The Moment
Sydney Sweeney showed up to GQ’s Men of the Year party in Los Angeles and delivered a pure ’90s flashback in the best way: a slinky black Versace dress, a tough little choker, and rock-glam hair you can’t fake. Photographers got an eyeful of the Euphoria star vamping, tousling her blonde bob, and serving heavy liner with a nude lip—very supermodel-in-the-wild.
She’s among this year’s Men of the Year cover stars and has been tapped as Actress of the Year as the franchise marks its 30th anniversary. Translation: big platform, bigger expectations, and even bigger fashion.
The Take
I love a theme night that doesn’t feel like Halloween—and Sweeney nailed it. The look reads like Donatella-era Versace meets a Joan Jett guitar riff: sleek, loud, but perfectly on beat. The choker and kohl-rimmed eyes push it from regular red carpet to rock-and-roll goddess, without tipping into costume.
More importantly, this is the lane she’s been building for months. Sweeney has been flirting with see-throughs, chainmail, and longline jackets worn as almost-dresses. Tonight’s Versace is the polished headline to that chapter. Celebrity style gets exhausting when it chases every micro-trend; hers is coherent. She’s not reinventing the ’90s—she’s editing it. And when the star and the styling are in sync, you feel it.
Also: Men of the Year has quietly become one of fashion’s stealth power carpets. Fewer gowns, more personality. Sweeney understood the assignment and then curved it in her favor.
Sydney Sweeney goes full ’90s glamour Versace at the GQ Men of the Year Party. Did she nail the theme?https://t.co/Dv0yRAsfLj pic.twitter.com/ggiObG0LWi
— Red Carpet Fashion Awards (@Fashion_Critic_) November 14, 2025
Receipts
Confirmed
- Photos from the Los Angeles event show Sweeney in a black Versace dress with a choker, messy bob, heavy black eyeliner, and nude lips (Getty Images; FilmMagic, Nov. 13, 2025).
- GQ lists Sweeney among the 2025 Men of the Year cover stars and honors her as Actress of the Year as the franchise turns 30 (GQ magazine announcement, Nov. 2025).
Unverified/Reported
- The specific “’90s Hollywood Red Carpet” theme language and the full co-host lineup beyond the published cover stars have been reported around the event but not detailed by primary materials we’ve seen yet.
- Recent press-tour outfit notes (sheers, chainmail, and jacket-only styling) have circulated widely; we’re watching for official look credits and dates to confirm the full sequence.
Backstory (For Casual Readers)
Sweeney broke big as Cassie on HBO’s Euphoria, then crossed over to box-office rom-com success and buzzy thrillers as both star and producer. Fashion-wise, she’s leaned into a confident, camera-aware aesthetic—think ’90s nostalgia sharpened with modern tailoring. Men of the Year, celebrating its 30th birthday, traditionally mixes actors, musicians, and culture-makers; this year’s cover slate also features names like Stephen Colbert, Seth Rogen, SZA, Oscar Isaac, Clipse, and Hailey Bieber.
What’s Next
Expect GQ’s full Men of the Year portfolio, interviews, and official red-carpet video to keep rolling out. For Sweeney, the style narrative is clearly set: elevated ’90s glam with rocker bones. Watch for whether she carries this mood into the winter campaign and awards circuit—because if tonight’s Versace is the baseline, the next stop is a megawatt couture moment.
Sources: GQ magazine’s Men of the Year 2025 announcement (Nov. 2025); Getty Images red-carpet photos from Los Angeles (Nov. 13, 2025); FilmMagic event photos (Nov. 13, 2025).
Your turn: Are you still loving the ’90s-rock revival on red carpets, or is it time for a new fashion era?
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