For decades, fashion publications have thrived off covering celebrity red carpet fashion. Among the many articles created on the topic, many of them circle back to one category – “Worst Dressed.” Since awards season is now in full swing, I would like to raise the idea of quitting this tradition for good.

I believe that fashion is a subjective concept. Nobody has the exact same sense of style. Just because you don’t like what someone else is wearing, doesn’t mean that they feel the same way – they chose it for a reason! The clothes that people wear are a form of self-expression, a way to convey to the world a little bit about who they are. By constricting what’s acceptable for people to wear, you are in turn constricting their creativity.

Without people taking risks with their fashion, new trends will never be set. Experimentation is key to an evolving the style landscape and should not be overlooked. Bold choices have been influencing fashion for decades. Many of them eventually become mainstream trends. I think it’s worth a shot to give everyone a chance at making an impact.

In addition to restricting style, the trend of categorizing celebrities into “Worst Dressed” also enforces sexist principles. I cannot remember the last time I saw a man labeled as such – they all just wear suits! Women tend to be more adventurous on red carpets, and in turn many of them only receive criticism for it. By writing an article on who “slayed” and who “flopped,” the atmosphere turns into a competition of pitting women against each other.

Not only does rating other celebrities sense of style create unnecessary conflict, it also erases the reason for why they might have been at that event in the first place. This issue was addressed as a part of the Time’s Up movement, challenging reporters to ask "Why are you here?" instead of "Who are you wearing?" Women on red carpets are historically treated differently than men, and I think that it is time for this out of date practice to end. So to everyone who will be reporting on awards season this year, please keep in mind that you have the chance to change the atmosphere of these events from one of scrutiny to one of creative celebration.