To be honest, we were hoping for more. The red carpet at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards was lovely and servicable in all the ways that have become expected, and certainly there were stand-outs, who we have listed here. But the lack of outrageousness (or Lady Gaga, at the very least) was a bit underwhelming; when the most discussed style story of the night was a park ranger hat Pharrell could have copped at any neighborhood Opening Ceremony (or REI), you know your carpet's in big trouble. Still, we chronicled the best and worst of the gala, with a few surprising trends and many lovely frocks to boot. By Julianne Escobedo Shepherd

Catch up on all of our coverage of the 56th Annual Grammy Awards — lists, photos, interviews and more — right here.