In the U.S., between the football playoffs and the Super Bowl, is the Grammys. This award show is dedicated to showcasing and honoring members of the music industry. From Country to Latin to Rap, this award show encompasses a wide range of musical genres and is televised around the world. While it’s the red carpet fashion that first gets everyone’s attention. What the stars and presenters wear to walk the red carpet generates commentary in the news, on talk shows, and by various fashion gurus. Whether it is the gold safety pin dress worn by Miley Cyrus or the . . . interesting tree dress worn by singer Dawn Richard, our understanding of the celebrity experience on the red carpet can be related to our own, and both can be better understood with sociology.
First and foremost, we must acknowledge that for the people who walk it, the Grammy Award’s red carpet is the ultimate example of front stage, a person’s public life that they reveal to the world. The stylized hair, incredibly high heels, low-cut tops, and matching suits are not how these people dress in daily life. If you were to comb the web you would surely find paparazzi photos of them in sweats, T-shirts, and flip-flops as they run errands or sit in the coffee shop with their friends. This less glamorous reality is their back stage, a person’s private world that they choose not to reveal. While the difference between their Grammy Awards front stage and their errand-running backstage is probably starker than what we experience, we also divide our world between what we show others and how we are behind the scenes. Think about it, you probably don’t wear your pajamas to class or work. For most people, that is backstage attire that they wouldn’t dream of showing their professors, classmates, or colleagues.
