Photo Credit: Heather Gershonowitz
The ongoing screenwriters’ strike almost kept the Tony Awards from happening this year. But the show must go on, and it did – though in a slightly different style than previous years.
There was no script for this year’s show. Aside from the performances and the winners, every other part of this show was done off the cuff. And it made for a truly incredible night of awards. The live performances were claimed to be better than ever before, and the awkward scripted jokes of previous years weren’t anywhere to be found.
But where we want to draw your attention is the Tony Awards 2023 fashion. Arguably the best part of any and every award show, this year’s red carpet did not disappoint with looks that were a home run and others that should have stayed at home.
Let’s look at some of the most memorable looks from the night.
The Fashion of the 2023 Tony Awards
Jessica Chastain
This yellow Gucci look feels like Beauty and the Beast’s Belle-meets-superhero. We absolutely loved this look and especially the bold color.
Rachel Brosnahan
As much as I love the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and everything Rachel Brosnahan does, her Versace look for the 2023 Tony Awards majorly disappointed us. The polka dots, the butterflies, the hair? Not it.
Amber Ruffin
This Rachel Gilbert dress looks like it was made for Amber Ruffin. She wore the color so well, and we love the train, the sleeves, and the high slit. Cheers to you for this one, Amber!
Lily Rabe
We like the bold choice of something unique and unexpected, but this one wasn’t it. Lily’s look from Erdem was a bit too gothic, and the top part of the dress felt more like a baby’s bib than anything else.
Sara Bareilles
Just yes. This dress feels oh-so-elegant and sets the bar high for the red carpet (where others fell flat). We love the grandness of this dress and how it’s open on the sides. The headband, however, we could do without.
Ruthie Ann Miles
Speaking of elegance, this look was a hit. The detail on the gown was stunning, and the ruffle sleeves were a great unique addition. Tapping into the popular mermaid core trend, the clutch was a great addition.
Julianne Hough
If this had been a nice dinner on vacation or a wedding, Julianne Hough’s dress would have been perfect. She looks stunning. However, for an awards show, it definitely missed the mark. We do need to take a moment to applaud the strength and muscle definition in her arms, though. #stronggirlsummer
Ariana DeBose
The host of the night showed up in a silver plunging Prada gown, and we fell in love. It was nothing short of glamorous, and the featured crystals on the neckline took it to the next level. A round of applause for this dress and for DeBose’s great job hosting this night sans a script.
A Notable Moment From the Night
Though her dress didn’t wow us, her performance and speech did. We are talking about Victoria Clark. This 63-year-old actress won the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for her work in Kimberly Akimbo.
This marked Clark’s second Tony award – her first was for her performance in The Light in the Piazza.
Her speech shed light on the elephant in the room and gave special attention to the Writers’ Guild of America and their ongoing strike. She said, “We are nothing without our writers, support the WGA and their struggle for the contract they deserve,” which, as you can guess, won over many hearts.
However, the great words in her speech didn’t stop there. She went on to say that the creators of Kimberly Akimbo caused her to realize that “I was so sure I knew who I was and who I wasn’t, and you proved me completely wrong.” For a woman of 63 years, that’s an incredible statement to make. This role caused her to find an entirely different version of herself, which we love because it shows that it’s never too late to continue to evolve; that’s what life is all about – never getting too stuck in our ways but constantly and forever evolving into better and better versions of ourselves.
It sounds as if Clark took after her mother, whom she closed her speech paying homage to by saying, “She didn’t believe in limits, and neither should we.”
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