Then there were the princess gowns: acres of tulle modeled by Sofia Carson in white Giambattista Valli, Stephanie Hsu in Valentino, and Halle Bailey in sea-foam green Dolce & Gabbana. Such fairy-tale frippery is an undeniable red carpet cliché, but at least when it came to Ms. Bailey, the look was also a clever nod to her role as Ariel, a.k.a. the Little Mermaid, in the upcoming film; a bit of strategic movie-marketing magic and a fashion double entendre that took the dress to a whole different level. (Also, let’s be grateful for small favors: A princess gown trumps the even more tired cliché of a mermaid gown every time. At least the wearer can walk.)