By Jessica Wedemeyer
1:33pm PST, Dec 7, 2018
Coming in a close second is the dramatic feather-print Michael Costello dress that Cardi B donned during a Paris Fashion Week outing on Sept. 25. (The look was so major, the rapper stopped to work it for the paparazzi before climbing into a waiting car.) The gorgeous long-sleeved gown featured a thigh-high slit, statement shoulders, a high neckline and an extra-long keyhole cutout at the bust. She topped off her look with an appropriately-extra matching headpiece.
RELATED: Musicians with the most Grammy wins of all time
Taylor Swift — who surprisingly earned just one Grammy nomination this year — only walked two red carpets in 2018. And both looks were showstoppers! First, she was pretty in pink in an asymmetrical Versace gown that was practically a work of art during the Billboard Music Awards on May 20. Her stunning dress featured a thigh-high slit, curve-accentuating embroidery along the bodice and feathered tufts across half of the chest, as well as the opposite shoulder, from which extra fabric draped down her back — adding to the drama-factor of this exquisite look.
RELATED: Stars at their first Grammy Awards
Taylor Swift's second red carpet appearance of the year deserves a mention too! On Oct. 9, she went in a completely different direction, sparkling in a shiny silver Balmain ensemble — a long-sleeved minidress with a high neckline and matching over-the-knee boots — during the American Music Awards.
Drake — who earned a whopping seven Grammy nominations this year — shirked the red carpet in 2018. A paparazzo caught him looking sharp in gray slacks and a matching overcoat while leaving the WME Pre-Oscars Party in Beverly Hills on March 3.
Like Drake, Kendrick Lamar — who earned a whopping eight Grammy nominations this year for the "Black Panther" soundtrack — didn't pose on a single red carpet in 2018. One lucky photographer managed to catch him sneaking into the Marvel movie's Los Angeles premiere on Jan. 29 in a black hoodie and black Rasta-striped pants with white Nike sneakers.
Lady Gaga — who earned five Grammy nominations this year — donned many fabulous looks in 2018 thanks to her globe-spanning "A Star is Born" press tour, but our absolute favorite is the baby pink feathered Valentino gown that she wore during the drama's Venice International Film Festival premiere on Aug. 31. (Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli dubbed the confection the Flamingo dress.) At least one more of her looks deserves a mention…
Bow down! Lady Gaga channeled Queen Elizabeth I in a whimsical Alexander McQueen creation from the design house's Fall 2013 collection during the London premiere of "A Star is Born" on Sept. 27. The ball gown featured a lacy collar, a beaded bodice and billowy cold-shoulder sleeves with a full skirt.
Actor-director Bradley Cooper — who earned two Grammy nominations this year for "Shallow" from "A Star is Born" — sported a baby blue three-piece suit that really made his eyes pop during the Los Angeles premiere of "A Star is Born" on Sept. 24. He completed his look with a cross-print navy blue tie.
Beyonce — who earned three Grammy nominations this year — didn't walk a single red carpet in 2018. Instead, she scored one of the most iconic looks of the year with the ensemble she sported during the opening of her history-making headlining set during the first weekend of Coachella on April 14. The superstar wore a cropped yellow satin Balmain hooded sweatshirt baring the Greek letters Beta Delta Kappa — a tribute to historically black colleges and universities — with denim short shorts, flesh-tone fishnet tights and white iridescent fringe boots.
Ariana Grande — who earned two Grammy nominations this year — topped many best-dressed lists in a strapless Vera Wang ball gown that was a literal work of art during the Met Gala on May 7. The singer-actress interpreted the evening's theme — Heavenly Bodies and the Catholic Imagination — quite literally with her dress, which featured images of the Sistine Chapel printed on the fabric. She topped off her look with an oversized bow of sheer fabric in her hair … because Ariana.
But Ariana Grande's most iconic look of 2018 is the one she wore during her May 1 appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." The singer-actress donned a pink Cecilie Bahnsen cupcake top — which basically fit her like a micro-minidress — over matching short shorts and gray over-the-knee stiletto boots. It was basically a dressed-up version of her signature look of 2018: an oversized sweater with thigh-high boots and a high ponytail.
We love Camila Cabello, who earned two Grammy nominations this year. But her sense of style? Not so much. The former Fifth Harmony member is clearly still figuring things out since going solo in late 2016. Anyhoodie, here's her best look of 2018: a black Ester Abner gown featuring ruffled tulle along the neckline that hit all the right notes during Clive Davis' Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons on Jan. 27.
Shawn Mendes — who earned two Grammy nominations this year — loves to play with fashion, and he did just that during Clive Davis' annual Pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons on Jan. 27. The singer-songwriter rocked a sharp Givenchy suit featuring a kiss-print button-down and his signature skinny-fit slacks.
Kacey Musgraves — who has four Grammy nominations this year — earned raves for her ensemble during the CMA Awards on Nov. 14: a Western-inspired Versace jumpsuit with solid black pants and a sheer bodice featuring an oversized keyhole cutout and gold fringe at the collar, shoulders and cuffs.
Pink — who earned one Grammy nomination this year — donned one of the most divisive dresses of the 2018 Grammys on Jan. 28. The singer chose a multicolored strapless feathered Armani Prive dress, which she wore with a belt, for music's biggest night.
Janelle Monae — who earned two Grammy nominations this year — rocked her signature black-and-white color scheme (and landed among the day's biggest fashion hits) during the Independent Spirit Awards on March 3. The singer-actress killed it in a Martha Medeiros ensemble — a high-waist skirt with tiered ruffles and a white lace top with a bejeweled neckline featuring an embroidered white tiger at one shoulder — which she wore with a leather choker, a wide-brim hat, mismatched earrings and Sylva & Cie rings. But this wasn't her only major look of the year…
Janelle Monae stepped out of her fashion comfort zone during the BET Awards on June 24, and we were all about it! The singer-actress donned a stunning Nicholas Jebran gown featuring a sparkly emerald corset bodice with a full skirt of rainbow-colored ruffles — a major deviation from her standard black-and-white looks. She accessorized with a super-cute conductor hat and a bejeweled UFO-shaped clutch to complete one of her most colorful ensembles ever.
Post Malone — who earned four Grammy nominations this year — typically favors extremely loud suits in bold, colorful prints, so we were pleased to see him wearing an ensemble featuring only two prints (both in neutral hues) during a visit to the press room at the MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 20. The "Better Now" rapper wore a reddish-brown striped three-piece suit over a black-and-white polka-dot print button-down.
Maren Morris — who earned five Grammy nominations this year — donned her best look of 2018 quite early in the year. The country-pop cutie sparkled in a cold-shoulder embellished Julien Macdonald dress with midriff cutouts and a sheer skirt — one of her edgiest looks yet — during the Grammys on Jan. 28.
Dua Lipa — who earned two Grammy nominations including best new artist — donned one of our favorite designers during the Billboard Music Awards on May 20. The "New Rules" singer rocked a shiny purple Alexandre Vauthier dress with statement shoulders, an oversized bow at the waist and a front split. The disco-inspired look also featured a plunging neckline, which the chart-topper styled with a statement necklace from Bvlgari's High Jewelry Serpenti Sautoir collection and matching earrings.
Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover — who earned five Grammy nominations this year — was one of the best dressed men of 2018. Though he's known to rock extremely colorful ensembles, we loved this black-and-brown Bottega Veneta look best. During a photocall for "Solo: A Star Wars Story" in London on May. 18, he paired a checkered cashmere sweater featuring a leather collar with striped pants and completed the look with brown Christian Louboutin loafers.
SZA — who earned four Grammy nominations this year — wowed the fashion world when she arrived at the Met Gala on May 7 in a super-pretty pink Versace gown with a beaded bodice and a layered tulle skirt, which she wore with matching thigh-high stiletto boots. But the true showstopper was her headpiece. Let's take a closer look…
SZA looked simply divine during the Met Gala in a handcrafted halo by designer Chris Habana. According to Paper magazine, the "Ctrl" singer also sported two golden tears on one cheek (created by Habana in collaboration with Willy Chavarria) "to evoke the iconic image of Mary's Tear."
Bebe Rexha — who earned two Grammy nominations this year including one for best new artist — deviated from her preferred curve-hugging silhouette with the gorgeous NEDO by Nedret Taciroğlu gown that she wore during the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills on March 4. The strapless sequined and floral-embroidered dress featured a plunging neckline and a tiered skirt — an unusual choice for the singer that we absolutely adored.
Newcomer Ella Mai — who earned two Grammy nominations this year — hasn't walked many red carpets yet, but her appearance at the American Music Awards on Oct. 9 promised good things to come. The "Boo'd Up" singer rocked an oversized mint Sergio Hudson pantsuit featuring a double-breasted jacket, which she wisely wore sans shirt, and wide-leg trousers.
Newcomer Jorja Smith — who earned one Grammy nomination this year for best new artist — has only walked a few red carpets so far in her career, but she's already a pro! The "Blue Lights" singer stunned in an ethereal blush belted Dior dress during the Guggenheim International Gala in New York City on Nov. 15.
St. Vincent — who earned two Grammy nominations this year — donned her least wacky look of 2018 during the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 2. The singer sported a long-sleeved Saint Laurent LBD with a drop waist and a super-short asymmetrical hemline.
Zedd — who earned three Grammy nominations this year — had one of the best menswear moments of the 2018 Grammys on Jan. 28 in a deep purple Ermenegildo Zegna Couture ensemble with black trim.
Beck — who earned three Grammy nominations this year — was the epitome of hipster-chic in a black suit featuring his signature super-skinny slacks and a black-and-white polka-dot button-down during the LACMA: Art + Film Gala in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. He topped off his look with a black hat.
J Balvin — who earned one Grammy nomination this year for his hit "I Like It" — is known for his wild sense of style, but we like him best when he keeps things simple like he did during a Feb. 7 visit to the Music Choice studios in New York City. The Colombian singer sported an '80s-inspired acid-wash denim jacket with neon pink and neon yellow details over a camo-print zip-up hoodie with neon yellow lining, a black T-shirt, black joggers and white-and-gold Nike sneakers.
Like his "I Like It" collaborator J Balvin, Bad Bunny — who earned one Grammy nomination this year — has an exceptionally extra sense of style. His best look of 2018 was the simple black suit he wore with velvet shoes during the Latin Grammy Awards on Nov. 15. Of course, it wouldn't be Bad Bunny without a few bizarre accessories. Let's take a closer look…
Bad Bunny completed his Latin Grammy Awards look with a pair of funky shades, a single hoop earring, a septum ring, a black manicure featuring images of the evil eye and a tie with a photo of wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin smack in the middle.
