Art is the first thing that pops into my head when I think of award shows.

Traditionally we start off at the red carpet. There we see our favorite celebrities in the most beautiful of gowns and tuxedos, though the tuxedos aren’t the most memorable. Nevertheless, they all have the same routine when attending award shows like The Oscars, Emmy’s, VMAs or The Met Gala. 

Our favorites climb a few steps, pose, smile and walk down the red carpet, where they are interviewed to see what they are wearing on that particular evening.

You see, I believe that red carpet events are just like art galleries, but in this show room the dresses are the pieces of art. Designers have beautifully crafted dresses that flow freely behind celebrities or that elegantly hug the skin creating enticing looks for the viewer to awe over.

The beautiful getups, however, do not speak for themselves, as the celebrities’ bodies also make a big impact on whether or not the outfit is executed well. This is where I find the greatest flaw with award shows and their red carpet events.

Though they are meant to recognize highly achieved actors and artists, award shows are followed by critical opinions and constant criticism on whether or not the celebrity looked “good” or “bad” at the event. Even with Joan Rivers gone, Hollywood’s notorious fashion critic, we still see body shaming and name calling all around.

I find this to be a big issue because art is displayed through these meticulous gowns and using the celebrities’ physical appearance as a deciding factor for whether or not the gown was perfect is ridiculous.

These awards not only recognize the best but they also embrace differences that every human being holds. The attendees are from all over the world projecting an endless garden and variety of beauty.

Even still, body types, color and even hair at times have been the objects of criticism. This is not only wrong and barbaric but it gives the younger viewers the mindset that certain things are ok to wear and others are not. The ideology of distinguishing what is pretty and what isn’t sprouts here. Creativity is limited because the gowns that are more intricate get the least recognition and the most criticism.

I’m fully aware that the award shows aren’t responsible for the aftermath brought by social media and the live coverages, but the pure fact that it all starts there makes it an issue for me.

The outcome of the award shows are supposed to be an appraisal for accomplishments and creativity. For a critic to say that a celebrity’s choice in fashion was anything but astonishing is merely an artistic difference and belittles the nature of creativity.

When I look at award shows I see diversity in views, talent and craftsmanship. But at the same time I see a contradiction in the creativity and differences that these awards shows pride themselves in. I believe these events are important for recognition and appraisal but like many other things they have their downsides. The goal should be to enhance the red carpet experience to be more positive rather than a shunning of creative differences.