Celebrity Red Carpet Outfits 2026: Best Looks from the 78th Emmys

Quick answer: The 78th Emmys celebrity red carpet on September 14, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles belonged to metal and heat. Zendaya won the night in custom Prada with a brand-new pixie cut, Selena Gomez turned herself into a walking Emmy statuette in gold Louis Vuitton, and host Mariska Hargitay went full fire-engine red. Gold, silver, and red showed up on almost every best-dressed list. Pastel blue with bows came in close behind.

Below: the looks that mattered, the Emmys jewelry worth zooming in on, who never showed up (yes, Taylor), and how to borrow each idea without a stylist.

The 2026 Emmys Red Carpet at a Glance

The Emmys Red Carpet Trends in 60 Seconds

Metallics came roaring back. Zendaya’s crystals, Selena’s gold beading, and Shabana Azeez’s golden strapless gown. WWD called metallics one of the biggest stories of the night, and after a few seasons of quiet beige minimalism, the shine felt fun again.

Red meant business. Hargitay’s sequins, Cailee Spaeny’s bow-trimmed halter, and Chase Infiniti’s beaded Louis Vuitton all leaned into it.

Bows grew up. Carey Mulligan’s The row gown trailed a floor-length blue bow down her back. Ayo Edebiri’s Chanel used bright bows as contrast. Neither looked sweet or girly. Both looked expensive.

Men ditched Black. Oscar Isaac wore a white Celine jacket, and Noah Wyle picked a gray and black Brunello Cucinelli tux on the night he won Lead Actor in a Drama for The Pitt.

Best Dressed at the Emmys 2026

Zendaya in Custom Prada

Zendaya, nominated for the final season of Euphoria, debuted her shortest haircut yet a few days before the show and then wore a semi-sheer Prada gown covered in silver crystals with a deep V. She finished it with Mikimoto pearls.

The styling logic is simple and smart. With no hair falling past her jaw, nothing interrupts the neckline, so the V, the pearls, and her collarbones become the whole picture. Gone short? This is your cue for open necklines and statement earrings.

Selena Gomez in Louis Vuitton

Gomez and her longtime stylist Erin Walsh chose a strapless gold Louis Vuitton gown that flared into a mermaid hem. The beading swirls in a circular pattern at the waist and hips, which shapes the body like a corset without the boning. Walsh told E! the dress looks heavy on camera but weighs very little.

Fans spotted the resemblance to the Emmy statue right away. It also nodded to her 2016 era, the year she became a Louis Vuitton campaign face.

Nicole Kidman in Chanel

Kidman returned to the Emmys for the first time in nine years in white Chanel. The neckline carried 46 handmade flowers in silk crepe, silk organza, and raffia. A white dress plus face-framing texture is a classic trick: the eye goes up, and the whole look reads soft instead of stiff.

Mariska Hargitay in Monse

The first woman to host the Emmys solo in 15 years walked in wearing red sequins with an off-the-shoulder strap, a fitted body, and a feathery mermaid finish with a train. She changed outfits several times during the show, but this arrival look is the keeper.

Ayo Edebiri in Custom Chanel

A tiered, pastel blue Chanel gown with red-orange bows. Soft color with a hot accent is the easiest formula on this list to copy, and it photographs well in daylight or flash.

Carey Mulligan in The Row

For her Emmy debut, Mulligan wore a strapless blue and white floral gown with a long blue bow falling down the back. The Row sells quiet luxury. This was quiet luxury with a punchline.

Chase Infiniti in Louis Vuitton

The 26-year-old The Testaments nominee wore a beaded custom Louis Vuitton gown. Here’s a small honest gap other roundups skip: outlets can’t agree on the color. E! described it as dark brown, CNN as black organza with copper embroidery, and WWD grouped it with the red looks. Lighting on a red carpet shifts deep tones a lot, so check photos from more than one angle before you shop a “dupe.”

The Men Worth Mentioning

Colman Domingo, nominated for The Four Seasons, wore a mandarin-collared copper Valentino jacket, cream trousers, and a magenta sash belt. Jeff Hiller paired an embroidered Bode suit with a gold shirt. Both prove embroidery and color work fine at black tie if the fit is sharp.

The Boldest Swing: Megan Stalter

The Hacks star arrived dressed as an actual Emmy statuette. Wearable? No. Talked about? Endlessly.

Emmys Jewelry Looks Worth a Closer Look

Selena Gomez skipped the necklace and went heavy on the wrist and ears, all Tiffany & Co. Reports valued her Bird on a Rock bracelet at about $175,000 and the matching earrings at about $90,000, plus Jean Schlumberger rings. A strapless gold dress needs no necklace; the bare collarbone does the work.

Zendaya’s Mikimoto pearls did the opposite job, softening a sparkling, sheer gown so it looked elegant instead of loud.

The takeaway for you: choose one jewelry zone. Neck or ears and wrists. Rarely both.

Looking for Taylor, Sydney, or J.Lo? Here’s What Happened

Taylor Swift was nominated but spent the night in Kansas City cheering on Travis Kelce and the Chiefs in their season opener against the Broncos. She still appeared on screen in a pre-taped Law & Order sketch with Hargitay.

Sydney Sweeney and Jenna Ortega also skipped the carpet, even though Euphoria and Wednesday came in with multiple nominations.

Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian, Blake Lively, Anne Hathaway, and Dakota Johnson didn’t appear in major outlets’ Emmys arrivals coverage. If you’re hunting for their best celebrity red carpet dresses of 2026, look to earlier events:

• Jennifer Lopez wore a vintage early-2000s Jean Louis Scherrer couture gown from her own closet to the Golden Globes in January, with Sabyasachi jewelry.
• Ariana Grande chose a black Vivienne Westwood dress with a structured top and a bell skirt at the Globes.
• Blake Lively returned to the Met Gala in May in an archival pastel Atelier Versace ballgown from spring 2006, carrying a Judith Leiber bag featuring her kids’ artwork.
• Anne Hathaway wore hand-painted custom Michael Kors to the same Met Gala.
• Kim Kardashian attended the Met Gala and, during Oscars weekend in March, wore a curve-hugging gold Gucci turtleneck gown to the Vanity Fair party.

How to Steal Emmys Red Carpet Looks for Real Life

You don’t need a gown to use what worked on Monday night. Four formulas that translate:

1. The Selena: gold with a defined waist. Look for a sequin or metallic midi with ruching, a wrap, or a contrast belt at the waist. It works for holiday parties, New Year’s Eve, and black-tie optional weddings. 

2. The Zendaya: one strong neckline, one piece of jewelry. A V-neck slip dress plus pearl drop earrings. Skip the necklace, pull hair back, or keep it short. 

3. The Ayo: pastel plus one hot accent. Baby blue dress, red or orange shoes or bag. Easy for spring weddings and garden parties.

4. The Colman: warm neutrals instead of a black tux. For men, a cream or camel dinner jacket with dark trousers feels current and still reads formal. 

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