A little over an hour ago, I sat in a back conference room, FaceTiming Mariska Hargitay on her way to the airport. Naturally, she had her two Emmys—for her documentary My Mom Jayne—buckled up, like the precious cargo they are, in the seat next to her. For someone who spent the prior day hosting the 78th Annual Primetime Emmys, she looked remarkably well-rested. I can’t help but comment. “I obviously prepped my skin with my Cetaphil. It is just the most moisturizing. No matter what, no matter how tired I am, I put it on, and it plumps everything up,” the Law & Order: SVU star tells me. “It's pretty magical. I’m in a routine with it.”

Hargitay is a woman of her word. In fact, she kicked off yesterday’s hosting prep with said drugstore skincare routine (the Skin Activator Firming Lotion and Body Cream are her favorites), a 7am jacuzzi session, and “a lot” of time in an infrared sauna. But make no mistake, Hargitay started getting ready for the Emmys quite a long time ago. She booked her glam squad for the night—makeup artist Kate Synnott and hairstylist Adir Abergel—after last year’s event. “It felt like my wedding in a way because I had the most extraordinary team and felt so calm because they were on it. We knew that we wanted sort of old Hollywood glam with a little bit of an homage to my mom, but I also wanted it to just be fun and different. From the minute I accepted this invitation, we started planning,” she says.

Such intense prep resulted in the most outfits (and full glam changes) the Emmys has ever seen. I should point out that Hargitay is also the show’s first female host in 15 years. “I loved so many of my looks,” she tells me. “I think one of my favorites was the Yara black dress with the gloves. I loved the opening one—the Sophie Couture mermaid dress. It was so magical twinning with my daughter. The sparkly Dolce was just heaven. I loved them all for different reasons. I felt so good and so comfortable in them.”

The night, per Hargitay, was “exhilarating,” “joyful,” and filled with so many of her favorite people. She had Zendaya and Tom Holland as her front-row cheerleaders. “One of my favorite moments is going out there and watching Zendaya and Tom Holland waving and going, ‘You’re doing amazing.’” Backstage, she caught up with her friends Allison Janney, Noah Wiley, and Jamie Lee Curtis. “I don’t get to see them a lot, so it was really meaningful to me,” she says.

And of course, I couldn’t let this debrief end without inquiring about the fan-favorite (it’s me, I’m the fan) pre-filmed moment with Taylor Swift. “It's hard to pull something like that off and not have it be leaked,” Hargitay tells me. “Taylor was a dream and heaven. I’ve met Olivia Benson [the cat] before, and I think that’s why she was so comfortable with me. She put her paws right on me. Taylor was the perfect detective.”

Good news, though: Hargitay will be back on my TV screen as my actual favorite fictional detective very soon. Law & Order: SVU season 28 premieres on October 8. I’ll be tuning in, and in the meantime, I’m shopping all of Hargitay’s beauty staples and manifesting her hosting the Emmys once again next year.

Shop Mariska Hargitay's Emmys Beauty Routine

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

At the 2026 Emmy Awards on September 14, the red carpet closed once Widow's Bay accepted the final trophy for Outstanding Comedy Series. But you should know by now (if you tuned into Marie Claire's previous Award Show coverage) that the style action continued at after-parties in Beverly Hills, L.A., and Hollywood. And just because celebrities debuted their second dresses beyond the confines of the Peacock Theater doesn't mean they don't deserve a round of applause, too.

HBO's A-list-only affair brought celebrities to West Hollywood's San Vicente Bungalows, a private club beloved by Selena Gomez, Hailey Bieber, Meghan Markle, and more. It seems Gomez (who wore a custom Louis Vuitton look at the 2026 Emmys) didn't grace the sage green carpet, but Odessa A'zion, Louisa Jacobson, and The Pitt's Supriya Ganesh and Shabana Azeez held down the fort.

Meanwhile, Disney hosted everyone from Shailene Woodley and Sarah Pidgeon to Kaia Gerber at downtown L.A.'s Vibiana. Woodley stacked a graphic tee over the Balenciaga Couture she wore to the 2026 Emmys; Pidgeon channeled her Love Story character, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, in a less-is-more little black dress; and Gerber made the night's debut in a sculptural skirt set.

Warning: FOMO lies ahead. Keep scrolling to give the best after-party looks at the 2026 Emmys their much-deserved flowers. Feel free to award your favorites an honorary trophy or two.

Kaia Gerber wearing Alaïa

While The Shards wasn't part of the 2026 Emmys circuit, Kaia Gerber wasn't completely absent from the red carpet. The actor arrived at Disney's party in a stark white bra top, a matching asymmetrical midi skirt, and black peep-toe mules.

Sarah Pidgeon

At the 2026 Emmys, Sarah Pidgeon's lilac Chanel dress was dripping in crystals and pearls. For the post-show soirée, the former Marie Claire cover star switched into a dance-floor-friendly LBD and peep-toe pumps. Luckily, her diamond necklace didn't go anywhere.

Shailene Woodley wearing Balenciaga

Shailene Woodley's Balenciaga Fall 2026 Couture pantsuit, with its cobalt blue bust and textured trousers, divided the award show viewers. She committed to the look at ABC's after-party, dressing the pants down with a graphic tee.

Joy Sunday

Joy Sunday, the star of HBO's Emmy-winning series DTF Saint Louis, was one of the only VIPs to test the naked trend this year. And she pulled it off spectacularly, with a bedazzled mesh slip dress with a mock neck and long sleeves.

Louisa Jacobson

First, Louisa Jacobson in Tom Ford won the unofficial trophy for "Best Suit at the 2026 Emmys." But The Gilded Age actor's royal purple velvet look at the HBO after-party deserves an honorary statuette, too.

Fiona Dourif

At the 2026 Emmys, Fiona Dourif's fuzzy Thomas Hanisch outfit earned her a spot on fashion director Sara Holzman's best-dressed list. The Pitt actor joined the post-show style scene in an equally textured, carpet-sweeping gown.

Shabana Azeez

The Pitt stars once proved they know how to serve looks outside of their costume scrubs. Shabana Azeez was the picture of effortless elegance in a delicately draped, mock-neck maxi dress.

Supriya Ganesh

Azeez's The Pitt co-star, Supriya Ganesh, switched her cool blue McQueen gown for something sultrier: a bedazzled black dress, featuring padded shoulders, a navel-length neckline, and a thigh-high slit.

Odessa A'zion

Known for debuting some of Hollywood's best all-black attire, Odessa A'zion styled herself in a witchy, belted maxi dress. Its sheer sleeves, plunging neckline, and thigh-high slit deserved a spot on the Practical Magic 2 press tour.

Chase Infiniti

Following a standout Louis Vuitton look on the red carpet, Chase Infiniti brought the lingerie dressing as her plus-one to the Netflix party at L.A.'s Chateau Marmont Hotel. Shiny black silk and semi-sheer lace paneling made it a perfect after-hours pick.

Jessica Williams

Tea-length looks had a moment on the 2026 Emmys red carpet, thanks to Ayo Edebiri, Dakota Fanning, and more. At Apple TV's after-party, Jessica Williams revived the dress trend in ruby red rhinestones.

The 2026 Emmy Awards are quite the occasion for Sally Field. The actor is nominated for her first Emmy in a whopping 17 years. On Monday night, she arrived at the ceremony as bright as the star she is, sheathed in a gown from Akris.

The Remarkably Bright Creatures actor, who was styled by Hayley Atkin, went simple in silhouette but made up for it with a bright and sparkly fabrication. In what was also her first major televised appearance since her Steel Magnolias co-star Dolly Parton passed away, Field rocked her gray tresses with a subtle side part, kept her specs on for the carpet, and accessorized with a satin Anouk Trapezoid Clutch from the brand.

Field's blue sequin gown at the 78th Emmy Awards falls right in line with her red carpet personal style, which we've seen over the last five decades. In its earliest iterations, she often wore sequins or at least shimmery fabrics. To this day, the 79-year-old actor tends to wear classic silhouettes on her big nights, but she'll zhuzh things up with light-reflecting finishes or sheer detailing.

This year, Field is nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, her tenth Emmy nomination. Her fellow category nominees include Sarah Pidgeon, Sarah Snook, Claire Danes, and Carey Mulligan.

Field's Emmy Awards history dates back to 1977, when she won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for Sybil. She went on to win again for a guest appearance on ER in 2001 and for playing matriarch Nora Walker on Brothers & Sisters in 2007.

Her 2007 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series victory also produced one of her more memorable Emmy fashion moments. Field accepted the award in a strapless fuchsia Valentino gown, accessorized with diamond jewelry and a metallic clutch.

She returned as a nominee for Brothers & Sisters in both 2008 and 2009, when she walked the carpet in black gowns.

Tonight, Field's acting nomination brings her back to the same category where her Emmy career began in 1977. Whatever happens this evening, we're thinking about Field's speech at the 2007 Emmys. Then, in one of the most astonishing moments in Emmy history, the actor, amid an ode to moms everywhere, said, "If the mothers ruled the world, there would be no [expletive] wars in the first place." The TV network censored her comment, but the internet remembers.

It’s easy to spot a Hollywood star with a strong sense of personal style. There’s a throughline connecting every red carpet look, a defining element that ties each ensemble back to the last. For Ayo Edebiri, her signature outfits feature whimsical silhouettes, sumptuous fabrics, and an aesthetic that reads playful and confident in equal measure. At this year’s Emmys, Edebiri stuck to her style playbook once again.

Tonight, the Bear actress arrived at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles for her fourth Emmys appearance wearing a custom two-tone Chanel gown. The front of the dress featured a plunging V-shaped neckline and a billowing tiered silhouette. However, it was the back of her frock that truly stole the show with a gigantic bow. Stylist Danielle Goldberg completed Edebiri’s outfit with Mikimoto pearl rings and sparkly silver pumps.

For glam, Edebiri kept things sophisticated with pink blush, smokey eyeshadow, and berry-colored lipstick. To pull it all together, she whipped her braids into a sleek updo.

While Edebiri’s Emmys look this year is surely one for the books, her previous red carpet outfits deserve just as much attention. At the 2024 Emmy Awards, the star chose a breathtaking Bottega Veneta strapless gown designed with multicolored prints and a thigh-high slit. Goldberg elevated the look with black heeled sandals and chunky gold earrings that shimmered under the flashing paparazzi lights.

A glimpse at Edebiri’s red carpet style file reveals that the actress gravitates toward statement-making gowns. For the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, Goldberg dressed the actress in a sculptural Louis Vuitton gown that had an avant-garde appeal. The unique dress boasted a cinched corset bodice that cascaded into a bubble-like skirt. Complete with diamond Brilliant Earth jewels and strappy black sandals, Edebiri’s outfit was certainly a look to remember.

Tonight’s dress may have stolen the spotlight, but Edibiri also has real stakes at this year’s ceremony. She’s nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Sydney Adamu in The Bear. While we hold our breath to see if she takes home any hardware, we’ll be admiring her gown in the meantime.

I first became a Claire Danes fan after binge-watching Homeland at an alarming pace. So naturally, The Beast in Me, which comes from the same team behind the spy thriller, had me hooked immediately. And with the 2026 Emmys landing smack in the middle of New York Fashion Week, I’m already in full trend-spotting mode. While tonight is technically about television, as a beauty editor, I was mostly waiting to see what Danes would bring glam-wise to the 78th annual Primetime Emmys red carpet.

Danes is nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her role as Agatha “Aggie” Wiggs, but her beauty look made a case for its own moment on the carpet. For the occasion, Danes wore her blonde bob sleek and straight with a deep side part, tucking one side behind her ear and letting the other sweep across her forehead. The blunt ends landed just above her shoulders.

Her makeup stayed soft, with super-illuminated skin and gorgeous rosy cheeks—pared-down makeup and statement-making hair are a trend I am seeing on this Emmy carpet often. And I have to say, the side part got me. After years of center parts dominating basically everything, I'm loving the little switch-up. Let's not forget to give her sculptural silver gown its flowers, too. Danes looks like she walked straight off a NYFW runway.

Shop the Best Products for Claire Danes’s Glam

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

Fresh off her front-row appearance wearing leopard print at Coach's Spring 2027 New York Fashion Week show, Elle Fanning showed up on the 2026 Emmy Awards red carpet (that's actually blue) in a shimmery sage dress, custom-made by Ralph Lauren.

The actor, who is nominated for not one but two awards on Monday night, has a history of leaning into Old Hollywood-esque glamour on her big red carpet nights. Fanning often opts for princess dresses, column gowns, and the like, but Monday night at the Emmys was a bit different. The actor, styled by Samantha McMillen, hit the Emmys carpet in a brighter, bubblier silk chiffon frock by the American designer. Fanning topped off the lustrous look with Cartier drop earrings.

Fanning is nominated for her work on Margo’s Got Money Troubles. The Georgia-born actor is up for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for playing the titular character on the AppleTV+ show, based on a book by Rufi Thorpe, as well as Outstanding Comedy Series as an executive producer. The show, which has a stacked cast with names like Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman, scored eight nominations in total.

This is Fanning's second time attending the Emmys. She made her debut in 2022 as a first-time nominee for playing Catherine the Great in Hulu's The Great. Rather than turn to a traditional fashion house, Fanning had the show's Emmy-winning costume designer Sharon Long create her strapless black-and-pale-pink gown. The Old Hollywood-inspired look, with a floral bustier and cascading train, was handmade by The Great seamstress Catherine Shaw and styled by McMillen.

The Emmys go even further than Elle with her older sister, Dakota Fanning. She first attended in 2003 at the age of nine, when Steven Spielberg Presents Taken, in which she starred, won Outstanding Miniseries. She returned in 2018 to support The Alienist and, more recently, in 2024 as a first-time acting nominee for Ripley. Dakota is also nominated this year for Supporting Actress for All Her Fault and Outstanding Comedy Series for Margo's Got Money Troubles, on which she serves as an executive producer alongside her younger sister.

Expect to see more of Fanning as Margo onscreen... but maybe not until next year. The AppleTV+ series was renewed for a second season this spring, and it's not expected to hit streaming until 2027 at least. That's also when Fanning will next return to the silver screen for a feature film adaptation of Kristin Hannah's novel, The Nightingale, alongside Dakota.

Emmy Rossum's 2026 Emmys hair is my fall inspiration, and in a second, it's going to be yours, too. The Furious actress hit the red carpet for the night's festivities, wearing a gorgeous black dress with scalloped edges and sporting a chic, short baby French manicure design on her nails. Still, her hair and makeup were the star of the show thanks to her glam team: makeup artist Jo Baker and hairstylist Vernon François.

Rossum opted for a monochromatic makeup look for the big evening, with Baker using products from Glossier, Victoria Beckham Beauty, and her eponymous makeup brand to create the simple brown, smoked-out eye as well as the matching blush and lipstick. Francois, known for his mastery of curly and coily hair, had his expertise on full display tonight. Not only were Rossum's tresses full and voluminous, but each curl was meticulously defined, with not even a hint of frizz anywhere. Do you know how hard that is to achieve? Especially in a place as hot and humid as Los Angeles?

While the hair details are still forthcoming, I was able to snoop around on Baker's Instagram to see a few of the products used to get Rossum's look. Keep reading to shop her glam if you want to recreate your own version at home. In the meantime, keep up with MC's coverage of the most glamorous night in television.

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

Selena Gomez decided to switch things up in the beauty department for the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards. The Only Murders In the Building star brought subdued, Earth mother glam to the red blue carpet this evening, with her dark espresso brunette hair tumbling down her back in soft mermaid waves. Her berry lip tint has already become my new fall beauty obsession, and her perfectly flushed cheeks were so romantic and pretty that I know I'm going to try to recreate it for work every day this week. However, Ms. Gomez can't show up to an awards show and not serve a look on her nails. For the Emmys this year, she turned, once again, to her longtime nail artist Tom Bachik, for a golden manicure that perfectly complimented her gilded gown.

“The inspiration was her Louis Vuitton gown," Bachik explained in a press release to media. "We loved the whole look. It was like frosted gold, so I wanted that same effect on the nail, a frosted metallic. Subtle but special. We played with different textures, and Gel by essie Frost Yourself was the perfect choice for Selena’s metallic frost 'Sunset' mani.”

To get the frosted look, Bachik started with a base coat to prolong the polish, and then two coats of Gel by essie Frost Yourself. He then finished with with Gel by essie Shiny Top Coat for "red-carpet luxe shine," and a swipe of essie On A Roll Apricot Cuticle Oil to keep the whole look elegant-looking and moisturized throughout the night. Nothing like a rogue hangnail to ruin the evening!

I know that I've been on the hunt for a subtle but not boring take on fall nail art, so the frosted sunet look might just be the perfect manicure to say "so long" to summer and welcome in the cool and crispy fall days.

Keep scrolling to snag everything you need to recreate Selena Gomez's 2026 Emmys manicure at home.

Get Selena Gomez's Emmys Manicure

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

Nicole Kidman has been on a serious beauty streak lately. She’s been turning out look after look on the Practical Magic 2 premiere circuit, so I wasn’t exactly surprised to see her keep it going at the Emmys. The actress returned to the 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards as an executive producer of Apple TV+’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles, wearing a custom white Chanel gown covered in handmade florals. Gorgeous, obviously—but my eyes went straight to the hair.

Kidman wore her blonde hair pulled into a low, intentionally messy bun, with long curtain bangs and a few wispy pieces left loose around her face. And she wasn’t the only one keeping things low on the carpet. Between the buns, ponytails, and other nape-grazing styles I’ve spotted tonight, I’m officially sensing a fall hair trend. After seasons of slicked-back everything, I’m very into seeing things loosen up a little.

Her makeup was equally soft. Kidman went for fresh, bright glam with softly defined eyes, flushed pink cheeks, and a glossy peachy-pink lip that really gave her a youthful-looking glow. Paired with the statement-making floral Chanel gown, the undone hair and fresh makeup complemented the look perfectly.

Shop the Best Products for Nicole Kidman's Low Updo

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

For her first-ever Emmys carpet, Sarah Pidgeon broke from her method dressing tributes to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, whose personal style was famously minimalist. Instead of the mostly neutral wardrobe CBK was known for, Pidgeon opted for a lavender gown, embellished with crystals and pearls, by Chanel.

Many eyes on the Love Story actor may have expected her to continue her streak of nodding to the late Calvin Klein executive, but for her Emmy Awards debut, Pidgeon did the opposite... mostly. Her Chanel look, styled by Emma Jade Morrison, did give a hint of '90s restraint in its slip dress-inspired silhouette, but she ultimately leaned into her own thing with a bright color and over-the-top embellishment.

The Michigan-born actor topped off her jewelry-forward look at the 2026 Emmy Awards with a striking lariat necklace and strappy purple sandals, barely peeking out from beneath her hemline. Keeping with CBK's aesthetic, Pigeon left her brown roots peeking out from her hairline on the Emmys red carpet (that's actually blue).

Pidgeon's Emmy debut comes thanks to her performance in Ryan Murphy's Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, where she portrayed the late Calvin Klein publicist who married John F. Kennedy Jr. and kickstarted a swath of '90s-related fashion trends.

The show, which came out in February, was a mix of biography and romance-drama about CBK and Kennedy Jr. in the '90s. It's nominated for a total of six Emmy Awards, including Pidgeon's first-ever nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Pidgeon's fellow category nominees comprise a mighty class, including Sally Field, Claire Danes, Carey Mulligan, and Sarah Snook.

The 30-year-old has had one hell of a year, from being able to walk down a New York City street unnoticed early in the year with Marie Claire's Halie LeSavage for her cover story to becoming practically a household name after Love Story. So many eyes are on her Monday, and it's no wonder she chose something bright and memorable for the big night.

It should also be no surprise that Pidgeon wore Chanel for her Emmys debut. The I Know What You Did Last Summer actor and Chanel ambassador has opted for the Matthieu Blazy-led label for many of her recent red carpets. Her most recent looks from the brand included a mint-hued, feather-trimmed tunic at the NYC Love Story premiere from the Métiers d'Art Spring 2026 collection and a light pistachio-colored '90s slip dress at a pre-Oscars dinner party.

After Monday night, Pidgeon is putting a pin in her CBK-tinged Love Story chapter and is diving into film. Amazon MGM Studios reportedly swooped in to recruit the actor for its forthcoming drama-comedy, dubbed Honeymoon With Harry, also starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Kevin Costner. Pidgeon may not be playing a style icon in this next moment, but who's to say what fashion trends she'll inspire through it.

The 78th annual Primetime Emmys are currently underway (in the midst of New York Fashion Week, no less!) and the stars are already storming the red carpet with enough hair and makeup inspiration to last through the rest of the year. Of course, I'm playing beauty police from the comfort of my home, but there is always one star who everyone can unanimously agree never fails to turn a look: Zendaya Coleman, everyone.

Both a nominee and a presenter tonight, the actress had the internet in a frenzy over the weekend when she debuted a gorgeous curled pixie ahead of the award show. Tonight, she is sticking with the short hairstyle, but instead of the playful curls and colorful makeup she sported just 24 hours ago, she's taking a page from Halle Berry's hairstyle book from the 2002 Oscars.

While she did away with the flipped curls from the weekend, Zendaya's hair, courtesy of Coree Moreno, who used the ghd Speed hair dryer and Sculpt flat iron, still had that tousled volume we've all come to know and love from the star. That volume was emphasized even more by the perfectly gelled pieces closer to her hairline and the crown of her head, just like Berry's version when she won an Oscar for her role in Monster's Ball. A razor-sharp brow served as a gorgeous complement to a sultry, lash-forward eyeshadow look, which gave way to a bronzy-pink blush and a neutral lip. A milky, almond-shaped manicure completed the beauty details and allowed her dress (which is dripping in jewels, mind you) to really be the star of the show. In short? She looks tanned, is dripping in jewels, and still appears to have that newlywed glow from her marriage to longtime partner, Tom Holland, earlier this year.

The two-time winner is hoping for a third trophy this evening for her portrayal of Rue Bennet in the hit HBO series Euphoria. Until then, all we know for sure is that she will also be presenting tonight, so if we're lucky, we may get another head-turning beauty and fashion moment from that star before the festivities are over. All of Zendaya's exact beauty details are still forthcoming, but keep scrolling for the exact hair tools used, as well as a few other products that can help you to achieve her glam.

Shop Zendaya's Emmys Glam

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

On September 14, over a decade after Dakota Fanning made her Emmy Awards debut, she returned to the red carpet in a black-and-white dress. If only the actor's nine-year-old self could see her now: Not only was Fanning's All Her Fault performance nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie category, but she also delivered one of her best Emmy fashion moments yet.

One hour before the host Mariska Hargitay delivered her opening monologue, Fanning posed for photographers in a strapless black-and-white dress from Carolina Herrera's Resort 2027 collection. (The look revived the black-and-white red carpet trend endorsed by Zendaya, Selena Gomez, Charli xcx, and more early in the year.)

Its glossy corset boasted blink-and-you'll-miss-it waist pleating before turning white. Unlike her sister Elle Fanning's carpet-sweeping Ralph Lauren slip, the hem of her drop-waist skirt stopped at tea-length level, revealing criss-cross sandals beneath the black petticoat.

Her stylist, Samantha McMillen (the same creative behind Elle's Emmys look), took creative liberties in the accessory department. McMillen and Dakota traded the original pearl collar-style choker for a $35,000 lab-grown diamond necklace from Swarovski. The sparkler featured a trio of octagon-cut gemstones, bringing the total to 19.46 carats. The Emmy nominee kept the rest of her bling simple, styling a slim tennis bracelet with a single diamond ring.

Fanning's red carpet fashion has come a long way since her first Emmy Awards. At just nine years old, the star of Steven Spielberg Presents Taken (which won the 2003 Emmy for Outstanding Miniseries) stole the show in a bubblegum-pink-and-plum midi dress. Thanks to her bigger-than-the-trophy bow, Mary Janes, and bedazzled top-handle tote, Fanning would've won the Most Adorable Award, too, if the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences dished those out.

While her career certainly didn't slow down (in 2005, she played Tom Cruise's daughter in War of the Worlds, and in 2009, she voiced Coraline), Fanning didn't return to the Emmys until 2018. The sage green shade of her Dior Fall 2018 Couture gown seemed to inspire her jewelry: She coordinated emerald rings and drop earrings to match the hue of the criss-cross bodice, blink-and-you'll-miss-it belt, and perfectly pleated skirt.

Six years later, scoring a Supporting Actress nomination for Netflix's Ripley ended Fanning's most recent Emmys hiatus. In 2024, McMillen dressed the first-time nominee in a strapless Armani Privé Fall 2024 Couture gown. Starting at the dress's sweetheart neckline, the muted metallic gold silk was covered in a sheer overlay of pearls.

To accessorize the pearlescent look, Fanning traded a diamond necklace for bow-shaped earrings by the New York-based brand Joseph Saidian & Sons and a pearl Beladora ring.

Fast forward to the eve of the 2026 ceremony, and Dakota and Elle Fanning (who have never attended the Emmy Awards together) celebrated their nominations at a Beverly Hills bash hosted by W Magazine and Loewe. While Elle kept it classic in a little black scoop-neck dress, Dakota elevated fall's flannel trend in an asymmetrical mini from the brand. To finish the going-out 'fit, the older sister accessorized with pointy Christian Louboutin pumps and Loewe's celebrity-beloved Amazona Bag.

Whether or not the Fannings win big tonight, Elle and Dakota earned applause from Marie Claire editors the second they graced the red carpet. For another standing ovation, we'll just need a matchy-matchy style moment on the Emmys after-party scene, please.

Keri Russell is the definition of an Emmy Awards veteran, with Monday night marking her ninth time at the show. As one can only imagine, she knows her way around the red carpet. For this year's ceremony, the actor leaned into the element of surprise, straying away from the restraint of past looks and leaning heavily into edgy leather dressing.

The Diplomat actor—who’s nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the 2026 Emmy Awards—wore a fully leather gown with a high-neck and column silhouette, custom-made by New York's cool girl brand Khaite. But as soon as Russell turned around on the carpet, she revealed the number is completely backless. While some of us were suspecting she'd do some form of method dressing or a callback to '90s looks, this feels fresh and unexpected.

For jewelry, Russell wore Buccellati: oval garnet-and-diamond Macri Color Button gold earrings and a tourmaline-and-diamond cocktail ring. Russell finished her look with a slicked-back low bun, vibrant drop earrings, and black stilettos matching her black leather frock.

It should be no surprise that Russell wore Khaite to the 78th Emmy Awards. On the eve of television's big night, the 50-year-old performer also rocked the New York-based label while attending Netflix's pre-Emmys party in Los Angeles, in an ensemble styled by Frank Fleming. The Cocaine Bear actor wore the brand's structured Salm dress, paired with a hardware-embellished clutch, also from the brand.

Despite this being Russell's ninth time at the ceremony and her eighth nomination, the actor has never won an Emmy. She went to her first-ever show in 1999. Back then, the Felicity star, who attended as a guest rather than a nominee, wore an appropriate (for the era) minimalist white strapless Armani gown.

It was years before the Television Academy granted Russell an Emmy nomination. She finally earned her first nod in 2016 for her role in FX's KGB drama series, The Americans, which also starred Russell’s partner, Matthew Rhys. For the ceremony that year, she wore a white shift mini from Stéphane Rolland with a trailing sheer train that showcased her strappy, gold heels.

Her most recent appearance was last year, at the 2025 Emmy Awards. While once again recognized for her work on The Diplomat, for which she has been nominated since 2023, she wore Armani Privé. The look—made up of a silk satin bow and velvet skirt—was not only striking. It was also a touching homage to the late Giorgio Armani. (The celebrity-beloved designer and a Russell go-to for red carpet looks passed away a few weeks before last year's ceremony.)

This year, Rhys is also Emmy-nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series for Widow's Bay and Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie for The Beast in Me. The actor-partners shared a few photos on the red carpet, preceding what could be history tonight: If both Russell and Rhys win, they’d be the first couple to both win an Emmy on the same night for two different shows.

The Diplomat is on the brink of its fourth season, which hits Netflix on October 15. In it, expect to see Russell's U.S. ambassador character dealing with fresh but familiar challenges at the nexus of, well, being a diplomat amid countries clashing and impending war. The new season also means that we should expect to see the actor on the 2027 television awards season circuit.

There's no better way to say goodbye to a character than with one final Award Season nomination. At the 2026 Emmy Awards, Zendaya could win her third trophy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Rue in Euphoria. But because she's a red carpet regular, Zendaya already won the second her semi-sheer dress touched down at the ceremony in L.A.

After dressing Ariana Grande on the Eternal Sunshine tour and Naomi Osaka at the 2026 US Open, stylist Law Roach reunited with Zendaya. Beige illusion mesh served as the foundation of Z's plunging, carpet-sweeping style, crafted just for her by Prada. (How fitting, given the Prada Beauty ambassador jetted to the Emmys from the brand's New York Fashion Week pop-up.) From there, every square inch of the almost invisible base was dripping in crystals of all shapes and sizes. Zoom in to see that some of the sparklers boasted button backs, embellishments that perfectly complemented her Jessica McCormack engagement ring.

She frosted herself in diamonds and pearls from Mikimoto, the Japanese jewelry brand beloved by Emily Blunt, Jenna Ortega, Ariana Grande, and more for star-studded Hollywood soirées. "I loved the idea of taking something as timeless as Mikimoto pearls and making them feel fresh, modern and young," Roach said in the press release. "There’s an elegance to pearls that will always be classic, but the way Zendaya wears them tonight feels completely of the moment.”

To finish her Emmys ensemble, Roach wore a Rolex Lady Datejust Watch and shade-matched the gown's mesh to pointy satin pumps from Casadei (shockingly, she left her Christian Louboutins at home). Meanwhile, her Halle Berry-esque pixie earned the "Best Short Hairstyle" trophy from Marie Claire's beauty experts.

Zendaya's Emmy-winning streak has been one to watch: Before tonight, she was nominated—and won—twice for Euphoria. If only the Television Academy were dishing out Best-Dressed titles, too. The actor's debut Emmys dress in 2019—a custom Vera Wang gown—deserved applause for its sheer bustier, liquid-looking satin skirt, and glamorous emerald green shade.

Believe it or not, back then, Z's shade-matched stilettos—which emerged from beneath a thigh-high slit—were from the American shoe designer Brian Atwood, not Louboutin. To accessorize the strapless style, Cartier loaned her a diamond cuff bracelet and Panthère drop earrings, adorned with emeralds to complement the color of her dress.

Zendaya dressed up in 2020, too. Delivering her first Emmy Awards acceptance speech to a laptop (it was a virtual ceremony), the newly minted winner showcased a sneak peek of her custom Armani Privé gown. The black-and-white, polka-dotted skirt was so striking, not even a blurry camera lens could dampen it. It was the perfect look to make history as the youngest winner of the Best Actress in a Drama Series category.

Two years later, Zendaya scored her second Emmy trophy for Euphoria. But by then, her Award Season style had evolved. She stole the show in her most timeless red carpet look yet: a custom Valentino gown that ditched over-the-top design elements for a bow-tied bodice and a petticoated skirt that transformed into a carpet-touching train.

While the matching headband gave Zendaya's look a fresh-from-the-'50s twist, her diamond choker necklace and stud earrings, both by Bulgari, kept it classic for a red carpet.

Not only does Zendaya dominate the red carpet circuit at the Emmys, but she also goes all out for the after-parties. At previous post-ceremony soirées, she has worn brands ranging from Alexandre Vauthier to Balmain and Valentino as her late-night attire.

So, stay tuned to see how Zendaya's winning style streak continues after the curtains close on the 2026 Emmy Awards.

Since her breakout role in Hacks in 2021, Hannah Einbinder has cemented herself as one of Hollywood’s brightest rising stars. She took home the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2025, adding to a run that now totals five nominations in the category—including this year’s nod at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards. But her ascent hasn’t stopped at the awards stage. Einbinder has also climbed her way into the fashion ranks, and her red carpet look this year is proof.

For her fifth Emmys appearance, Einbinder arrived at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles wearing a black satin Calvin Klein two-piece. The co-ord featured a sleek bustier top with a white underlay and a matching column skirt.

Stylist Karla Welch rounded out the look with a bold diamond collar necklace.

To complement her gown, Einbinder opted for a polished glam moment with powdery blush and nude lipstick. As for hair, she allowed her strawberry blonde strands to flow freely.

“It’s really sentimental," said Einbinder during an E! interview while referencing the 2026 Emmys. "I feel like I've been reflecting on the past five years of doing this [and] the best moments that I have [are] when I connect with other actors because there’s so much love between all of us."

Einbinder is no stranger to Emmys nominations—or the ceremony’s red carpet. Last year, she slipped into a dazzling silver Louis Vuitton gown covered in floral embellishments, styled by Jamie Mizrahi. The dress stood apart with an asymmetrical neckline and a sweeping train, while pared-down accessories—onyx earrings and a simple silver ring—allowed the gown to take center stage.

The year before, the actress also chose Louis Vuitton, though her look was much different. Coated in a warm blush shade, her dress featured a draped neckline that swooped over her shoulder and a pleated maxi skirt that pooled at the hem. The dynamic layering and ruching gave the gown a sculptural appeal.

Whether or not Einbinder takes home her second Emmy this evening, she’s earned her spot on the best-dressed list. Tonight’s gown is a strong contender for the most captivating look yet in her red carpet style file.

Despite booking her first on-screen acting series, Barney & Friends, in 2002, Selena Gomez didn't walk her first Emmy red carpet until 2024. But at the 2026 Emmys on September 14, the Only Murders in the Building star debuted a Louis Vuitton dress worthy of a TV veteran who's done this for decades.

Gomez's stylist, Erin Walsh, has dressed the Rare Beauty founder for tonight's ceremony. One hour after the red carpet opened, all eyes went to her strapless mermaid style, sculpted from hundreds of metallic gold beads. Photos of the Emmy nominee's side profile showcased the beadwork's circular waist detail. The hemline stretched well beyond the carpet, concealing her shoes.

Gomez frosted herself in Tiffany & Co., the storied brand behind her wedding day bling. Opting out of a necklace, she instead chose Tiffany & Co. gold-and-diamond drop earrings, contrasting cocktail rings, and a $175,000 bracelet from the Bird on a Rock line. The newlywed's engagement ring, featuring a marquise-cut diamond designed by Abril Barret, remained unmissable on her left finger.

An executive producer of Only Murders in the Building, Gomez scored her first Emmy nomination in 2022, but her custom Celine dress swerved past the paparazzi cameras that year.

In 2023, she walked the red carpet in a custom Oscar de la Renta gown. For one of her first major award shows with Gomez, Walsh chose a strapless burgundy style sculpted from petal-shaped sequin arrangements. The black-bordeaux shade matched her Rene Caovilla sandals, Tiffany & Co. diamond necklace, and bold lip color, courtesy of her beauty brand, of course.

Eight months later, Gomez's performance in the Hulu series earned her an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series nomination at the 2024 Emmys. (The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes pushed the 2023 ceremony to Jan. 2024.) The accolade ultimately went to Hacks star Jean Smart, but Gomez's Ralph Lauren dress won the pre-show step-and-repeat circuit.

It seems the Emmys gown might've been a trial run before her wedding to Benny Blanco: A year later, the American designer created her wedding dress, which also featured a halter neckline. (Similarly, Gomez's jewelry hailed from Tiffany & Co.)

Speaking of the wedding, Gomez made time to attend the 2025 Emmys two weeks before she said, "I do." Once again, she chose a custom Louis Vuitton column dress for the occasion, featuring an unconventional scarf-to-train-style detail. Once again, Tiffany & Co. loaned her a suite of diamonds and rubies.

Sadly, Only Murders in the Building just filmed its final season, meaning Gomez has only one more year to dazzle viewers at the Emmy Awards. Calling all casting directors: This is your sign to give Gomez the leading role in another multi-season series. We need to see her on every Emmy red carpet.

I see a lot of bobs in my line of work, but Lukita Maxwell’s might be the one that convinces everyone—and even me, a long-hair-til-I-die girl—to finally go short this fall. Maxwell, who plays Alice on Apple TV+’s Shrinking, arrived at the 78th annual Primetime Emmy Awards with an ultra-short, cheekbone-grazing baby bob—and suddenly, all the longer versions we’ve been seeing during the bob-assiance feel a little less exciting.

The cut is obviously tiny, but I’m even more into the way she styled it. Maxwell’s glossy brunette hair is parted down the middle, with the ends kicked outward in soft, flippy bends around her face. There’s something a little retro about it without making it feel like it has to be worn only at a special event, and the shape keeps such a short cut from looking too severe. It’s also fairly easy to recreate: a small round brush or flat iron can give the ends that same flick, while the rest of the hair stays smooth and shiny.

Her makeup stayed much softer, with airbrushed skin, rosy cheeks, and wispy lashes. Then there was the dress: a huge, cupcake-y gold gown with layers of sculptural volume that looked incredibly elegant without leaning into costume territory. Against something that dramatic, the tiny flippy bob felt like exactly the right move—it kept the whole look from veering too princess-y.

For me, though, the hair is the whole story. If the bob has been getting progressively shorter for the past few seasons, Maxwell just took it to its logical next step for fall and winter 2026.

Shop the Best Products to Recreate Lukita Maxwell’s Baby Bob

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

It's definitely not Mariska Hargitay's first time at the Emmys. She's been nominated 12 times. She won for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Olivia Benson in Law & Order: SVU circa 2006, and again in 2017 for her directing work in I Am Evidence. But the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards, taking place a decade later, are a Big One for the actress. Not only did she already win two Emmys tonight for My Mom Jane, but she's also the host. And, she is the first female host in 15 years, I might add.

While I'm confident that she will do an A+++ job (supposedly Stephen Colbert's writing team helped her prep), I'm going to spend the little bit of time leading up to the show by doing a deep dive into her glam for the evening.

Here's what I know: she teamed up with makeup artist Kate Synott for the big night. Her skin was prepped exclusively with Cetaphil products, proving once again that drugstore staples can help you achieve a very luxe-looking glow. Her makeup—from foundation to mascara—is courtesy of It Cosmetics. She's playing in the peachy -nude family (at least for her first look) and is reminding me exactly why I should never forget to tightline. I'll be restocking the Superhero No-Tug Eyeliner ASAP.

As for her hair? It's looking particularly thick and voluminous courtesy of the genius that is Adir Abergel and Virtue hair products. After proper prep, he whipped out a GHD flat iron to achieve the most gorgeous mermaid waves, which I suspect will be a huge fall hair trend.

Below, shop the exact products used to get this look.

Shop Mariska's Look

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

It's a family affair at the 2026 Emmy Awards. While Meryl Streep hasn't walked the red carpet yet (Only Murders In the Building scored five nominations, so the Emmy winner could surprise everyone any second now). But her daughters, Grace Gummer and Louisa Jacobson, are holding down the fort in red carpet looks that would make their mom proud.

Jacobson was the first of the family to arrive at L.A.'s Peacock Theater on September 14. The actor made her Emmys debut for The Gilded Age, an Emmy-winning series that earned another eight nominations this year. Edward Bowleg III, the stylist that dressed her for the 2026 Met Gala and the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, embraced Jacobson's masculine side with a black-and-white suit by Tom Ford, featuring a cropped blazer and tailored extra-long trousers. The jacket's white trim and asymmetrical scarf replaced a traditional Oxford shirt, a sleek switch that highlighted its padded shoulders and silk lapels.

To finish her first Emmys outfit, Jacobson accessorized with pointy pumps (blink and you'll miss them beneath her shoe-shielding hems), a diamond brooch by Tiffany & Co., and matching spiky earring studs.

Minutes after Jacobson warmed up the red carpet, Gummer picked up where her younger sister left off in black-tie attire by Dior. The Love Story star's strapless column gown channeled the nominated TV show's minimalist '90s style. But between the 3-D floral appliqués, the bubbled bodice, and the pleated texture, Dior's Jonathan Anderson gave the Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy-coded silhouette a red carpet-ready twist.

Only adding to the look's effortless elegance, a single string of ivory pearls cascaded down the side. Meanwhile, the same supersized flowers seen on her neckline returned to the opposite side of the skirt.

Dior Beauty brought Gummer's glowy, less-is-more makeup look to life, but her 1920s-inspired choker necklace was on loan from Boucheron. Its diamonds were as eye-catching as the rest of the actor's sparklers: subtle stud earrings and her radiant-cut engagement ring.

It's been a minute since Gummer and Jacobson have reunited on the red carpet; three years, to be exact. Back in December 2023, the sisters and their Oscar-winning mother coordinated all-black attire for the third annual Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Gala. Clearly, an affinity for colorless looks runs in the family. While Streep and Gummer kept it classic in long-sleeve, high-neck dresses, Jacobson's carpet-sweeping style boasted metallic silver embroidery.

Both Gummer and Jacobson presumably secured their seats inside Peacock Theater by now, but all hope for a sister photo op isn't lost. Perhaps they'll end the evening at the same star-studded after-party. If anyone can convince Streep to get in on the fun, it's her daughters.

There's nothing quite like the charm and chaos that come with the 78th annual Primetime Emmys happening right in the middle of New York Fashion Week. It's been perhaps the busiest week for spotting new beauty trends—sunglass nails at Diane von Furstenberg and petal lips on the street style circuit. And now that the red carpet is in full effect, my eyes are scanning for every possible fall beauty trend poised to take over in the next four to 12 weeks.

So far, it's looking like color is having a moment, hair is getting longer (dare I say the bob era is on its way out?), and nails are getting richer—earth tones all the way. It's a chic group in attendance tonight, and frankly, I wouldn't expect anything less than what they've been serving.

To get the full breakdown on the best 2026 Emmys beauty looks—along with product breakdowns and tips and tricks straight from the pros—read ahead.

Ciara Miller

Deep side part? Incredible. Smoky eye? Also love. But it's the Love Island Aftersun host's manicure that caught my attention. I haven't seen a traditional French manicure like this in a hot minute—and I'm very here for it.

Supriya Ganesh

I know the night is young, but I'm calling it: this is my favorite look of the night. The center part paired with the crimped waves is a hairstyle straight out of Aquamarine. If you need me, I'll be digging in my back cabinets to fish out my crimper.

Abby Elliot

Beauty Director Hannah Baxter spotted petal lips as a big makeup trend during NYFW, and it looks like The Bear actress is co-signing the look. The key? Find a blurring, matte lipstick and dab off the excess with a tissue.

Lisa Rinna

While I'll certainly miss having Rinna on my Traitors screen, I'm thrilled to be getting my fix of RHOBH star tonight. The pixie cut queen is giving her classic style a little twist tonight. Rather than her normal spiky style, she's fully committed to a slicked-back, side-part.

Grace Gummer

Love it or hate it, low ponytails are very much back. Although, admittedly much cooler than the Founding Fathers-esque vibe I wore throughout middle school. Just look to Gummer, Meryl Streep's daughter and Love Story actress, for proof.

Shabana Azeez

Curious how The Pitt actress got this good of a glow? She worked with makeup artist Aimee Twist, who prepped her skin with Icon Skincare. My favorite product from the brand is the Heritage Cream—it gives an incredible glow.

Carrie Coon

 The nominee for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series wanted to keep her look “ youthful, fresh, and modern to balance the structural look of the dress and show her beautiful skin and large, expressive eyes,” per celebrity makeup artist Rebecca Restrepo. To execute the laidback glam, Restrepo used the ZIIP Halo and Beau Domaine for skin prep.

Mariska Hargitay

The host for the night went with beachy waves and glowing skin, courtesy of Cetaphil (love a drugstore find!) and It Cosmetics.

Zendaya

The '90s lip liner! The pixie cut! The thin eyebrows! I have no notes. This is a 10/10. And honestly, I'd expect nothing less.

Quinta Brunson

Makeup artist Rebekah Aladdin teamed up with Aveeno to tackle Brunson's skin prep—and clearly it paid off. The Abbott Elementary actress looked absolutely radiant with very glowy skin and gorgeous mermaid waves.

Arriving at the tail end of Award Season, the Emmy Awards are not to be overlooked when it comes to celebrity fashion. On September 14, 2026, the biggest names in television—including the stars of nominated shows like The Pitt, Love Story, and Pluribus—reunited at the 78th annual ceremony in L.A. Following the 2026 red carpet, Marie Claire is taking a trip down memory lane and revisiting some of the best fashion moments at the Emmys past.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences hosted the first Emmy Awards in 1949. By 1957, two-time Emmy winner Lucille Ball styled a fabulous fur-trimmed shawl; in 1972, Julie Andrews secured her first statuette in a baby blue gown; and, at the 1973 ceremony, Mary Tyler Moore had three trophies to her name in a floral dress.

After surveying each decade of red carpet style, I can say that the '90s were undeniably the golden age of Emmy fashion. Cindy Crawford, Oprah, and Courteney Cox set a high bar for the future in a tuxedo dress, a corseted Valentino look, and a satin halter slip, respectively. The style streak peaked in 1999. While Julia Roberts looked classic in a little black Ralph Lauren dress, Halle Berry showed some skin in Versace, and Sarah Jessica Parker's shimmery V-neck number became the blueprint of the butter yellow trend.

That's not to say the applause-worthy attire disappeared at the turn of the century. With trendsetters like Zendaya, Sarah Pidgeon, and Ayo Edebiri at the most recent award ceremonies, that wasn't remotely possible. The Emmys remain the most fashion-forward evening in television, but don't take Marie Claire's word for it: Keep scrolling for the 36 best Emmy Awards red carpet looks of all time.

Lucille Ball at the 1957 Emmy Awards

Lucille Ball, already the winner of two Emmys, brought the drama to the 1957 ceremony in a crystal-adorned tee-length dress, topped with a fur-trimmed coat.

Julie Andrews at the 1972 Emmy Awards

Julie Andrews was a one-and-done kind of Emmys attendee, accepting her award at the 1972 soirée in a ruffled cool blue look and never returning.

Mary Tyler Moore at the 1973 Emmy Awards

Ruffles, fur, and fringe were fixtures of Emmy Awards fashion as early as 1973. Mary Tyler Moore pulled off a one-shoulder dress—topped with asymmetrical floral-printed frills—and accessorized with yellow gold sparklers.

Diahann Carroll at the 1986 Emmy Awards

Diahann Carroll was the picture of elegance at the 1986 Emmys, wearing a white column gown with strings of pearls swishing against the neckline. No red carpet needed.

Kelly Rutherford at the 1989 Emmy Awards

We didn't need a full-length photo of Kelly Rutherford's backless LBD to know it was a master class in '90s minimalism. Between the itty-bitty satin belt and the high neck, it would make her Gossip Girl character green with envy.

Joan Rivers at the 1990 Emmy Awards

Months after Julia Roberts wore a menswear Armani suit to the 1990 Golden Globes, Joan Rivers offered a take on all-white tailoring for her Emmy Awards outfit.

Jamie Lee Curtis at the 1990 Emmy Awards

Jamie Lee Curtis looked red-hot at the 1990 Emmys. The crimson-colored fabric of her dress formed to her figure before a slitted hem revealed black T-strap stilettos.

Jane Seymour at the 1990 Emmy Awards

In 1990, Jane Seymour traded red carpet-sweeping styles for the most striking jumpsuit. Jewel-toned appliqués were embroidered onto the bedazzled, opaque base of the Bond girl's black look.

Cindy Crawford at the 1992 Emmy Awards

Thanks to her tuxedo-inspired dress, Cindy Crawford stole the spotlight at the 1992 Emmy Awards. The supermodel's satin corset, white collar, and velvet-looking beret gave the red carpet look a Parisian twist—even in L.A.

Oprah Winfrey wearing Valentino at the 1994 Emmy Awards

Fashion editors wouldn't bat an eye if Oprah Winfrey's Valentino look returned to a recent red carpet. With its scoop-neck corset, a floral-printed chiffon skirt, and a matching semi-sheer shawl, it was timelessly elegant.

Courteney Cox wearing Debra McGuire at the 1995 Emmy Awards

Courteney Cox was never nominated for her performance in Friends, but in 1995, she still brought major style to the red carpet. The actor's liquid-looking slip dress was sculpted from light lavender satin—by the costume designer of the Emmy-winning series.

Demi Moore wearing Norman Norell at the 1997 Emmy Awards

The navy blue hue of Demi Moore's 1997 dress was so dark, it bordered on black. Hundreds of indigo-dyed sequins didn't just add texture to the otherwise straightforward style; they were a perfect color match to her then-husband Bruce Willis's suit tie.

Katie Holmes at the 1998 Emmy Awards

At just 19 years old, Katie Holmes brought Regency-era elegance to the Emmy Awards. She arrived in an empire-waist dress with cap sleeves and white velvet floral embroidery.

Angelina Jolie wearing Randolph Duke at the 1998 Emmy Awards

Angelina Jolie only RSVP'd "yes" to the Emmys once—in 1998. That's not to say she looked like a newcomer. The actor shone in a beige column dress by Randolph Duke, featuring a rhinestone bust-revealing cowl neck and a bejeweled illusion slit.

Jennifer Aniston wearing Randolph Duke at the 1999 Emmy Awards

All eyes were on Jennifer Aniston at her first-ever Emmy Awards. Sorry, Brad Pitt, but her paisley-printed top and chocolatey skirt from Randolph Duke stole the show.

Julia Roberts wearing Ralph Lauren at the 1999 Emmy Awards

From the front, Julia Roberts's first Emmy dress, courtesy of Ralph Lauren, embodied the minimalism of the '90s. But don't miss its open crisscross back, which gave the column slip a movie-star edge.

Sarah Jessica Parker wearing Anna Molinari at the 1999 Emmy Awards

Sarah Jessica Parker was pro-butter yellow decades before the pastel color trend became Gen Z's go-to hue. For her first Emmys, the Sex and the City star channeled Carrie Bradshaw's penchant for paillettes in a sequined Anna Molinari dress.

Halle Berry wearing Versace at the 1999 Emmy Awards

Halle Berry's ombré crop top and tulle skirt—bedazzled for her by Versace—made a case for styling Y2K silhouettes on the red carpet.

Lucy Liu wearing Joseph A. Porro at the 1999 Emmy Awards

Long before the Spider-Man effect made red-and-black summer's strongest color combination trend, Lucy Liu's Joseph A. Porro gown proved the pair's sleek potential at the 1999 Emmys.

Keri Russell wearing Armani at the 2000 Emmy Awards

Keri Russell has remained loyal to Armani Privé on the red carpet since 2000. (She wore the Italian label as recently as the 2025 ceremony.) Almost 30 years ago, she pulled off a pale gray gown that looked like it was dripping in diamonds.

Jennifer Aniston wearing Christian Dior by John Galliano at the 2002 Emmy Awards

Aniston has always gone above and beyond at the Emmys. Case in point: the blush pink dress with silver embroidery (designed by John Galliano for Dior) that she paired with a matching neck scarf in 2002.

Meryl Streep at the 2004 Emmy Awards

The off-the-shoulder neckline, olive green sash, and muted mint skirt of Meryl Streep's three-tone ballgown at the 2004 Emmys deserve all their flowers.

Sandra Oh at the 2005 Emmy Awards

During her Grey's Anatomy era, Sandra Oh experimented with different silhouettes and skirt lengths. In 2005, she proved knee-length midis can be red carpet-ready in a cinched corset dress.

Olivia Wilde wearing Reem Acra at the 2008 Emmy Awards

Olivia Wilde looked every bit a princess in an airy Reem Acra gown at the 2008 Emmys. Between the bodice's intricate pleating and the crystal cap sleeves, she could've filmed an early-2000s rom-com series right then and there.

Chloë Sevigny wearing Isaac Mizrahi at the 2009 Emmy Awards

Before Zendaya wore polka dots to the virtual Emmys in 2020, Chloë Sevigny walked in a one-shoulder Isaac Mizrahi slip. The gold brooch on her waistband gave the skirt dimension and pulled the look together.

Claire Danes wearing Armani Privé at the 2010 Emmy Awards

The 2000s hosted some of the sparkliest Award Seasons in Emmy Awards history. Claire Danes's custom Armani Privé strapless piece in iridescent glitter brought the red carpet trend into a new decade.

Kerry Washington wearing Zuhair Murad at the 2011 Emmy Awards

Kerry Washington looked fiery and fabulous in a strapless scarlet look from Zuhair Murad, featuring a curved neckline, a hand-beaded bodice, and a sheer skirt topped with fringe.

Tracee Ellis Ross wearing Ralph Lauren Collection at the 2016 Emmy Awards

Ralph Lauren created this white, one-shoulder chiffon slip just for Tracee Ellis Ross. That's why the delicate drapery and waist cut-out looked sculpted to the Black-ish actor's silhouette.

Kendall Jenner wearing Richard Quinn at the 2019 Emmy Awards

Kendall Jenner first wore the Spring 2020 Richard Quinn gown to the 2019 Emmys. But just last year, the design, featuring a latex bodice and floral-printed overlay, returned to the red carpet, thanks to Lisa Rinna at the 2025 InStyle Imagemakers Awards.

Issa Rae wearing Aliétte at the 2021 Emmy Awards

This wouldn't be a proper red carpet round-up without at least one naked dress. Issa Rae showed a splash of skin at the 2021 Emmys in a spaghetti-strap slip from the New York-based brand founded by stylist Jason Rembert Aliétte. Zoom in to appreciate the nearly-naked netting that shimmered ever so slightly.

Zendaya wearing Valentino at the 2022 Emmy Awards

Zendaya didn't just win an Emmy Award in 2022, but the red carpet circuit, too. Her longtime stylist, Law Roach, dressed her in a custom Valentino ballgown, complete with a bow-topped bodice and a carpet-sweeping skirt. Her Bulgari choker necklace became the cherry on top of a glamorous '50s-inspired look.

Ayo Edebiri wearing Bottega Veneta at the 2024 Emmy Awards

Before winning Best Actress in a Comedy Series trophy for her work on The Bear, Ayo Edebiri walked her first-ever Emmy Awards red carpet in a balloon-looking leather dress by her go-to brand Bottega Veneta.

Aubrey Plaza wearing Loewe at the 2024 Emmy Awards

Aubrey Plaza broke the internet when she wore a sticky note-turned-slip dress to the 2024 Emmys. It wasn't long before the butter yellow style, straight from the Loewe Spring 2024 runway, became a meme.

Anna Sawai wearing Vera Wang at the 2024 Emmy Awards

Anna Sawai picked the perfect red carpet piece to make Emmy history: While becoming the first woman of Asian descent to win the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series statuette, the Shōgun actor stunned in a bright red mermaid gown by Vera Wang.

Lisa wearing Lever Couture at the 2025 Emmy Awards

If Blackpink's Lisa didn't debut this gravity-defying Lever Couture dress at the 2025 Emmys, it definitely would've scored a spot in Ariana Grande's Wicked press tour wardrobe. In addition to sporting the sculptural tulle strands, the pop star shade-matched the asymmetrical look to her Bulgari jewelry.

Selena Gomez wearing Louis Vuitton at the 2025 Emmy Awards

Red gowns have stood the test of time at the Emmys, earning endorsements from Aniston, Curtis, Sawai, and Selena Gomez. For the 2025 red carpet, the Only Murders in the Building actor tapped Louis Vuitton for a dress with a scarf that wrapped around her neck and trailed behind her like a train.

Zendaya wearing Prada at the 2026 Emmy Awards

And the honorary trophy for "Best Red Carpet Look at the 2026 Emmys" goes to... Zendaya's custom Prada gown. The beige illusion mesh was, quite literally, dripping in crystals of all shapes and sizes. Zoom in to see the subtle button-back embellishments, which resemble her now-famous engagement ring by Jessica McCormack.

Since the sleeveless style already met the red carpet's sparkle quota, Zendaya and Roach could've skipped jewelry entirely. But they couldn't resist pearls and diamonds from Mikimoto, the Japanese jewelry brand beloved by Jenna Ortega, Ariana Grande, and more. "There’s an elegance to pearls that will always be classic, but the way Zendaya wears them tonight feels completely of the moment," Roach said in the press release.

Fall is here, which means it's time for television's biggest night. The Emmys are tonight, and Hollywood is getting ready to celebrate the past year in TV.

This year's awards show features exciting changes, from a new network hosting the festivities to one of television's biggest icons as a first-time host. The top nominees range from pop culture's buzziest hits to beloved comedies in their final season, to debut shows that became word-of-mouth sensations. Read on for everything you need to know about the 2026 Emmys, including how to tune into the ceremony, which A-listers are set to walk the red carpet, and which must-see TV shows are expected to win big.

Everything to Know About the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards

When are the 2026 Emmys?

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards will air live on NBC on Monday, September 14 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. This year's ceremony will be held at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in downtown L.A.

How can I watch the 2026 Emmys?

Viewers with cable can tune into their local NBC channel or use their cable login to watch from a computer or phone via the CBS website or app.

The Emmys can also be streamed on Peacock. However, the ceremony will only stream live for subscribers to one of Peacock's two premium tiers. The app's standard Premium tier with ads starts at $13/month, while the ad-free Premium Plus tier starts at $20/month. (Since the Emmys are a live event, it will still air with ads for Premium Plus subscribers.)

The full ceremony will be available to stream on demand the following day for subscribers in the U.S. only, including those at the Peacock Select tier (at $9/month). Though Peacock's official website doesn't offer free trials, Prime Video subscribers can get a seven-day free trial by signing up for the Premium Plus plan through Amazon's streamer.

If you neither have cable nor a Peacock Premium subscription, there are still ways to watch the Emmys. Live streaming TV services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV Stream, Fubo, and Sling TV provide access to NBC (and most offer free trials).

Viewers outside of the U.S. can watch the Emmys live through their regional networks, or catch them on-demand on Peacock. If you don't have a VPN, you can use one like Nord VPN.

How can I watch the 2026 Emmys red carpet?

Fashion fans will have multiple options to follow the Emmys red carpet. E!'s annual coverage will start at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT, with the hosts and commentators to be announced. Meanwhile, CNN and Variety will co-host red-carpet coverage, available to watch on the CNN website and streaming app for subscribers.

Who is hosting the 2026 Emmys?

Actress, producer, director, activist, and national treasure Mariska Hargitay will host this year's Emmy Awards. The television icon and Emmy winner will make her awards-hosting debut, ahead of her 28th season playing Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU.

"I’m at a place in my life where I am excited about doing new things. And if not now, when?" she told Deadline in August. "It’s such an extraordinary opportunity and I am excited about it. I’m excited to see all the people. I’m excited to celebrate people’s work. I guess I don’t really see it as about me. I see it about being part of something so historic."

Who is presenting at the 2026 Emmys?

The Television Academy has revealed two of the iconic shows that will receive tributes at this year's ceremony. Buffy the Vampire Slayer stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz will celebrate the show's 30th anniversary. Meanwhile, the three original Charlie's Angels—Kate Jackson, Cheryl Ladd, and Jaclyn Smith—will reunite for the 50th anniversary of the TV series that began the franchise.

The rest of the presenters announced so far includes Odessa A'zion, Stephen Amell, Awkwafina, Noah Beck, Jessica Belkin, Scott Caan, Linda Cardellini, Macaulay Culkin, Jamie Lee Curtis, Alan Cumming, Emma D'Arcy, Sally Field, Julia Garner, LL Cool J, Jon Hamm, David Harbour, Woody Harrelson, Hassie Harrison, Marcello Hernández, Paul Anthony Kelly, Peter Krause, Thaddeus LaGrone, Dan Levy, Julianna Margulies, Matthew McConaughey, John Mulaney, Annie Murphy, Brooks Nader, Niecy Nash-Betts, Keke Palmer, Amanda Peet, Amy Poehler, Florence Pugh, Emmy Rossum, Rachel Sennott, SofíaVergara, Shailene Woodley, and Zendaya.

As for special segments, Michael J. Fox is set to grace the stage to receive this year's Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, in honor of his "transformative contributions to Parkinson’s disease research and advocacy," per the Academy.

Who is performing at the 2026 Emmys?

Though the Emmys typically aren't known for musical performances, this year's In Memorium segment may be one of the night's biggest moments. Though it hasn't been confirmed by the Academy, country legend Reba McEntire will reportedly perform a tribute to the late Dolly Parton, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Grammy nominee Noah Kahan has been confirmed to lead the overall segment, with a performance of "Bridge Over Troubled Water."

Who is nominated at the 2026 Emmys?

We can expect some exciting races this year. The Pitt's second season is both the most-recognized show of the year and the top nominee in the drama category, with 25 nominations overall. Other top drama nominees include Pluribus, with 18 nominations, followed by Fallout (9), A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (9), Slow Horses (9), and The Gilded Age (8).

Meanwhile, the comedy categories are expected to be a showdown between Hacks, which racked up 24 nominations for its final season, and Widow's Bay, the most successful debut series of the year with 19 noms. The rest of the notable comedy nominees include Spider-Noir (11), Shrinking (9), The Bear (8), Margo's Got Money Troubles (8), and Abbott Elementary (7).

In the limited or anthology series category, the second season of Beef leads the pack with 16 noms, followed closely by DTF St. Louis (13), with The Beast in Me (9). Other notable shows include All Her Fault (7), Black Rabbit (7), and Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette (6).

Finally, notable unscripted specials and reality shows include Saturday Night Live (11), The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (9), RuPaul’s Drag Race (9), Jimmy Kimmel Live! (6), The Muppet Show (6), and The Traitors (6).

Not everyone in Hollywood makes awards history—let alone twice. Director Salli Richardson-Whitfield, however, became the first Black woman to receive an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series in 2024, and this year, she became the first Black woman to receive two nominations in the category. At the forthcoming awards ceremony, the director/executive producer is being recognized for her efforts helming episodes of the acclaimed, Mark Ruffalo-led crime series Task and the cult-loved period drama The Gilded Age.

While Richardson-Whitfield has worked on many hits—from Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty to Dear White People to Altered Carbon—she originally got her start as an actress. Thanks to encouragement from supporters and collaborators like Ava DuVernay (whose first feature, I Will Follow, Richardson-Whitfield starred in), she was inspired to get behind the camera and eventually transition her career. Now, the filmmaker, who has a creative partnership with HBO, is frequently hailed for breaking the glass ceiling in TV.

Still, even as the number of female TV creators is higher than ever, they only make up 32 percent of directors in the field. So, in anticipation of the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 14, Richardson-Whitfield shared an essay with Marie Claire about her journey toward becoming a director—and the value in trusting yourself.

The first audience I ever directed for was my family, gathered on the living room couch. I couldn't have been more than 8-years-old. My dolls were lined up, each with a role to play. I'd spent the afternoon writing another version of Cinderella, carefully stapling the pages into tiny handmade books that I proudly handed out before the performance began.

Then I took my place behind the story. I thought I was just playing. I wasn't trying to be Cinderella. I wanted to tell the story. I just didn't know that one day, I would spend my life doing exactly that.

People often ask me how I became successful. They want to know whether I always dreamed of directing television, whether I had a master plan, or whether I somehow knew that one day I would make history. The truth is much simpler: I learned to trust something inside myself.

Growing up in Hyde Park on Chicago's South Side, I often felt as though I didn't quite belong. My parents sacrificed so I could attend an exceptional private school filled with brilliant students who would go on to become doctors, lawyers, and scientists. I lived in the neighborhood, but in its least desirable building. My father was white, and my mother was Black, at a time when that still made our family seem different. I struggled with undiagnosed dyslexia while trying to keep up in an environment where academic excellence appeared effortless for everyone else.

From the outside, I looked confident. I was athletic, outgoing, and, by most standards, beautiful. Inside, I constantly wondered whether I was enough. Not smart enough. Not accomplished enough. Not worthy enough. There were plenty of voices reinforcing those insecurities—the voices of comparison, expectation, fear, and sometimes my own self-doubt.

Thankfully, there was always something else inside me: A sense that I should keep going. That there was a purpose for me even when I couldn't see what it was.

My parents weren't perfect, but they gave me two gifts that shaped my life: an unwavering work ethic and a strong sense of right and wrong. Those gifts became my compass. I made mistakes, as we all do, but somehow I never wandered too far from the path. Something inside me kept pulling me forward.

Acting became my first path because it was what I loved and what I knew I could do. It led me from Chicago to California, despite all the reasons I should be practical, have a backup plan, or accept that the odds were impossible. Logic said to stay where it was safe. Something inside me said, Go. So I went.

Years later, while starring on Eureka, I was given the opportunity to direct an episode. Looking back, I realize it wasn't merely the beginning of my directing career. It was the moment I recognized the life I had unknowingly been preparing for all along.

A couple of hours into my first day on set, the producing director walked over to me. I was still absorbing the responsibility of leading an entire crew while quietly wondering whether I truly belonged there. He smiled and said, "You've got this."

Then he left. Just like that. I remember standing there, almost stunned. He trusted me enough to leave the set in my hands.

In that moment, I had a choice. I could listen to all the reasons I wasn't ready, or I could trust the instinct that simply said, Tell the story. So I did. I didn't panic. I didn't second-guess myself. I simply told the story the way I believed it needed to be told.

That day changed everything. Not only because someone else believed in me, but because, for the first time in my professional life, I believed in myself.

As an actress, I was good. I had a career I loved, but I was never fearless. I believe great actors must be willing to look foolish in pursuit of something truthful, and I was often too focused on getting it right.

As a director, something entirely different happened. I trusted my instincts. I trusted my vision. I trusted myself. Directing felt less like learning a new job and more like remembering something I had always known. For the first time, I wasn't searching for confidence. I had found it. That confidence didn't make me complacent. It made me work even harder.

Actors are sometimes given the opportunity to direct because they're already on a television show. I wanted everyone around me to understand that this wasn't a vanity project or simply another credit I intended to collect. I wanted to earn that chair. I prepared relentlessly. I asked every question I could think of. I studied every detail because I never wanted anyone to believe I had been handed an opportunity I wasn't prepared to honor.

Years later, when I decided to transition from acting to directing full-time, those same people remembered. On paper, my résumé wasn't always the strongest. I hadn't gone to film school, and I hadn't followed the traditional path. There were people with more experience, more credits, and certainly more formal education. But the people who had watched me work knew something a résumé couldn't tell them. They knew my dedication. They knew how hard I worked. And they trusted that whatever opportunity they gave me, I would show up prepared to earn it. Those relationships eventually opened doors to directing jobs I might never have gotten on paper alone.

For much of my life, I carried an insecurity about my education. I often walked into rooms assuming everyone else knew more than I did. (Sometimes they did.) But somewhere along the way, I stopped believing that meant I had less to offer. Education matters—I wish I had gone to college. But I've learned that knowing what you don't know can be its own kind of wisdom. It makes you ask questions. It makes you listen. It makes you prepare. And when hard work, passion, talent, and purpose come together, they can take you places no résumé could have predicted.

Maybe that's why, when people ask how I got here, I still struggle to give them a simple answer. I didn't have a master plan. I followed what felt true. When acting interested me and I discovered I had talent for it, I followed it. When that path led from Chicago to California, I went. When directing awakened something in me that acting never had, I was willing to leave behind a career in which I was already successful and begin again.

That may be the most important decision I made. Because there is a particular kind of courage required to walk away from something you're good at—not because you've failed, but because somewhere inside you, you know there is something else you're meant to do. My life didn't become what I imagined as a little girl. It became bigger.

We spend so much of our lives looking ahead, trying to figure out where we're supposed to go. We make plans. We compare ourselves to other people. We listen to all the reasons something is impractical or impossible. And sometimes those voices become so loud that we stop trusting what we already know. I've learned that sometimes the clearest map is found by looking back.

When I look back now, I see that little girl sitting on the living room floor, lining up her dolls, handing out her homemade Cinderella books, and creating a world for her family to enjoy. She thought she was just playing. She wasn't. She wasn't dreaming about becoming a director. She didn't even know that was something she could dream about. But something in her already knew she was a storyteller.

It took the grown woman a few decades to trust what the little girl seemed to know instinctively. Maybe that's what the quiet voice has been all along. Not an instruction to become someone new. A reminder to trust who I already was.

From her first strut into the villa, Ariana Madix has made hosting Love Island USA look effortless. But only she knows how much goes into steering the world’s biggest dating show: tracking the Islanders’ ever-changing affections, calling out toxicity in the fandom, and being ready to step into a skin-baring gown at a moment’s notice. After three seasons with the host—who just earned her first Emmy nomination—it’s hard to imagine anyone else gracing the wooden catwalk.

For Madix, the entrance calls back to what's remained her favorite place since childhood: the theater. “We stand in the tunnel, and [a producer] cues me in, just like you would for a play. Also, because the floors are hardwood, it feels like I'm on a stage,” the reality star tells Marie Claire a week following the season 8 finale. After 10 years of giving a very different type of performance on Vanderpump Rules, it’s as if Love Island USA is the perfect bridge between Madix's reality TV résumé and her theater-kid roots. If anyone knows how to balance passion with keeping cool under pressure—not to mention the spotlight or 24/7 camera crew—it's her.

That's in part what led Madix to receive an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program—an honor she's still processing. “It felt very surreal,” she recalls, chatting over Zoom while barefaced in a black sports bra. “It's really going to hit when we start scheduling things closer to the Emmys. Whenever they do billboards for Love Island, I'm always [in Fiji]. If they do something to promote this, I'll probably get very emotional.”

The awards ceremony is the latest milestone of the whirlwind three years Madix has spent showing the breadth of her talent, channeling heartbreak and a period of transition into a career breakthrough. Go back to her previous interviews, and she’s accomplished every one of her dreams: a Broadway debut, a role on a mockumentary comedy, even the Emmy nom. The recognition also marks a full-circle moment for the longtime Love Island fan, who went from name-dropping the show while she was still on Bravo to becoming a mentor to young women taking their first steps into the public eye.

“Fangirls unite,” she says of going from a viewer to the face of the show. “People love to talk down about it, but fangirling is powerful.”

Ahead of the Emmys on September 14, Madix chats with Marie Claire about her behind-the-scenes styling decisions, how grief affected season 8’s production, and the emotional strength she admires from the Islanders.

MC: What does your day-to-day look like as you’re filming a season of Love Island USA?

AM: It's always in flux, which is fun because it keeps me on my toes. I'm always in the gym and trying to keep my head right. I watch all the episodes, and when I'm wondering if I'm behind on something, I'll text producers or the social team to try to stay up to date. Things are happening so fast that I can very easily be behind on what's going on, especially right after a recoupling.

Sometimes when I go to the villa, I don't have a script. I’ll have an earpiece [to feed me lines], and there are times where I'm saying things that I've never heard or read before. I love it when I can get a script so I can put things in my own words, because I do like to be able to go in and be myself. I always think those are the moments that are the best on the show: when I'm able to bring myself to whatever crazy, fun, sexy moment is about to happen.

MC: Walk me through your styling for the show. How do you choose which outfits to wear each night?

AM: What I wear can definitely be dictated by the subject matter or the feel of the night. When we had our big fitting this year, we didn't know yet which ones were going to be for what. I am so lucky that I have both an amazing stylist here in L.A. and an amazing on-set styling team in Fiji. Our on-set styling team also works with the Islanders, so they have an idea of what the Islanders are going to be wearing, as well. For the premiere, we discussed that the Islanders are all going to be in bright colors, so if I wanted to wear a black dress, this would be the time. And of course it's this gorgeous, fun Tom Ford dress.

For a Casa Amor recoupling, I always think the look needs to feel a little bit dangerous. The finale look can be more celebratory. And then outside of that, it's usually, Do I feel good in the look, and am I excited about it? Because it's Love Island, I always want it to feel sexy and fun, and probably not something that I would wear in my day-to-day life.

MC: Is there a look that best combines your Love Island look and your personal, off-camera style?

AM: [In season 7], the pink [gown] with the hood and the gladiator sandal. I think that was the best marriage of what I would wear going out or something that feels like me and a Love Island style.

MC: Do you have any fun stories behind the looks from season 8?

AM: A lot of the looks this year were last-minute choices. The wet-look dress was actually one of my personal dresses that I just happened to bring with me. It had been pouring for days, and we had to figure out shoes I could wear in case I needed to walk in the rain. For the red one, my friend Taylor [Jean Cox] designed it, and I knew that was going to be the Casa recoupling dress. We had a fitting in my house the day before I flew to Fiji, and she was able to make that dress and get it out to set. That was the one I was the most excited to wear all season.

MC: Longtime fans know that season 7 was very different from the typical Love Island season. Were there any lessons you learned that you took into season 8?

AM: Anytime people say, ‘But we always do this,’ [the producers are] going to change it. They're never going to let anybody think they know what's coming next. That's part of what I love about the show because I always love to be surprised. In terms of my hosting, something I took away from season 7 is that the Islanders are always going to do what they want to do, and they're going to feel how they're going to feel. I love them all, and I always hope that they're okay. I feel like I could have reiterated that more.

MC: You often speak out against negative criticism towards the Islanders. With the show's growing popularity, how have you learned to handle the online criticism?

AM: I don't think that hate has any place in our viewership whatsoever. If I'm scrolling and I see someone being hateful, I block them. I don't care who or what they're talking about. I really was excited to hear that they were handling the socials differently this year, with the Islanders turning off certain things on their profiles, because that was something I was hoping that they would have done in season 7 as well.

Fans are not always going to agree with what someone says or does on the show. That's the point: We all date differently, we feel differently, we come from different backgrounds. If you want to talk about how you didn't like the way that someone said or did something, that's completely fine. But to then harass or send Islanders hate? I think it's so wrong. Because no matter what, they're all trying their best in this moment, and that's all that you could ever ask of somebody.

MC: Executive producer James Barker tragically passed away while filming season 8. How did you and the production team process the loss of a colleague while still having to make a successful show?

AM: Honestly, it was really, really sad. I don't know how the people on his team who worked with him day in and day out were able to continue. We had a night where everyone came together and celebrated James, and I'm glad we were able to take a moment on the show for him in one of the episodes as well. James was a friend of mine, someone who I really valued. He was so talented, so kind. The big thing that we connected on was our love of music. We would send each other music nearly every day, especially when we were in Fiji. I would be watching the show, and text him about a song, and he would know exactly what I was talking about. I feel like in so many ways he was the heart and soul of the show.

When I've experienced losses, if I can be distracted by something I'm passionate about, such as this show, it's helpful. I think that a lot of the team were feeling like, Let's do this for James and let's get through the season. I know that [the executive producing team are] all missing him terribly because they worked so closely together. I hope that now that we're all back, everyone's able to take some time for themselves, be with family, and process.

MC: So much has changed for you in the past three years, both professionally and personally. How has hosting Love Island and being in your current relationship changed your views on love and dating?

AM: Something I always take away from the Islanders is their ability to express exactly what they're thinking and feeling to each other in the moment. I admire that as a strength in people because it’s something I’ve definitely struggled with. I blame it on my Virgo moon. I'm a Cancer who feels things very deeply, but until I can process those things and put some logical explanation to it, I don't know how to express it. So I always try to take that away and be able to bring that to my real life. Also, I am a very anxious person, and Daniel [Wai, my boyfriend] really helps my nervous system. He helps me be able to go into a job like this and feel confident and loved.

MC: If you think back to a younger Ariana—hustling in N.Y.C., bartending at Butter, making College Humor videos—what do you think she would be like as a contestant on Love Island?

AM: Besides the crippling insecurity that I would feel being in a bathing suit all day, I think I would have been very messy. I would've been trying to collect boys and girls like infinity stones—so maybe a great Islander and a horrible Islander at the same time.

MC: Speaking of, you’ve said before that you want more queer representation on Love Island. What are your thoughts on people who say it doesn’t fit the show’s format or logistics?

AM: We’ll figure out the logistics. When there's a recoupling, they tell the powers that be. They're not coming up with it in the moment. Making this show is always laying one piece of train track in front of the other as the train is approaching. So we would figure it out. That's just me being optimistic or maybe delulu, but I certainly think that it's possible.

MC: Many of your career goals have come true, from performing on Broadway to earning an Emmy nomination. What do you hope to manifest next?

AM: If I say something out loud, especially in a forum where other people are going to hear about it, I feel as though, Okay, now that I've said it, I have to put work towards it. Putting something out there allows me to really focus and work towards it. What are the loftiest goals possible? EGOT status is probably the biggest. I think my ideal life includes getting to host this fun, fantastical show, being able to go on stage and dance and sing, and to go on TV and creatively express myself and make people laugh. If I could balance all of that with a loving and stable life at home, that to me is the ultimate goal. We're manifesting that now, but we can still put the EGOT out there.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

The 2025 Emmys red carpet could have felt like déjà vu for Shrinking star Jessica Williams. This year, like last year, she was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. For both carpets, she and stylist Sarah Slutsky turned to Kate and Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte for a gown fitting the occasion. Yet the overall aura of Williams's look outside the Peacock Theater on September 14 felt like a 180-degree shift; a total vibe reset. This, Williams tells me in an email the morning after the awards ceremony, was intentional.

"The first time I was nominated was mind blowing and shocking. It was the first season of Shrinking so I had no idea how it would be received," she recalls. "This second time around, not only am I nominated, but so is our whole show. And that brings me so much joy. I feel lighter and excited. I wanted that to reflect this time around."

The dress that best reflects Williams's mindset now was a blush pink, off-the-shoulder gown fit for a mythical goddess. Intricate swathes of fabric criss-crossed over the actress's torso and down into a flowing skirt. A train cascaded from over her arms and onto the floor like a peony waterfall. Where her 2024 Emmys gown was regal and stately in its structure—a strapless black number with a flash of white at the sculpturally rounded skirt—her 2025 dress was purposefully, powerfully soft.

Williams sums up her dress in two words: "ethereal and simple." At this year's Emmys, "I just wanted to feel like my look was easy but somewhat glamorous," she says. She'd surprised herself in 2024. In 2025, she was dressing to show up like someone who knew she'd be on the nominees list.

On Emmys morning, bringing the full look together began with her "gorgeous and glowy" makeup by Armani Beauty. "I wanted Jessica to feel glowing and soft, with an elegance that enhances her natural beauty," makeup artist Cherish Brooke Hill says. Williams describes the look—starting with Armani Beauty Skin Tint and layering up with the label's Luminous Silk Foundation and Luminous Silk Concealer—as "skin forward and a bit ethereal."

Her lit-from-within glow continued with coordinating eye and lip products: "For my lip I used the gorgeous Lip Power in 503 and for light shimmer on my eye we used the Eye Tint in 44S," Williams says.

Hair stylist SherriAnn Cole then gathered Williams's braids into a low bun, with wisps of fabric from her gown tied into her up-do. "This delicate braided style was directly inspired by the gathered draping of her dress, creating harmony between her hairstyle and the elegance of her look on the carpet," Cole says.

Later in the night, Williams would end up changing out of her fairytale Rodarte gown into a mint green sequin dress by Gasanova. "It’s stunning, has gentle shine, and is so comfortable that I can move and dance—which is the most important part of an after-party look for me," she says.

While she'd eventually switch up her palette, the end result is the same. From gown to gown and carpet to carpet, Jessica Williams says she just wants to "feel something" through fashion. "I want to have fun and reflect a mood. No matter what it is." This year, the tone she's striking is palpable.

Photographer Ibra Ake | Stylist Sarah Slutsky | Makeup Artist Cherish Brooke Hill | Hair Stylist SherriAnne Cole

For an Emmy nominee, after-party attire undergoes the same sourcing process as a ceremony gown. Why? Photo ops increase tenfold once a star accepts a trophy. Such was the case for newly-minted Emmy winner, Cristin Milioti.

The 2025 Emmys wrapped around 11 p.m. ET, but for celebrity guests, the night was far from over. Stars bolted from L.A.'s Peacock Theater to one of five after-parties (rumor has it, there were more). Milioti chose a party hosted byThe Penguin's home network, HBO Max, to celebrate her first Emmy from the comic-book crime drama.

Inside San Vicente Bungalows in West Hollywood, she posed for photographers with her gold award in tow. Stylist Bailey Moon swapped Milioti's velvet Danielle Frankel gown in ruby red for all-black after-hours attire. I suspect the oversize leather jacket featured Saint Laurent tags. Everything from the popped collar to the ruched hem felt aligned with the French label's Spring 2025 collection. Plus, it reminded me of another Milioti look from early August, courtesy of Saint Laurent. Nothing is confirmed yet, but either way, Milioti kept the moto bomber on all night long.

Milioti elevated the Hailey Bieber street style staple with a skintight mini skirt. It featured an elongated, bustle-type train, which flowed behind her as she walked. Black polka-dot tights were both fun and on-trend—the pattern is having another moment at New York Fashion Week, thanks to Tibi, Altuzarra, and Khaite's Fall 2025 lines.

She accessorized with suede ankle-strap pumps, a single diamond ring, and a snake ear cuff, courtesy of DYNE by Sarah Ysabel Narici.

To no surprise, HBO Max hosted one of the buzziest after-parties of the evening. Milioti's fellow winner, Hannah Einbinder, posed in front of the same burgundy curtain. She also went the noir route with a luxe little black dress. (Olivia Rodrigo styled a similar babydoll dress at the same soirée.)

Stylist Jamie Mizrahi curated the post-show look for Einbinder, pairing a sweetheart-shaped mini with semi-sheer tights and patent leather sandals. A single bangle, hoop earrings, and her trophy acted as her only accessories. What more did she need?

Unless you have a stellar stylist on speed dial, the likelihood of channeling Milioti's ceremony gown is slim to none. Her after-party 'fit, on the other hand, is much more doable.

Shop Styles Inspired by Cristin Milioti

From the creators of the cunty little bob, we introduce: Leslie Bibb in rich bitch blonde. On September 14, The White Lotus actress attended the 2025 Emmys with her partner, Sam Rockwell, by her side. For the occasion, she wore her signature chin-length haircut paired with a stunning strapless black gown. Her beauty details were minimal and elegant, with her opting for short, milk bath nails and a sheer cranberry lip. This allowed me to focus on my favorite part of her ensemble, her stunning hair color.

First, let’s talk about the style. Bibb’s hair was straightened before being parted to one of the biggest trends of the night, the side part. Then, gel was applied to the right side of the style before it was tucked behind her ear. This allowed the rest of the look to serve as a sort of faux bang, highlighting Bibb’s perfectly dimensional blonde hair color, courtesy of Schwarzkopf.

The shade is the “ultimate transitional hue for fall,” says Tracey Cunningham, the brand’s U.S. Creative Director of Color & Technique, in a press release. “It’s effortlessly wearable, with a slightly deeper root that makes it easy to go lighter or darker and allows for more time between salon visits.”

I’ve long been a fan of Bibb’s blunt bob haircut and am loving the way she styled it for one of the biggest nights in entertainment. If you want to get a similar look, keep reading to see the tools and products you’ll need.

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

The 2025 Emmys red carpet marked a night of firsts for Nobody Wants This star Justine Lupe. It was the first time Lupe could RSVP "Yes," in celebration of the Netflix romantic comedy's three nominations. It was the first time she spent a Sunday getting into Emmys glam with stylist Rebecca Ramsey, makeup artist Tracey Levy, and hair stylist Barb Thompson, after a quiet morning grabbing coffee with her family. And it was the first time she tried a look as daring as her Carolina Herrera Fall 2025 gown.

Lupe had fallen in love with the dress—a column halter woven from strands of silver beads, scattered with even more silver pailettes—when it came down the runway last spring. It definitely counts as an entry into the Hollywood canon of nearly-naked dresses that reveal more than they conceal. "It's this beautiful, glamorous, glitzy bombshell situation—it's such a celebratory piece," she tells me a few hours before changing into it.

Lupe and her glam team had approached the Emmys with a popping-champagne mindset. Win or lose, the ceremony is a moment to toast. "My whole life, I've watched the Emmys and I remember as a little kid watching them," Lupe says. "It's kind of surreal to be in the moment now, where I'm going as part of this show. I'm gonna just try and actually let that sink in, in a way, and not get too nervous about anything else."

Lupe admits the bare-it-all nature of her dress heightened her nerves—but she was going to all-in. "I wanted to do something that felt like it was leaning into like the bombshell vibe that the dress presents, which is something that I usually don't do at all," she says. "It's something I've never done before, so it's kind of going out on a little bit of a limb. But I just figured, for the Emmys, why not?"

Letting go of her inhibitions is a way of embracing the dress's spirit and arriving at the Emmys. "When I think of a bombshell, I think of someone who's like, free and confident and leaning into the femininity of the dress," Lupe explains. "So we wanted to do something that felt both glamorous and relaxed."

She kept her hair simple, in a long blow-out with tendrils gently framing her face. A sprinkling of Antia Ko diamonds frosted her ears and fingers.

Lupe's Carolina Herrera moment comes on the heels of a busy red carpet season, where she's pushed her style limits in looks from Roland Mouret, Alberta Ferretti, and more. Through each gown, she says, she's ultimately trying to have fun.

Sometimes, that manifests in a big first like her Emmys look; other times, it comes from a smaller change in her beauty beat. "I wore my hair back for the first time, out of my face, the other day," she laughs. "I've never pulled my hair back!"

Her confidence in exploring different silhouettes comes from the trust she's built in her team. "Now we've worked together for a few years, so it feels like now I'm leaning into the vision that they put together," Lupe says. "And, just having fun with each of the different identities that the looks have."

I had to ask Lupe what her onscreen counterpart in Nobody Wants This would think of her spangled naked dress. While see-through dresses feel like a swerve for the actress, her scene-stealing counterpart Morgan seems like she'd have a closet full of them. Lupe agrees. "I think this is more of a Morgan moment than most of the times that I go on a red carpet," she laughs. "I think she'd be down."

Here's hoping Lupe takes another big risk when her next Emmys invitation inevitably arrives. This Carolina Herrera dress is the sort of first that everybody wants to see again.

Photographer Emily Knecht | Stylist Rebecca Ramsey | Makeup Artist Tracey Levy | Hair Stylist Barb Thompson

In terms of red carpet glam, you never really know what you're going to get from Selena Gomez, especially when it comes to her manicures of choice. One day you'll spot her wearing a 3D chrome manicure, and the next, she'll opt to keep things super simple with a neutral color. She took the latter route at the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday night with a "sophisticated silk" manicure.

The Only Murders in the Building star appeared at the event alongside her fiancé Benny Blanco, and she wore a bright red, high neck, Louis Vuitton gown with a train. She kept her glam for the night pretty subtle, with her hair styled in a Barbie ponytail and a nude manicure. Per usual, Gomez's manicure was courtesy of her longtime manicurist, Tom Bachik. For the show, the duo kept it simple, with Bachik using a fleshy nude nail color to give Gomez what he's now calling a "sophisticated silk" manicure.

"Sophisticated silk" appears to be another take on the "rich girl nails" trend that Bachik also popularized this year thanks to glossy nude looks worn by Gomez and other stars like Jennifer Lopez. The gist is that these colors are supposed to look just like your natural nail color.

For Gomez's Emmys manicure, Bachik used the shade "Silk Thread" from CND's shellac collection, and per a product description, it's a "beige taupe with a hint of pink shimmer." According to a statement, Bachik chose the color as a way to complement the singer's muted makeup look. "When choosing color, I often love to play off makeup," he says. "Sometimes the eye, sometimes the lip. Today our inspo [was] no makeup makeup."

Nude nail looks have been having a moment this summer, likely because they go perfectly with any color and they can give your overall look a quiet-but-luxurious vibe. Read ahead to shop Selena Gomez's exact nail color, as well as a few similar options.

This is The Close-Up, where the biggest names in entertainment explain the story behind their latest personal style statement.

When Molly Gordon attended her first-ever Emmys in 2024, she didn’t know what to expect.

Not only did it mark the actress’s first time attending a major awards ceremony with her co-stars and colleagues in The Bear, but she also didn’t have much time between filming her anti-rom-com Oh, Hi! in Upstate New York and walking the red carpet in Hollywood.

“Last year was honestly a whirlwind,” Gordon tells Marie Claire via email, recalling how she and her stylist, Jared Ellner, made her look work. “Jared literally drove hours Upstate to fit me on set on an overnight the week before the Emmys, because he’s that good a friend.”

“I loved my look,” she says of her black Versace mermaid gown. “I also have such fond and funny memories of the whole experience of putting it together.”

But this year—joining The Bear, which earned 13 nominations, for round two—Gordon felt more at ease and “was excited to lean into what felt classic and also comfortable.”

Styled again by Ellner, Gordon attended the 2025 Emmys in a black and white striped Giorgio Armani gown from the Fall/Winter 1996 collection, and paired it with vintage Tiffany’s jewelry. “We went for an Old Hollywood energy, which I always love, and I think is really inspired by Armani’s timeless style,” she says. “I am the biggest fan of his work and I feel very lucky to be honoring him tonight.”

“It was honestly love at first sight with this dress!” the actress adds, explaining that she and Ellner found it in Venice during the Venice Film Festival, and knew they “needed to have it for Emmys.”

Old Hollywood also inspired Gordon’s hair and makeup, designed by hair stylist Derek Yeun for Olivia Garden and makeup artist Melissa Hernandez, respectively. “The beauty inspiration was all about elegance,” Gordon says of her Armani Beauty look. “I've been loving Armani Beauty's Luminous Silk Foundation and Cheek Tint. My makeup artist, Melissa Hernandez, also gave me the wing of my dreams!”

Though Gordon admits that her characters and projects frequently inspire her style—like when she and Ellner paid homage to “iconic rom-com looks” when Oh, Hi! premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January—her Emmys style was a far cry from her The Bear character Claire. “Ultimately, when I think of Claire, I think of scrubs,” she says. “Obviously, they’re my favorite costume to wear because they’re so damn comfortable—so I wouldn’t say she immediately jumps to mind when I look at this stunning Armani gown. But I would love to see her in something like this. Just not at the hospital. Or let’s do a Figs gown.”

Gordon was more than thrilled, though, to spend the night celebrating the comedy, now nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, for a third year in a row. “I feel really lucky. The whole experience has been really special. Getting to work opposite Jeremy is really a gift. He is a wonderful actor and leader. Ayo, Jeremy, Ebon, Liza—the list goes on. This group of actors is so wonderful, and I’m so happy they are being recognized for their work.”

Gordon says she also had much to look forward to after the after party—where she was “sticking with the Old Hollywood Armani vibe, but a little more playful.” “When I get home, I will immediately get naked and eat ice cream in bed with Jared.” Yes, chef.

Photographer Sarah Krick | Stylist Jared Ellner | Makeup Artist Melissa Hernandez | Hair Stylist Derek Yeun

The 2025 Emmys are the time to celebrate the best in TV, but before the awards show even began, fans found out that they're about to bid farewell to a beloved comedy series.

While walking the Emmys red carpet, Hacks star Hannah Einbinder revealed that the upcoming fifth season of the hit HBO Max series will be its final installment.

“It will feel different,” Einbinder told E! host Heather McMahan, per Variety. “We’re going to start [filming] next week, and knowing it’s the last season is really bittersweet. But I think it’s right, you know?"

The actress, who stars opposite Jean Smart on the series, added, "It’s nice to do something as many times as it should be done. Not overstay your welcome. Rip it and do it and laugh and cry."

The beloved showbiz comedy, created by Lucia Anello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky about the relationship between a stand-up legend and her younger writer, was renewed for its fifth season in May 2025, days before its season 4 finale. Before Einbender's announcement, the showrunners had previously said in interviews that they were unsure whether they would stick to their original five-season plan for the series.

"We are now breaking up season 5, and we have to see how many episodes it will take us to get to where we know we’re going to go," Downs said back in May.

"The final scene of the final episode has been in our minds since 2015, and we’re excited to get there. But that may take more episodes than we can fit in the season...The truth is that we’ve been really lucky to be able to tell the story in the way that the writing requires, and we’re gonna do that again. And so if we can’t get to that final chapter in 10, and it might be more—we just don’t know. That’s the truth. We know where we’re going, we just don’t know how long it will take to get there."

Fans may recall that the acclaimed season 4 of Hacks concluded with Smart's Deborah Vance down on her luck and living in Singapore after leaving late-night TV and facing a non-compete clause. However, it sets up the forthcoming episodes as a false report of her death inspires a fire in her and her writer/mentee, Ava (Einbinder), to return to the U.S. and fight the industry to reclaim her work.

This year's Emmys ceremony marked a big night for Hacks, which was nominated for 14 awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series.

The stars took home major prizes. Smart won her fourth consecutive Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy for playing Deborah Vance (marking her seventh Emmy overall). Meanwhile, Einbinder took home her first-ever award, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, for her performance as Ava Daniels.

Einbender, who is known for being vocal about both social justice issues and her love of the Philadelphia Eagles, ended her speech by saying, "Go Birds, fuck ICE, and free Palestine."

Lauren Graham said it best on the 2025 Emmys stage: “Gilmore Girls took the season of fall hostage.” It's only right Graham and co-star Alexis Bledel reunited during autumn's first major award show.

Half-way through the two-hour red carpet circuit, the internet's favorite faux mother-daughter duo blessed fans with their presence. (They've been noticeably absent from the Emmys for years—Graham since 2018 and Bledel since 2010.) Graham and Bledel, a.k.a. Lorelai and Rory, acted as each other's plus-ones in similar column silhouettes.

Graham chose a black illusion gown covered in florals, in lieu of fresh-fallen leaves. It hailed from Swiss label, Akris. Its high neck called for minimal jewelry, including a single diamond ring.

Bledel, on the other hand, went with silver sparkles courtesy of Marmar Halim Pre-Fall 2025. It felt so aligned with Rory's early-aughts aesthetic, from the strapless neckline to the silver beadwork. In the Egyptian designer's line, the bodice was slightly more structural (the top arched up instead of straight-across).

Going necklace-free was certainly a trend of the evening. Selena Gomez, Mariska Hargitay, Cristin Milioti, Chase Sui Wonders, and Bledel (to name a few) made a case for statement necklines, rather than six-figure pendants. To finish, Bledel popped on drop emerald earrings, one of her on-screen character's favorite fall-ish shades.

Gilmore Girls fans everywhere screamed seeing Graham and Bledel on the red carpet. (Apologies to my neighbors.) But wait, they gifted us an on-stage reunion, too. Host Nate Bargatze introduced the former co-stars on a flowery front porch straight out of Stars Hollow. Graham and Bledel channeled their on-screen alter-egos to present The Studio with the Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series award.

"25 years ago, a show called Gilmore Girls premiered," Graham said during the ceremony. "In spite of our autumnal dominance, Gilmore was actually a very small show," Bledel responded. They reminisced over their "great, big, terrifyingly lengthy scripts," the ones still charming fans today.

All in all, Bledel and Graham looked right at home on the wrap-around, cottage-core porch. However, their designer gowns marked quite a detour from their character's plaid sweaters, denim jackets, and knee-high boots. No worries, though: I have seven seasons of style inspiration to source.

Seeing Bledel and Graham on-stage together encouraged me to queue up my umpteenth rewatch of Gilmore Girls. Who am I kidding? I don't need any excuse to binge my fall comfort show again.

The 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards are currently taking place in Los Angeles, and while most of the attendees are gathering in hopes of taking home trophies (and praising the ones who do), the best part of the show happens before it even starts—on the red carpet. All of Hollywood stepped out tonight wearing their very best, but one look at everyone's glam shows that it's already shaping up to be a pretty big night for slick ponytails.

Among other trends like the oft-debated side part, gray hair, and red lips, ponytails are having a big moment at the show tonight. Selena Gomez, who's currently starring in the Emmy-nominated Only Murders in the Building, showed up with her long bob pulled into a super slick ponytail with a Barbie-like flick at the ends. And speaking of Barbie ponytails, The Better Sister's Elizabeth Banks attended the event wearing a super-long and voluminous high ponytail with platinum blonde highlights.

Ponytails have long been a staple on red carpets, and it's not hard to see why. They're pretty simple to accomplish, and they can keep your hair out of your face all night, plus they can be customized to look however you want them to with anything from a flip to a wraparound.

Below, I've rounded up the best ponytails spotted on the red carpet tonight, plus a few products that'll help you achieve the sleekest ponytail ever.

The Best High Ponytails at the 2025 Emmy Awards

The Best Products for Ponytails

After being cast in Hulu's hit show The Bear, Ayo Edebiri has become one of the Emmy red carpet's stars to watch. At almost every award show, the actor shows up ready to claim her award and coincidentally serves the best look of the night—pretty much without even trying.

At last year's show, for example, she churned out three different Emmys night looks. Edebiri started off in a whimsical Bottega Veneta gown, which she wore on the red carpet pre-show. She arrived in a custom column dress which was covered in black and orange sequins.

To claim her award for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Edebiri pivoted to a luxe leather number. The strapless design—a Louis Vuitton creation—featured a bubble-like skirt and a strapless bodice. For those keeping score, it's likely one of the most stunning looks she's ever worn.