CNN
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Men’s fashion is often only mentioned in passing at the Hollywood awards, but on the Emmys red carpet, which was filled with understated, elegant evening gowns, it was the male guests who shone in a series of bold, daring and thoughtful outfits at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday.

That’s not to say that classic looks didn’t work. Ramy Youssef, Joshua Jackson, “Fargo” actor Lamorne Morris and “The Bear” star (and Calvin Klein underwear model) Jeremy Allen White all looked predictably dapper in their no-frills tuxedos.

However, some of the evening’s most successful ensembles played with the rules of the black tie convention in subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) ways.

Irish actor Andrew Scott, for example, swapped his traditional white shirt and bow tie for a low-cut black ruffled shirt under a Vivienne Westwood jacket with wide lapels. Abbott Elementary actor Tyler James Williams’ Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo shirt, on the other hand, could have been described as classic cocktail attire – if it hadn’t been sleeveless.

Williams’ co-star Chris Perfetti also opted for ruffles, pairing his wide, floor-length pants with an extravagant shirt from Christian Siriano’s Spring 2025 ready-to-wear collection. Awards co-host Dan Levy also took his shirt cues from the runways, opting for an elegant Loewe design with a structured, sculptural collar.

Attendees also had fun with cummerbunds. While waist sashes are usually a sign of formality, “The Traitors” actor Alan Cumming’s sash became a train that peeked out from his cream Teddy Vonranson jacket and doubled as a scarf. “Fellow Travelers” co-stars Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, meanwhile, used cummerbunds to accessorize their outfits, with the latter complementing the silky, chest-hugging shirt of his Giorgio Armani outfit.

Other fun accessories for the evening included pins and brooches, while bold colors were another way to make a statement. “Fallout” star Aaron Moten showed up in an all-red Kenzo suit with a Nehru collar; Bowen Yang, nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor for “Saturday Night Live,” wore a cream Bode jacket over a bright red tasseled top; and “True Detective” actor Finn Bennett skipped the jacket and wore a silky brown turtleneck by Saint Laurent instead.