'Experimentation' key to Grammy fashions

Last year we had an egg, this year it was a nun.

Nicki Minaj, never one to miss a fashion moment, walked the red carpet at the Grammy Awards in a heavy caped expanse of red satin by Versace. Instead of a hot date, she was accompanied by someone dressed like the pope, which makes us feel like she was thinking nun, as opposed to Little Red Riding Hood (what the TV commentators thought she was up to). Likely, it was all about the performance of Minaj's new single, "Roman Holiday." Who knows?

As always, the Grammys bring out a little more, shall we say, experimentation in the fashion department. Katy Perry was all matchy-matchy, only instead of bag and shoes, we're talking hair and her blue Elie Saab gown. Fergie wore red lace by Jean Paul Gaultier, so open you got a clear view of her black bra and panties. She said she had two choices for the night. "This was the safe one." Oh, dear.

Rihanna wore one of the more elegant dresses of the night, a plunging black gown she said was "a collaboration between me and Mr. Armani" (Giorgio). The designer also created the somewhat austere black gown worn by Adele.

Taylor Swift said she found her beaded Zuhair Murad gown months ago and immediately selected it for the awards show. Carrie Underwood wore London-based Gomez-Gracia's long-sleeved, backless Starlet gown.

Still, the fashion parade had its share of somber moments as guests remembered Whitney Houston. "She's my hero," said Kelly Rowland, in a beaded Alberta Ferretti gown. And Kelly Price, wearing allover red sequins, said Houston would have wanted the evening to be celebratory. "She loved what she did."