At the 2026 Grammys, Chappell Roan’s dress turned heads. We can always expect a bold look from her, and she looked stunning. But her outfit also generated a little bit of controversy.
For those unfamiliar, Chappell Roan won the award for best new artist because of her album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. This year, she returned to present the same award to Olivia Dean, the freshest new talent of this past year.
While the popstar didn’t take home her own award this year, her single Subway was nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance and Record of the Year.
Red: classic and provocative
At the red carpet, Chappell showed up in a deep red chiffon cape that dragged several feet behind her. She then pulled it off to reveal a matching red draped dress that gathered elegantly around her waist and trailed down behind her. The draping around her bodice was held up on two rings connected to nipple pasties, which are a type of prosthetic — a daring choice that left many people stunned.
To complete her look, Chappell donned burgundy sandals and ornate, patterned designs drawn in makeup across her chest and back — reminiscent of the popular henna tattoos.
The dress was custom-made for her by Mugler, inspired by Mafred Thierry Mugler’s Spring Summer 1998 Jeu de Paume Haute Couture collection.
Her later outfit appeared when she was onstage. It was another drapey dress, this time a greyish white with a few floral motifs. It was less revealing, and in my opinion, vaguely resembled an ancient Greek toga.
In a sense, the mythological motif fits the name Chappell has made for herself. Universally recognized as an icon, she has become mythologized, embedded into the contemporary queer popstar cannon.
Additionally, this look was another callback. Made by Rodarte in their Fall 2007 collection, Keira Knightley also wore this gown to the red carpet London premiere of Atonement in 2007.
Her style sparks reactions
Many fans praised Chappell for her fashion, some calling her “ethereal” and a “princess” in the comments under her own Instagram post after the event.
However, there were also a fair number of people who were scandalized by her choice, labelling her dress as tacky or in poor taste.
In Billboard’s video of Chappell posing for photos on the red carpet, one commenter asked, “How is this allowed?”
Another wrote, “I love her, but this is too much. Is she gonna get banned?”
There were also several disgusted comments under her Instagram post as well. A common pattern was people saying something similar to one commenter: “What happened to protecting children?”
At this point, comments like that are exhausting, especially in the drag sphere. If parents are letting their children watch red carpet shows (which doesn’t even sound all that appealing if you’re a child) where people have historically worn revealing outfits, then it is the parents’ responsibility to determine whether that is appropriate for their children.
Chappell responded in a February Instagram post that she was “giggling because I don’t even think this is THAT outrageous of an outfit. The look is actually so awesome and weird. I recommend just exercising your free will, it’s really fun and silly.”
This is definitely not the first time people have had a big reaction to something Chappell Roan does. She has a reputation for being a bit unconventional when it comes to conventional perceptions of celebrity etiquette. For example, last September at the VMAs, she snapped at a photographer who was being rude to her. That action also sparked a lot of backlash.
I think all that shows is that she knows her worth and wants to work on her own terms, but Chappell has always been a pioneer in her field.
There are double standards for women
One takeaway to gain from this is how women and men are generally treated differently when it comes to celebrity interactions.
One commenter raised a good point. They wrote under Chappell Roan’s post, “If Justin can perform in his underwear without anyone batting an eyelid, you can rock pierced pasties, diva. Misogyny.”
Why is it that no conversations about “protecting the children” happen when a man breaks the dress code? The notion that “boys will be boys” seems to extend to adults, and as a result, men don’t face criticism for their own immature or distasteful choices.
Even when it comes to Chappell’s VMAs dispute, people had very strong reactions. There are many male celebrities who have a reputation for being mean or careless, but their rude responses to interview questions don’t take social media by storm the way Chappell’s actions do.
There is always pressure on women to “set a good example.” But what does that really look like? And do they really have a responsibility to do that? In a patriarchal culture, women are expected to be demure, subdued, and modest. But Chappell is showing the world that those shouldn’t be the ideal at all.
Chappell Roan might have a tendency to be brash. However, I think her behavior and her work are shifting society’s expectations for what a successful woman looks like. And ultimately, that is a positive thing.
