The Grammy Red Carpet is probably one of the most trying things to try to dress for. Sure, everyone wants to look good, but with an edge. Straight up “Old Hollywood” glamour is a little out of place here, but it’s also easy for stars to get carried away and end up looking ridiculous. There’s a fine line between an “outfit” and a “get-up”, and at the Grammys you can expect a lot of stars to cross that line. Time for some armchair stylist action.

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I adore Beyonce, and I wouldn’t begrudge her any award she’s ever gotten. I thought she handled that whole MTV Music Awards thing with Kanye West with great grace and class. And since I’m starting out by saying these things, you can probably guess that I wasn’t crazy about her dress at the Grammy awards. It looked as if it were made out of pull tabs from soda cans. I think that sparkle and glitz are great – in fact, they’re perfect for the Grammy’s, but she looked as if she could’ve been Isaac Hayes date when he won the Grammy for “Shaft” in 1972.

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From the hips up, I thought Pink’s dress on the red carpet was awesome. She’s really a beautiful girl, even if she doesn’t fit the sweet sugar-princess stereotype. But I just can’t make myself like those fishtail hems. With the ombre effect, where the closer to the hem you got, the darker the dress got, I couldn’t help but think of it being dragged through mud or silt or something. Someone should have grabbed a pair of scissors, lopped the dress off just above the knee, and then run like hell because she would probably come after them to mete out some instant justice. The dress would have looked 100% better, though.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Taylor Swift also went the edgy black dress route and got it just right. She has the slender figure that demands a certain level of sophistication to avoid looking like a teenager playing dress-up, and her KaufmanFranco  jersey halter dress was perfect for her.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

It almost pains me to say this, but Miley Cyrus was also a hit in a black dress by Max Azria. It is a similar pain to that I get when I see her line of clothing she collaborated with Max Azria on in Walmart. It upsets me that I like some of the designs enough to want some of them, even though they’re for teens. Ah, well. Miley looked lovely, and that’s the bottom line.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

To me, the Grammy Red Carpet winner was Katy Perry. In a sugar-pink Jenny Packham dress, she channeled just enough old-school Hollywood, while showcasing her curvy figure with just the right amount of rock-and-roll suggestiveness. The sparkly earrings and bracelet punctuated the look perfectly. It gives me hope that she’ll pick a great wedding dress when she and Russell Brand say their vows later this year.

On Sunday, January 31st,  Lady Gaga took home two Grammys – one for best dance recording and the second for best electronic/dance album.

While she is widely recognized for her award winning music and outrageous outfits, lest not we forget she was once a girl working the club scene and music festival circuit. In 2008 the incredible Lady Gaga performed at the A|X Music Lounge at the Winter Music Conference. Armani Exchange has gone back into their video vault to bring you this exclusive footage.

Check it out on A|X:TV

Lisa Rinna looking sensational at the Golden Globes January 11th 2009 preparing to host as one of TV Guide’s Red Carpet specials!

I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Lisa about this seasons Awards Season for 2009! With her incredible background, Lisa returns to the TV Guide Network to host the signature Red Carpet pre-shows and Fashion Wraps for Award Season ‘09!

What more can I say about Lisa? Well she is beautiful, down to earth, and a true celebrity in her own right. Throughout our conversation besides just fashion, we discover a woman who exudes inner beauty, wisdom and confidence. That can be clearly seen and heard upon speaking with her. Lisa’s philosophy is to bring out the best in people. Really to talk to Lisa, being 45, and really coming into her own. And with that, her women hood truly comes through. She genuinely enjoys talking with people, and loves to say that they look great! And that inner wisdom and confidence sure does shine through – especially on the Red Carpet. Now we know why Lisa Rinna is the best at what she does when she interviews on the Red Carpet. And that is to make the stars shine to the audience.

Just finishing the Golden Globes yesterday evening. We still have the live Red Carpet coverage of the Screen Actors Guild Awards®, Grammy® Awards and Academy Awards®.
With Lisa’s exotic looks, prodigious talent, infectious energy and savvy business acumen. Lisa has become one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood! So I am proud to introduce to you;

Lisa Rinna!

Jacqueline – Couture in the City: Hi Lisa! It is an absolute pleasure to be interviewing you! I think that you are absolutely fabulous! And of course you are one of the main hosts for TV Guide’s Red Carpet interviews for Award Season ‘09! Now we have the Screen Actors Guild, Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards still to come. So tell me, you yourself have to be Red Carpet ready also! So can you share with me which designers you have chosen to wear yourself for each of the up and coming award shows?

Lisa Rinna: Well thank you for having me too! I am so glad to be talking with you today also! Well for the Screen Actors Guild Awards I will be wearing a Pamella Roland evening siphon gown. In a beautiful red and orange pastel hue. For the Grammy’s I am going to get sexy! And I think that a great black ensemble gown by Zuhair Murad with beading will be quite fitting, accented with diamond jewelry. But to be honest, I haven’t decided what designer I would like to wear for the Academy Awards! But Jennifer Raid is my stylist and she does such a fantastic job with my Red Carpet style and wardrobe. And she knows what will complement me!

Jacqueline – Couture in the City: What’s it like working with TV Guide and co-hosting with Joey Fatone? Does he keep you on your toes? Or vice versa!

Lisa Rinna: Oh gosh! (laughing) We keep each other on our toes! You know the Red Carpet is all live! So we have to keep it going and adlib in the moment! But I love working with Joey, so we just keep working off each other!

Jacqueline – Couture in the City: Now even though you are super confident on the Red Carpet. Do you still get nervous interviewing all those stars? And who still makes you star struck!?

Lisa Rinna: Oh gosh! A lot of them! All of them! But to be honest I still really get star struck when I see Tom Cruise! Or Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie! Oh Leonardo Di Caprio too!

Jacqueline – Couture in the City: Now, even though it all looks great on television, has there ever been a time when you have done a Red Carpet event where you were totally embarrassed?

Lisa Rinna: Oh there has been quite a few of them! But what does come to mind is when I interviewed Amy Adams at the Academy Awards. I asked her “So are you nominated tonight?” And she said “No?” Then I asked “Well are you presenting this evening?” And she again said “No?” Ah! I just couldn’t get it right! I said to myself “I am so fired!”(laughing).

Jacqueline – Couture in the City: Ok great! Now getting back to Red Carpet fashion! Which designers do you believe will dominate as the primary choice for the stars, including both women and men’s fashions for this seasons ’09 Award shows?

Lisa Rinna: Oh definitely Tom ford and Hugo Boss for the men. And for the the women I predict a lot of Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta, Pamella Roland and David Meister.
Were going to see a lot of really conservative, classic and beautiful gowns. Not too over powering, but subdued. With really pretty jewelry as well to accent – but very custom pieces. It’s going to be simple, classy, and glamorous! And hey it’s time for Hollywood to escape the day to day, and come out to celebrate!

Jacqueline – Couture in the City: Which actress do you feel will be the belle of the ball at the Academy Awards?

Lisa Rinna: I predict Anne Hathaway will be the belle of the ball at this years Academy Awards. She has been wearing some really hot off the runway couture dresses. So I believe she will be hot! Also Kate Winselt will just blossom on the Red Carpet this year. She has really blossomed into a beautiful woman, and is definitely coming into her own.

Jacqueline – Couture in the City: Color choices are a huge determination factor for the best looking wardrobe. Do you feel this year’s award shows will bring bolder and stronger colors, or more pastels?

Lisa Rinna: My gut feeling is that we are going to see subtle pastels. And a lot of plums, purples, and blues. No reds. But a lot of navy’s, light grays and pale yellows.

Jacqueline – Couture in the City: Now hair and make-up are super important too! Are we going to see the classic bold red lips, or those smokey eyes? What do you predict will be popular for hair and make-up in on the Red Carpet in ‘09?

Lisa Rinna: I think we are going to see soft subtle looks, that don’t make a strong statement. Definitely clean and natural. Since less is more. That’s what is really fashionable with hair and make-up right now.

Jacqueline – Couture in the City: Lisa, give me your top five predictions for this year’s ‘09 Award shows! And what you feel will be memorable trends for the season!

Lisa Rinna: Ok, were going to see the popular ‘color’ with the gowns this season. Alongside the most popular ‘hair styles’. Probably the style of the dress as well, like ‘off the shoulder’, and ’strapless gowns’. And we will always see something really crazy! Especially at the Grammy’s! Like those really ‘long’ jackets that the gentleman like to wear!

You can catch Lisa Rinna with “Screen Actors Guild Awards Fashion Wrap” Monday, January 26, 2009 from 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT on the TV Guide Network!

Article by © Jacqueline H. – Senior Writer & Editor, West Coast 2009