NYLON Editors On Grammys Fashion, Snubs, & The Best Performances

To paraphrase Miley Cyrus addressing the custom Alaïa dress she wore to present Record of the Year, it was too “sickening” not to share — and that’s kind of how we feel about the thoughts and hot takes we’re bursting with after covering the 2025 Grammy Awards. (We did tire ourselves out logging every outfit change, neatly cyclical vintage moment, and so-fast-it’ll-make-your-head-spin couture pull from the red carpet and ceremony.)

With great knowledge comes great responsibility, so we logged back on mere hours after host Trevor Noah bid adieu to share our informed opinions on Feb. 2’s show. Think of it as your least dry group chat — if everyone had been working in fashion, music, and entertainment for years.

Chelsea Peng, managing editor: Opening up the debrief! Shall we start with the fashion? Who do we think was best-dressed?

Lauren McCarthy, editor-in-chief: I’m going Charli. It felt very her but red-carpet-elevated, and pulling straight from the runway (with tweaks!) is a flex. We stan Chris Horan in this house.

Kevin LeBlanc, style editor: All hail King Chris! Everyone looked incredible, but splitting hairs... Doechii, Miley, Olivia, Charli. Olivia had the best beauty of the night for me.

McCarthy: Supermodel vibes absolutely re: Olivia.

Peng: Gracie Abrams’ Chanel is really growing on me, slash it looks like the dresses I drew as a kid (without the wimple).

McCarthy: I loved the hood and the tea length.

LeBlanc: I also think Charli wins best performance look — it was so her and so now.

McCarthy: She’s never looked better. It was the first thing I thought about when I opened my eyes this morning.

Peng: I think we need to discuss Gaga in new Valentino if we’re talking about performance looks.

LeBlanc: Gaga in an emerging Australian designer on the carpet, Valentino to perform, and Vivienne Westwood to win... all very different, but all hit for me! And the new music video during a commercial break just proved we’re so back. It’s 2009 all over again.

Peng: I feel like people online are like, “It’s not Gaga at all” re: the new Valentino, but it was a cohesive choice for the song.

McCarthy: I loved that she wore the Valentino with the glam of the new era — it felt very lived-in pop star. What was everyone’s favorite performance? I think I’m a tie between Doechii, Charli, and Chappell.

LeBlanc: Doechii 100%. My friends at Thom Browne toiled dressing 38 extras, but it was well worth it. Doechii gave skin, diction, body, sass, face tape, femininity, breath control, STARDOM. The most deserved standing O of the night. She also wins best speech.

Peng: I seriously am considering sobriety after that.

McCarthy: Biggest star is HERE moment of the night. What I liked about Chappell is that she committed to just one song, executed perfectly, rather than some big mashup.

LeBlanc: Chappell was the best vocal of the night, she sounded good. And it was the perfect homage to LA.

McCarthy: Any disappoints? I wish one of Charli’s awards had been televised — she deserved an onstage moment.

LeBlanc: Hard agree re: Charli — she got zero screen time. I also needed Bey and Miley to accept their award together onscreen, but alas. I think the Grammys are back and pop music is fun again, and I also think the awards were democratically distributed... by the 13,000 members of the Recording Academy.

Peng: At least in the little cutaway moments Charli and George seemed to be having fun.

LeBlanc: Wait, I take back Chappell being best vocal — Raye absolutely tore and was the only musical performance my mom texted me about, so she’s about to cross over to the boomers.

McCarthy: What are our extremely early hopes and dreams for the 2026 Grammys? Addison Rae for Best Pop Vocal?

LeBlanc: Plus Addison Rae for Best New Artist. I think this year was truly excellent and entertaining, mostly due to the nominees being great and diverse. I think next year we need a new host, a shorter tribute section, and Charli to perform again because why not?

Peng: A shorter broadcast time because some of us are jet-lagged.

McCarthy: To be fair, if you prorate LA time, that was the earliest Charli XCX has ever performed.

LeBlanc: I just know Charli is still awake somewhere in a Chateau bungalow.

McCarthy: I have one final correction before we go: The best performance of the night was actually M3GAN dancing to “Femininomenon” in the M3GAN 2.0 teaser.