Brit Awards 2023 Red Carpet: Celebs Showed a Lot of Skin and Sam Smith Wore Inflatable Latex

Update, 5:15 p.m.: Harry Styles did, in fact, win Artist of the Year. “I wanna thank my mum for signing me up for the X Factor without asking me,” he said in a charming acceptance speech. “I also wanna thank Niall, Louis, Liam and Zayn.”

The Brit Awards, the biggest night of the year in British music, kicked off on Saturday at the O2 Arena in London, hosted by Mo Gilligan. I am fully expecting Harry Styles to sweep in every category, especially considering that his new album is apparently better than Beyoncé’s Renaissance. Perhaps it also helps that not a single woman was nominated alongside him this year in the now-gender-neutral Artist of the Year category, which...is an interesting choice, I guess, considering the wealth of options.

Amid blowback to all five nominees being male, a spokesman for the Brits told HuffPost:

“We are pleased to see Wet Leg leading the nominations with four nods and FLO winning the Rising Star, and artists such as Nova Twins also included in this year’s shortlists, and while it’s disappointing there are no nominations in the Artist of the Year category, we also have to recognise that 2022 saw fewer high profile women artists in cycle with major releases as was the case in 2021.

“These trends based around the release schedule are a feature of the music industry, but if, over time, a pattern emerges, then this puts the onus on the industry to deal with this important issue – and the BPI is already carrying out a major study to identify barriers that may inhibit more women becoming successful in music, so that there can be solutions that result in meaningful change.”

Bit of a head-scratcher, that statement is.

Anyway, the celebrities really brought it to the red carpet carpet this year; they wore a lot of black and showed a whole lot of skin. Let us momentarily forget about gender politics and feast our eyes instead on some beautiful fits.

Frankly, I am loving this sleak, funereal velvet suit with a pop of chest hair and absolutely massive black flower. He looks cool as hell. And whoever got his hair to look like that deserves a prize.

She wore a red rose garden for the Grammys, and she’s downright celestial at the Brit Awards. I’ll admit that these ruffles are giving me slight golden labia vibes, but I’m not really mad about it. Lizzo looks incredible.

Smith in a custom latex number by Harri appears to be channeling Missy Elliot’s iconic black trash bag look, but with a bit more drama and structure. It’s definitely a risk, better than boring! I just can’t watch them walk around in this getup without hearing the squeaks of latex on latex and feeling the inner-thigh chaffing.

She looks like she had a black plaster cast made of her boobs and just left it on after. Is that what happened?

I am legitimately speechless. Everything about this look, down to the eyeshadow, is perfect. A+++.

As we wrote this week, celebs have been doing some version of the naked dress for decades—but it’s rare to see this much nipple on the red carpet. Not a complaint!

So much structural black tonight, so many platform boots! Hayek is giving dominatrix energy here with her fishnets, leather, zippers and knot necklace, and I think she pulls it off.

This is Iris Law. Whomst, you may ask? She is the daughter of actor Jude Law and Sadie Frost, which explains why she looks like this. This skirt being held up by a string around her neck feels very fresh and cool with the black leather bra.

Here we have another nepo baby—Georgia May Jagger, daughter of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall—and yet another all black ensemble with platform boots. This looks is a bit boring and safe, but she’s gorgeous and could pull off a potato sack. Next.

I mean this is a maternity look!! I’m not even mad about the loofah sponge coat, she’s just radiant in red (and I really hope she is able to pee in that lace bodysuit?!?).

This plunging deep orange gown is such a nice palate cleanser from all the black, and her hairstyle is giving royalty.

Stormzy, who’s going up against Styles for Artist of the Year, keeps it classic in a perfectly tailored grey suit with just enough twists to keep it interesting. He looks so hot I just forgot my own name, honestly.

I don’t know why the woman from Love Island Season 3 is at the Brits, but this is about as sexy and chic as I can even imagine a maternity dress being.

I love Shania Twain but I do not love this color on her nor the necklace nor the Kim Guilfoyle-esque hair situation, I’m sorry **ducks**!

Every pregnant woman at the show got the bare bump memo, it would seem! Three is a trend.

I don’t know who this woman is, honestly, but she looks like she’s got lost on the way to Burning Man. Is that a string bikini, in London in February? Is she wearing tanning oil?? How many unicorns had to die to make this fit???

I like this shade of blue on Ella, but the dress and her styling are a bit dated, a bit safe. Bring me more next time pls and thank you.

Now this is the very British shit I came here for! A tiny weird hat! A brooch! She looks like she’s playing a Pink Lady in an English revival of Grease, it’s perfect.

The British diver and American Milk screenwriter are having so much fun with this red carpet appearance that I have no choice to but to stan their love and their lightly coordinating pink and purple suits. I need that sequin jacket.

The pop singer and BBC radio announcer looks like a hot disco ball I’d like to party with in a fitted mint green sequin gown.

Bonus shot of Lizzo’s outfit change for her performance, which is just so extra and delightful and fun.