Laurel Film Awards: How to Read a Best-Dressed List
Best-dressed lists never agree, and that is the point. Using the Laurel Film Awards as our example, here are the criteria, the biases and a scoring sheet to build your own ranking.
local_fire_departmentHot Points
- boltMost best-dressed lists weigh four things: fit, concept, craft and risk, but each editor weights them differently.
- boltLists disagree because of taste, timing, brand relationships and what the writer values most.
- boltBuild your own ranking with a simple 1-5 scoring sheet and write one sentence of reasoning per look.
The morning after the Laurel Film Awards, a dozen publications will publish a dozen best-dressed lists, and they will not match. That is not a scandal. It is how style journalism works. A best-dressed list is an opinion piece in the shape of a ranking, and once you know how it is built, you can read it, question it and write your own.
This guide uses the Laurel Film Awards as a worked example. All of the people and looks mentioned are illustrative.
The Four Criteria Behind Most Lists
Almost every list, whether it says so or not, weighs four qualities:
- Fit. Does the garment sit properly on the wearer? Tailoring is the quiet foundation of a great look.
- Concept. Is there an idea? A look that tells a story, whether it nods to a film, an era or a mood, usually beats one that is merely pretty.
- Craft. How well is it made? Seams, embellishment, fabric choice and finishing all count.
- Risk. Did the wearer take a chance? Bold choices earn points when they are executed with confidence.
A fifth quality sometimes sneaks in: the wearer's presence. A look worn with conviction photographs better than the same outfit worn nervously. Good critics try to separate that from the garment itself.
Why Lists Disagree
If two editors disagree about a gown, they are rarely arguing about facts. They are arguing about priorities. Here are the usual reasons for the split:
- Different weightings. One editor loves classic elegance, another rewards experiments.
- Different vantage points. A look can seem stunning in a still photograph and awkward in motion, or the other way round.
- Timing. Lists written in the first hour react to the first photographs. Later lists may include the less-circulated pictures.
- Relationships. Publications can be influenced, consciously or not, by access, advertising or friendships with designers. Good outlets disclose this. Smart readers keep it in mind.
- Audience. A list for a luxury-minded readership will not match one for a street-style crowd.
None of this makes a list wrong. It makes it a point of view, and the more points of view you read, the more complete your picture becomes.
“A ranking is a conversation starter wearing a trophy. The moment you treat it like a verdict, you stop looking at the clothes,” says Harriet Osei, a style critic (fictional).
Build Your Own: A Simple Scoring Sheet
Here is a method you can use for any carpet. It takes a few minutes and makes your opinions sharper.
Give each look a score from 1 to 5 in each of four categories, fit, concept, craft and risk, then add them up. A look can score a maximum of 20. Add a one-sentence note to explain your thinking, such as: strong concept, but the hem bunches when walking.
A few tips to keep yourself honest:
- Look at several photographs of the same outfit, front, side and in motion.
- Score the clothes before you check who designed them.
- Wait until the next day. Fresh eyes are fairer.
- Let yourself change your mind if you spot a detail you missed.
Reading Between the Rankings
When you read the Laurel Film Awards lists, notice the language. Words like fearless, polished and iconic are shorthand for criteria. Fearless usually means risk. Polished suggests fit and craft. Iconic is often about concept and memorability.
Notice what is missing too. If a look appears on every list, it probably succeeds on all four counts. If it appears at the top of one list and nowhere else, you have found a favourite of a particular editor, and that is worth knowing.
Finally, remember that fashion is allowed to be fun. Nobody needs to win the best-dressed argument. The joy is in the looking, the comparing and the occasional friendly disagreement.
A Worked Example
Imagine a gown with a striking concept, say a nod to old cinema posters, but a hem that drags awkwardly. For example, you might score it 5 for concept, 4 for risk, 3 for craft and 2 for fit, a total of 14, with the note: brilliant idea, needs a better hem. Now imagine a simple black suit, beautifully tailored. It might score 5 for fit, 5 for craft, 2 for concept and 1 for risk, a total of 13. Both are valid, and which one you prefer simply reveals what you value.
That is the real secret of best-dressed lists. The numbers matter less than the reasons. Write the reasons down, and your next list will be sharper than the last.
The Takeaway
A best-dressed list is a set of choices, not a set of facts. Learn the four criteria, notice the biases, and use the scoring sheet to build a ranking that reflects your own eye.
This story is part of CelebHot's illustrative launch edition: its people and events are fictional.
Style Editor at CelebHot. A fictional byline for the illustrative launch edition. Meet the masthead.
