Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

Lady Gaga at the Grammys

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I was half-asleep next to a coffee-table book about the Hours of Catherine of Cleves when I realized the Grammy red carpet must be underway. I dashed to the TV and turned it on just in time to hear, “And that was Lady Gaga.” Luckily, gorgeous blogger Karen of Where Did U Get That tweeted a Gaga photo at that very moment so my curiosity was immediately satisfied, but I wasn’t able to turn away from Twitter quickly enough to avoid seeing a thousand people ask some version of, “Why doesn’t Lady Gaga dress normally?”

Lady Gaga doing the red carpet at the Grammys. Courtesy gagadaily.com

I answered that damn question last year. Read the post again if you’re still mystified by concepts such as “performer,” “costume,” and “public image.” The people who asked “How is she going to sit down in that?” annoyed me even more. Seriously, you don’t know? SERIOUSLY? She’s going to change her outfit about 10 times!

If you need further explanation, read this L.A. Times blog post that patiently explains the difference between actress style and musician style:

“For actresses, there is a distinct red carpet ‘look’ — a strapless or one-shouldered gown in a body-hugging, mermaid silhouette, with minimal surface details — that renders them almost interchangeable. But for music artists, from Freddie Mercury to Madonna, fashion is key to creating an identity and rising to the top in a field that is now, in the Internet Age, even more crowded.”

The post also quotes Elle creative director Joe Zee as saying “The worst thing to happen to red carpet fashion is the best- and worst-dressed lists.” Agreed. Wear What You Want, bitches!

Read all my Lady Gaga posts here.

Get to know my Wear What You Want policy here.

Good Gaga article from Wall Street Journal here.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. These kids need to learn the term “Performance Artist,” too.

    She looks spectacular here. She looks like an amazing Bob Mackie Barbie that my mother wouldn’t let me have because they’re like, $99.99 (which is about $10 Billion in Barbie money).

  4. Haha. touche. and i am always always entertained by her performances on the red carpet.

    thanks for the comment, too! i had a comment from you a day after i had read your interview on its unbeweaveable and thought to myself, wow, that woman is way more badass than me!
    so thanks! i was mega excited!

  5. What a retarded question… why doesn’t she dress normal? She does seem to be missing a kick ass ring on her right hand… maybe you could help her out?

  6. The worst thing that ever happened to red carpet fashion is STYLISTS!!! Everyone looks like they’re wearing somebody; they don’t look like themselves. For example, all of Rachel Zoe’s clients look the same. Beautiful but boring, and frankly I think it’s dishonest. Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Garner look stunning at events but paparazzi pics of them on the street and they look absolutely awful.

    While I do enjoy poking fun at celebs who wear crazy outfits, I applaud them, too. It’s always said that fashion is an expression of one’s personality. Well, then I’d be more interested in getting to know Lady Gaga, Madonna, etc than the bland uniformed beauties we see marching down the red carpet these days.

  9. Helloooo…any press, even bad press, is better than no press at all. Performers like Lady Gaga understand that and milk the concept dry.

    It reminds me of the post that you did with the Katt williams YouTube bit. He said someting to the effect that if you have 14 haters, then you had better do your @#(*%@= best to get 16 haters.

    Controversy, not accolades, fuels our media today!

  10. She is a genius. I’m not even sure what that dress is covered in, but I know I want to go out, get some, and make a more wearable version of it. Also, loving the make up.

  11. I skipped out on the Grammy’s this year, but that’s what I heard from several people. I did look up her duet with Sir Elton John on Youtube. Excellent performance.

  15. Yeah, the people who compile these best and worst lists, who are they to judge anyway?? Lady Gaga looks totally awesome, a totally ingenious outfit!!

  18. What? Someone doesn’t fall into my narrow, boring sense of aesthetics? I’m upset! What the hell is wrong with these people who don’t look like how I want them to?

  19. Normal is boring anyway. I am quite disappointed she only got 2 awards while Taylor Swift got 4! Here in Europe, Taylor Swift is basically a big WHO + question mark. Gaga on the other hand is an honorary queen. Oh well, as long as Gaga is not nominated in the same category (country music) as Taylor Swift, I am happy.

    Besos, bitches.

  22. I am so god damn bored out of my mind with what people wear on the red carpet. Honestly, what’s the point in even having discussions about it when everyone looks like a clone of everyone else?

    Gaga, on the other hand, looks absolutely beautiful here. I actually thought she toned it down, it’s really pretty!

  23. It takes skill! Any other person would have fallen over and stabbed themselves with that star.

    And I think she should have accidentally left that star in Taylor Swifts chair. OOps!

  24. I looooove huh. She is fee-ab-yoo-luss.

    In my dreams, she & Daphne Guinness get married and adopt me and I get to spend the rest of my life playing in their closets.

  26. I like normal people and I happen to be one myself.
    But really, if I wanted to look at everyday people at an everyday event, I’d crash a wedding at the Washington Hilton. I love Lady G and the few others who aren’t cowed by the stylists and the snarkocracy and who just wear what they want. They are SO much more fun to watch.

  27. Lady Gaga is such a breath of fresh air. Her songs and her voice are amazing and her style is so fun. That’s what she does. Everyone else just is told what to wear. She can be as outrageous as she wants and then she can also out sing most people. She was fierce opening the Grammy’s last night and her duet with Sir Elton was spectacular. Love her!!!

  31. I really wish (on outfits like this) there was a way to also show detailed shots. I’d love to really see the material and construction in addition to the full length photo. But she looks amazing…despite the yellow hair 🙂

  32. To BE a rock star, one must ACT and DRESS like one. Jebus Christo, Miss J has to look at boring conservative clothing ALL DAY LONG at work. Don’t people get sick of looking at the same drab shit?

  33. Lady Gaga is one of the people that I just can’t wait to see what she is going to come up with next. This one looked like different sized hula hoops. Amazing as always. She definitely DOES entertain! What astounds me are her shoes. I always look at them and wonder how in the hell she doesn’t trip over herself at least 10 times while walking the red carpet. I definitely would.

    As for the Alexander McQueen dress, I’m with Liz and thinking if anyone could rock that baby, it would be you! 🙂

  35. indeed. i don’t get it. the people who question costume, that is. they’re fucking performers. of course they’re going to be all funked up. that’s why we watch them – they entertain us in not normal ways.

    i’m really digging lady gaga’s yellow dipped hair.

  36. I thought you were going to say that Gaga wore something of yours to the Grammys. But, whew, now I don’t have to be insanely jealous. ‘Cause I loves me some Gaga.

  37. I LOVE HER! Not just because she kicks so much ass, but also because I went to a sister school to the Convent of the Sacred Heart, and it gives me endless joy to think of the boundless horror she’s inflicted on the order. Last I heard, my local SH school had banned all mention of her name and music – so you know she must be hot stuff!**

    **Also, excellent way to make her more popular – do these school admins know nothing of the forbidden fruit factor?

  39. She fascinates me, and thats not easy to do!!
    I loved her outfit, and her performance!!
    xoxo
    PS, when do you expect the spring dresses I ordered to come in?? I was thinking Late March early April??

  42. I want to see what Target do with her style. I remember seeing crucifixes and lace gloves ala Maddie when I was in high school. How do you rip off Gaga?

  43. I think she looks gorgeous – and how important that you link this Lady Gaga hatred to the sexism and sex and the city post – because I feel like much of the commentary re lady gaga relates to her “audacity” as a non-conventionally pretty woman (I think she’s beautiful – I’m talking hollywood, heidi montag conventionally pretty here) to dress and behave in such a way , drawing attention to herself – similar to your commentary on the discourse around SJP in the earlier post. Love that I can talk fashion and feminism here, thanks Wendy B!

  46. It takes skill, guts and tenacity.. and also ” I don’t give a fuck what you think” mentality… to wear what she wore…. yep.. they change a few times throughout the awards I believe??

  48. Red Carpet looks have become so mundane and boring, which is why i rarely post award show looks. Some people come out once in a while looking fantastically different, while others look the same year after year.

    Oh and Lady G kills it all the time! At least she enjoys fashion!

  50. could not have been said better Wendy dear! People don’t understand that the needs a performer faces in terms of brand identity, image branding etc is completely different from that of an actress(they conform to suit whatever roles they are playing next, so need to be blank canvasses).

    Would David Bowie be Bowie without the image that he has reinvented over the years. Where would Grace Jones be without her snood and androgyny? What about the late Michael Jackson, a lot of what made Michael iconic,memorable and distinct was his image.

    I think people need to understand as you pointed out the difference between styling/image for a performer,actress,Tv personality and so on…
    LOVE THIS! Everyone needs to read it to get educated!
    xoxo
    marian.

    P.s to those who were asking why Gaga cant dress normally my answer is… Then she would not be Gaga duh!