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 The roses - worn or held by both sexes on the red carpet outside
New York's Madison Square Garden - were a sign of solidarity
with the Time's Up movement, spreading from Hollywood to the
music industry.
Lady Gaga, nominated for best pop vocal album for "Joanne"
showed up in a Goth-inspired Armani gown in midnight black with
a high Victorian collar, sparkling lace and a voluminous train.
Perched high on her shoulder was a demure nosegay of white rose
buds.
Kelly Clarkson held a long-stemmed rose in her hand as she
chatted on the carpet, its white contrasting with her black gown
which included elaborate gold embroidered sleeves.
The rose, Clarkson said, "represents hope and peace and sympathy
and peace, and I thought those are very lovely things for any
human being to encompass."
"Girls Just Want to Have Fun" singer Cyndi Lauper, who launches
a tour with Rod Stewart this summer, told E television network
host Ryan Seacrest that women make up 51 percent of the
workforce.
"It's about time we're paid equally," said the pantsuit-clad
Lauper, highlighting the movement's focus on gender-based salary
disparities.
InStyle fashion news director Eric Wilson told Reuters the
striking white dresses seen on musicians such as Hailee
Steinfeld, Cardi B, Sza and Lana del Rey packed a more effective
punch than the ubiquitous roses.
"The white rose as a visual cue is underwhelming in effect in
the same way that the music industry's reaction to this crisis
has been underwhelming," said Wilson.
But the freestyle fashion spirit of the Grammys means its red
carpet is "not about being the best dressed person, it's about
having fun," Wilson said.
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That was certainly the case with singer Pink, who found room for a
white rose amid the flurry of fuchsia, electric blue and jet black
marabou feathers making up her dress.
The bosom-exposing bodice of Bebe Rexha's La Perla gown appeared too
scant to accommodate a flower. Rexha opted instead to put her rose
on her clutch.
Songwriter Diane Warren, meanwhile, wore gloves worthy of Wonder
Woman, with the words "Girl" and "Power" scrawled across each set of
knuckles.
The roses were not just for the women. Nominee Khalid wore a white
rose on a cool white jacket worn over a turtleneck in chartreuse,
while Sam Smith's flower contrasted with his emerald green suit.
Sting, accompanied by musician Shaggy, looked dapper with a jaunty
silk ascot, pink shirt and white handkerchief folded to resemble a
rose in the pocket of his black jacket.
Singer Joy Villa - who made headlines in 2017 with her "Make America
Great Again" gown in support of President Donald Trump - made
another highly charged statement. Eschewing the white roses worn by
others, Villa showed off a white gown hand-painted with the image of
a fetus in a rainbow-colored womb, accessorized by a "Choose Life"
purse.
(Reporting by Alexandria Sage in San Francisco; Editing by Cynthia
Osterman)
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