While the AMAs may be primarily a celebration of music, it’s also a showcase of fashion. As celebrities walk the carpet, showing off their gleaming designer looks, we get some insight into their likes and taste. It’s a certain litmus test for creativity. This is especially true of menswear, where the options can be so bland. What a risk to wear something other than a suit, something bolder or more defined. The men who step out of the box earn their rightful round of applause.

Ultimately, it was the women who grabbed headlines at the 2022 AMAs. You’ve probably seen Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech or Dove Cameron’s performance. And what about Swift telling Kim Petras she liked to “butt pop” to her song? But, beneath the surface, the men brought out their A-game for the AMAs. The menswear of the night was dazzling, with many of the night’s celebrants pulling out all the stops. 

SAINt JHN

The Guyanese-American rapper immediately pulled eyes on the AMAs red carpet, sporting a matching dark-green jacket and parachute shorts. The Maison Margiela set was paired with statement jewelry and neon green sneakers. 

Machine Gun Kelly

If there’s anything MGK is going to do, it’s make a scene. The rapper and pop culture icon, who has recently been pulling headlines for his antics with girlfriend Megan Fox, showed up to the AMAs in a spiked purple suit. Keep your distance from the Dolce & Gabbana suit; you may just get poked. 

TOMORROW X TOGETHER

For their first-ever AMAs appearance, boyband TXT opted to keep a theme: black-and-white indie sleaze. Their matching Saint Laurent looks, ranging from printed to monochrome and sleek to fuzzy, kept the group looking individual yet cohesive.  

Lucky Daye

Menswear is growing more and more sheer. Capitalizing upon this trend, New Orleans-based singer Lucky Daye sported an embroidered sheer top to the AMAs, with intricate piping revealing flower details.

Lionel Richie

A staple of red carpets, Lionel Richie attended the AMAs as the recipient of this year’s Icon Award. A mainstay of the menswear old guard, Richie brought his suave attitude and stylings to the carpet. Richie’s suit still incorporated some new flourishes, though, with its printed design and double-breasted structure. 

J.I.D.

Rapper J.I.D attended the AMAs as both a guest and performer, joining Imagine Dragons for their hit “Enemy.” On the red carpet, however, the rapper stood out all by himself. In a gray top with hanging adornments, the rapper provided one of the most interesting silhouettes of the night. 

Cody Rigsby

We always love a print! For his first AMA appearance, Peloton instructor Cody Rigsby strutted his stuff in a bright floral-printed set. Matched with a purple cross-body bag, Rigsby provided the pop of color we all needed. 

Dustin Lynch

Cowboy hats on the red carpet… we never thought it could look good. But singer Dustin Lynch has a way of overturning the norm, doing with same within his music. In a suede burgundy suit, Lynch effortlessly combines luxury with some country spirit. 

Stefan Benz

Water droplets may just be the next up-and-coming trend in fashion. We all remember Kim Kardashian’s show-stopping Met Gala dress. Singer Stefan Benz certainly has miles to climb before he reaches Kim K status, but at just 16 years old, he sure demonstrates his eye for fashion. 

Jimmie Allen

Jimmie Allen did on the red carpet exactly what he does within the country music industry: disrupt. Sporting leopard-printed pants and a wide-brimmed hat, Allen subverted the common trends of menswear for something more brash, more eye-catching.