White roses, colorful fashions make the stars’ statements on Grammy red carpet

NEW YORK — Stars including Lady Gaga and Kelly Clarkson turned out on the Grammys red carpet Sunday displaying white roses in solidarity with the Time’s Up and #MeToo movements against sexual misconduct ahead of music’s biggest night and what is usually the wildest display of fashion during awards season.

Gaga was in a black lace top and leggings with a full skirt and train, white rose in place and her hair swept into a fishtail braid with black pins. Her signature towering platform shoes — black boots this time around — were on her feet.

There was lots of black, perhaps spillover from the anti-sexual misconduct message of the recent Golden Globes, but there was also plenty of color.

Elton John didn’t disappoint on that score in a geometric-pattern, blue, gold and red sparkler of a jacket, encrusted sunglasses to match. Country trio Midland — Mark Wystrach, Cameron Duddy and Jess Carson — went big in the cowboy hat department, including a topper with a rainbow feather to match a similarly adorned jacket for one.

Sam Smith was in a green suit, white rose in place and a red scoop-neck shirt underneath, while Ne-Yo wore a yellow jacket.

Maren Morris was in a chain-link silver sparkler that brought the wow in a barely there design. Lana Del Rey, meanwhile, was an angel in off-white with a high slit and star theme, including a silver star head piece.

Rapper K. Flay, in a black tuxedo jacket, chose a Time’s Up button instead of the flower but noted all such symbols are important expressions of solidarity for women. Songwriter Diane Warren, a 15-time Grammy nominee, wore black and white and went her own way on symbols. She wore white gloves with “Girl” on one hand and “Power” on the other, explaining: “I didn’t want to wear the rose. I’m a rebel.”

Nominees The Secret Sisters won for largest white roses, noting it’s time for the music industry to step up and better acknowledge sexual misconduct.

Perhaps the New York vibe — the Grammys hadn’t been held here in 15 years — added to the parade of music men and women opting for black, including traditional tuxedos and suits. Women in black went for both edgy and chic.

Country star Reba McEntire, the latest pitch person as Col. Sanders for KFC, was among them in a Jovani sleeveless studded gown in black with silver embellishment, white rose in place as a reminder to everybody to “treat each other like we want to be treated. It’s the golden rule.”

Clarkson’s black gown was embellished in silver and gold. Her white rose was long stemmed.

Joy Villa, ever provocative on the red carpet, made a statement last year in a pro-President Donald Trump dress. This year, she wore a white gown with a rainbow uterus with fetus on one side and carried a “Choose Life” handbag. Oh, and a huge crown topped her head.

Leanne Italie, Associated Press