celestial and very Claire Danes.

5. Jessica Chastain in custom Gucci

First, there was Taylor Swift’s metallic green Gucci gown for the Golden Globes, and now we have Jessica Chastain’s bright green Gucci gown with fringe details for the Emmys. Hopefully, Sabato De Sarno’s vision for the house involves more of these punchy green gowns. They feel like a very welcome jolt of colour on the red carpet, a place most stars tend to play it a bit more safe when it comes to their palette.

6. Suki Waterhouse in Valentino

Rihanna said “Free the bump” and maternity style has never been the same since. Suki Waterhouse put her pregnancy on full display with a cutout Valentino gown from the runway, slightly altered to accommodate her plus-one. She also had a bow tied at the centre of her waist—TikTok’s current favourite trend lives to see another day. One day, Waterhouse’s child will be able to win the internet by captioning this photo, “This is me if u even care,” in 20 years, as bows no doubt reappear when the trend cycles back.

7. Jenna Ortega in Dior

Wednesday Addams would never wear a sheer hoop-skirt Dior gown with pastel floral embellishments, but we’re glad Jenna Ortega did. The tea-length look is a dainty delight that feels lighter than what she normally goes for, and yet completely suits the actor.

Related article: Jenna Ortega’s Style Evolution Through The Years

8. Lizzy Caplan in archival Yohji Yamamoto

There is, of course, always room for a look Wednesday Addams would approve of—especially if it’s archival Yohji Yamamoto. The Fleishman Is in Trouble star wore a floor-length 1999 Yamamoto gown with sheer details at the bust. It also looked like something a grown-up Janis Ian would absolutely wear—fitting, considering that on the Emmys red carpet, Caplan told Entertainment Tonight she is very much “Janis forever.”

9. Natasha Lyonne in Schiaparelli

The Poker Face star keeps wearing Schiaparelli on the red carpet, and so we have to keep adding her to these best-dressed lists. At the Golden Globes last week, she went more sculptural; tonight, she opted for a skintight metallic gown from the SS24 collection with bra cone cup details. The look, which appears melted onto her body, is as effortlessly cool as she is—not an easy feat.

Related article: Natasha Lyonne On Creativity For Greed And Giving Back Where It Matters

10. Riley Keough in Chanel couture

Riley Keough brought the bow trend to the red carpet in a more subtle way than her Daisy Jones & The Six costar Waterhouse, with a ribbon in her updo, rather than tied around her waist. But there was nothing low-key about her Chanel couture gown, which featured a set of mod printed shorts underneath a flowing sheer black dress. No one does shorts like Virginie Viard, and Keough makes them look elevated and extremely cool. But then again, what else should you expect from a rock star’s granddaughter playing a rock star?

11. Marla Gibbs

At 92, Dame Marla Gibbs looked like a vampy vision in a shimmering black gown with sleeves that came with their own trails, as well as a bejewelled collar and shoulder cutout. The only thing more iconic than her look is her decades-long career. As the five-time Emmy nominee said while presenting with Quinta Brunson, “Black don’t crack!”

12. Quinta Brunson in Dior

Quinta Brunson's crushed satin Dior dress caused a stir on social media, with some not understanding the purposeful nature of the wrinkles. But the imperfections of the fabric enlivened the look, which is exactly why intentional creasing has been trending on the runway for the past couple of seasons.

This article originally appeared in Harper’s BAZAAR US.