Best-dressed lists are typically compiled by fashion editors reviewing red carpet photography shortly after an event concludes, applying criteria including a look’s technical execution, how well it suits the occasion’s specific dress code, and whether it represents a genuinely distinctive choice rather than a safe, conventionally attractive option. The range of looks at the 2026 SAG Awards — from Demi Moore’s sculpted Schiaparelli to Jenna Ortega’s lingerie-inspired Christian Cowan gown — gave outlets an unusually wide set of styles to rank against each other within a single ceremony.
Different outlets apply noticeably different editorial philosophies to their rankings: some favor bold, risk-taking looks even when execution is polarizing, while others prioritize universally flattering, classically elegant choices, meaning the same red carpet can produce meaningfully different best-dressed selections across various publications covering the same event.
The speed at which these lists now get published, frequently within hours of a red carpet concluding, has changed the format from a considered piece of fashion criticism into content built primarily for immediate engagement, with some outlets running live-updating lists throughout an event rather than a single considered piece afterward.
Because best-dressed lists carry genuine reputational value for both the celebrity and the designer involved, some looks — like Ariana Grande’s character-referencing Vivienne Westwood gown at the Globes — are increasingly conceived with exactly this kind of instant, shareable analysis in mind.
