Celebs play it safe with Grammy outfits

updated 9:44 p.m. ET Feb. 10, 2008

Music’s heavy hitters turned out for the Grammy Awards’ 50th anniversary ceremony Sunday in celebratory and respectful outfits. The fringe outfits were left to up-and-comers or those looking for some paparazzi shots.

Fergie wore a simple and chic yellow strapless gown from the Calvin Klein Collection, while Rihanna went for a bright blue cocktail dress with an unfinished hem with feathers underneath by Zac Posen that was both youthful and fashionable.

Beyonce was the belle of the ball in a strapless number with a silver top and a powder-blue ballgown bottom reminiscent of Cinderella. Even her hair looked lighter.

Alicia Keys wore a dark navy blue gown by Giorgio Armani Prive that recalled old Hollywood with its high halter neck and full train. Her hair was done in a tight updo with curls piled on top of her head and bright hot pink lips, which matched her hot pink crocodile clutch bag.

Shiny and bright certainly were popular themes with Miley Cyrus in a short silver dress — and a lot of silver eye shadow — and Colbie Caillat in a sunny yellow strapless minidress with a flower in her hair.

With springlike temperatures outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Carrie Underwood went for a floral gown with a plunging V-neck top and jeweled waistband.

Meanwhile, Natasha Bedingfield and Taylor Swift — both in purple strapless dresses — tapped into two trends fresh from the fall runways at New York Fashion Week. (Bedingfield was indeed front and center at fashion shows.)

A blond Nelly Furtado wore an electric-blue draped strapless dress by fellow Canadian Arthur Mendonca, accessorized with a space-age gold necklace.

Cyndi Lauper wore her now-blond hair in a loose curly updo, and her gown was black with lace around the bust. She also wore long black leather gloves.

Faith Hill played it safe in a one-shoulder black gown and then jazzed it up with oversized earrings, and Natalie Cole chose a flattering draped metallic dress with twisted-fabric straps.

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Not everyone took that route, though. Perhaps Adrienne Lau thought her silver slip-style micromini would capture the paparazzi’s attention, while Paramore’s Hayley Williams might have thought all up-and-coming rock stars wear shocking red hair, a mostly sheer dress and ankle socks.

“I think anything goes in the music industry,” said Evanescence’s Amy Lee of Grammy fashions. Her own outfit was a black gown with roping on the bodice and a slit up the front that had a bit of a Goth vibe.

“Whatever you want to wear is going to work,” Lee added. “There’s women in full formal dresses and you see guys in jeans.”

There were indeed some men in jeans but there were plenty of full-fledged tuxedos. Jay-Z wore a traditional tux, complete with bow tie, by Tom Ford, and Ne-Yo topped his tailored Ferragamo suit with a brown suede fedora. He — like so many others — wore aviator sunglasses, but he was happy to tell E! that his were from Banana Republic instead of a bank-breaking designer.

Seal wore a white suit by Yves Saint Laurent and a skinny black tie, and Chris Daughtry was in all black — suit, shirt and tie. Akon had on a fur-trimmed jacket despite the warm and sunny weather.

Dierks Bentley wore a dapper taupe suit by Dsquared that he complemented with a black tie and black pocket square, while Ludacris added a white pocket square to his black jacket by Armani.

Armani also dressed John Legend. He wore a shawl-collar tuxedo with velvet lapels and a high-neck shirt — and another pocket square.

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