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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Maddy Mussen

Best dressed at the Brit Awards 2023

Lizzo

(Picture: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

The Brit Awards returned this weekend in full force, with multiple slurred acceptance speeches, celebs hiding under the tables doing God knows what and a handful of technical difficulties. It was the Brits as we know them best: utter chaos.

The outfits were, of course, just as messy and fun as the awards ceremony and, despite the Brits being awkwardly nestled between the Grammys and Oscars, two arguably bigger-deal events, not a single celeb was caught slipping.

For most people, the first taste of the Brits red carpet came in the form of Sam Smith — puffed up and pouting in their latex inflatable suit, made by Kerala-born designer Harri, with vast protruding leg and shoulder elements, looking equal parts ridiculous and amazing.

The stylish illusion was slightly ruined with a video of the singer walking about in their suit, which some quick thinking Twitter users set to the tune of clown shoe sounds or the squelching noise of Squidward from Spongebob Squarepants’ walk.

They won back some cool points, though, with their performance of Unholy alongside collaborator Kim Petras, where they appeared grease-stained and leather clad atop a car bonnet with a crop of writhing back-up dancers.

Sam Smith (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Also performing was Lizzo, who looked more like Lizzy McGuire with her two part outfit by Act N°1 – a huge pink feather headpiece, in which her head was nestled like a pearl within a clam, paired with a long silk skirt, which the singer then ripped off to reveal a shorter skirt that allowed her to dance (and play the flute at the same time – slay).

Lizzo (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Harry Styles was another star who exhibited multiple outfit changes throughout the night, starting with a black Nina Ricci suit complete with a huge black flower corsage – a Carrie Bradshaw favourite – before changing into a short red sequined blazer, sans shirt, and black flared trousers for his opening performance of As It Was. He ended with a chic tailored suit and silk shirt, unbuttoned to his belly, which he wore to accept his four Brit awards.

Harry Styles (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Presenting one of Harry’s awards was the actor and cocktail-making king Stanley Tucci, who was all buttoned up in a black suit with a velvet blazer and his trademark thick-rimmed glasses.

Leather abounded in the crowd, with girl group Flo looking the picture of Destiny’s Child in their matching maroon leather outfits, which varied just slightly per performer. If Rihanna made bridesmaids dresses, they’d look like this.

Flo in their alt-bridesmaid wear (Getty Images)

Among the leather-clad clan was comedian Daisy May Cooper, who was unrecognisable in her short black leather suit dress and towering heels. Cooper and Am I Being Unreasonable co-star Selin Hizli presented the award for best alternative/rock act, where they made a joke about the Sugababes’ bathroom antics (or lack thereof), which ITV rushed to censor.

There were more skin-baring outfits, too. Singer songwriter Charli XCX arrived on the red carpet wearing a see-through look by Ludovic de Saint Sernin, embellished in Swarovski crystals and brought together by the visible white thong worn beneath. This wasn’t even XCX’s best look of the night, though, as she opted to change into a slogan t-shirt saying “Real Winner” for the Brits after party (she was nominated for best pop/R&B act but was beaten by Harry Styles).

Charli XCX (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

And there were, of course, some caped crusaders spotted in the crowd. Little Mix member Leigh-Anne Pinnock turned up in an orange gown with a matching shawl, the latest to hop aboard the hooded gown trend which has been dominating red carpets this year. All in all, it was leathery, feathery, OTT and a bit of a car crash – just the way the Brits should be.

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