The Grammys are music’s big night to shine. But Grammy has been known to dress a little funkier than its uptown cousin, Oscar. Artists often take a few more fashion risks and show a bit more skin — remember Jennifer Lopez’s famous plunging green gown a few years back? But in 2008, the Grammys went grown-up in a big way. The out-there outfits were few, replaced with a red carpet full of full-on glamorous gowns.

Carrie Underwood arrived on the red carpet in a fresh-from-the-runway flowing floral gown by Zuhair Murad, seen just days earlier during Fashion Week in New York. Underwood wore the dress when she picked up a Grammy for Female Country Vocal Performance for “Before He Cheats” during the pre-telecast portion of the awards. Artists don’t typically show up for the pre-telecast, but Underwood told the audience, “You couldn’t keep me from getting this actually myself.”

For her performance, Underwood shed the filmy gown for sexy short shorts and sparkly boots. In fact, sparkly could have been the theme for the evening, with sequins, beads and shiny fabrics as far as the eye could see. Disney Channel superstar Miley Cyrus (aka “Hannah Montana” — or Billy Ray Cyrus’ daughter, for those too old to have a tween in the house) sported a short silver dress by Celine, and Beyonce dazzled in a strapless silver Cinderella gown. Even Brad Paisley’s black western shirt subtly twinkled in the spotlight, and Vince Gill was suited up with shine as he accepted his award for country album.

Both Taylor Swift and Natasha Bedingfield picked purple (and strapless) — Swift in a light shade with beaded accents by Nashville designer Sandy Spika, and Bedingfield in a bold royal belted gown. “Brilliant jewel tones really worked well this year,” notes Libby Callaway, fashion columnist for the Nashville City Paper. “Natasha Bedingfield’s purple gown, though a bit too formal for the event in my opinion, was a really gorgeous color of purple. The looks I liked best were the short, pretty cocktail-style dresses like the electric blue Zac Posen number that Rhianna wore, which had a full skirt and feather underlay.”

Some artists bucked the trend toward bright colors and sparkly fabrics. Faith Hill chose a classic black close-fitting gown with a simple bow on one shoulder, and still managed to stand out from the crowd. Of course, that probably has less to do with the dress than with the fact that she’s Faith Hill.
 

The pale shades of summer are long gone, and fashion-forward divas are feeling blue — specifically a deep, dark, sparkly shade of indigo. Russian Navy is the hottest nail color on the planet this fall. The deep blue hue is part of the Russian Collection from OPI, and salons and beauty supply stores across the country report they can hardly keep the shade on the shelves. Why is everyone so blue? Beauty experts say navy is easier to wear than last year’s popular black because it is a little more dimensional and a little less sinister-looking, so it appeals to a wider range of people.
 
But if blue isn’t for you, there are plenty of other options, as long as you’re willing to turn to the dark side. This season’s trendy color palette also includes deep plums (even purple), reds and browns. You can’t turn on the TV without seeing an actress or model with dark-as-night nails. Popular shades around the country include Chanel’s Black Satin, Noir Ceramic and Black Tulip, and OPI’s Midnight in Moscow and Lincoln Park After Dark.
 
“Lots of our clients are getting dark reds, deep burgundies, almost black,” says Angela Vance of The Mirror salon in Nashville. “In general, shades haven’t been this dark in a long time.” The new dark hues are not made for three-inch talons, however. Manicurists say the look is more modern on short-to-medium-length nails.
 
Another hot nail trend is the reverse French manicure. Color is painted on the tip of the nail in a half-moon shape, leaving a narrow band of clear or a light color at the base of the nail, almost like a manicure that has grown out. The look isn’t for everyone, but it has been spotted on such trendsetters as Hilary Duff and Jennifer Lopez.