AMAs '09: Best/Worst Red Carpet Style

Short and sweet with just a touch of sass, the country crooner's flirty number by Theia hits all the right notes. Grade: A

Leaving the glitz to the kids, Mary looked every inch the Queen in a toned-down and knotted-up column gown. Grade: A

The Black Eyed Peas singer takes the hottest trends of the season — studding and zippering — and makes them red-carpet worthy in a surprisingly refined Armani Prive gown. Grade: A-

We're not sure what the Modern Family star was doing at the American Music Awards, but she certainly looked stunning doing it. Grade: A-

The elegant draping keeps Selena's silver dress from crossing over into disco ball territory. Grade: B

In the riskiest look to cross the night's red carpet, RiRi brought old Hollywood glamour (the black-and-white motif and dramatic volume) and a touch of modern edge (the laser-cut florals) in this architectural Marchesa. Unfortunately she also brought white shoes. Grade: B-

Oh no, did the British singer wind up with another pop diva's luggage by mistake? Between the pointed neckline and the peplum skirt this dress is more Lady Gaga than the usually ladylike Lewis. Grade: C

The cobalt color and crystal-encrusted bodice of the singer's gown were headed in the right direction, but the matchy-matchy shoes and too-short hemline ultimately derailed this look. Grade: C-

Two tones may be good in music, but mixing grey lace and fleshtoned candycane striping isn't the stuff that beautiful fashion is made of. Grade: C-

There's elegant beading, and then there's unfortunate Bedazzling. The badly patterned rhinestones on this already frumpy dress didn't do the original Idol any favors. Grade: D+

We'd love this ruffled number... if the singer had just cut it off at the knees. Can the end of the decade also mean the end of the mullet dress, please? Grade: D

The Colombian singer should have taken the traffic-light-yellow of her Versace dress as a signal to proceed with caution before picking it for the red carpet. Grade: D

Much more successful: the metallic tiled mini she changed into for her onstage performance. Grade: B+