Mariska Hargitay's Emmys 2026 Host Looks: The Gold Tease, the Blue Carpet, and Every Outfit Change (Updating)
Key takeaways
- Mariska Hargitay hosts the 78th Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, live at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock. Carpet coverage starts at 5 p.m. ET.
- She has already told us the color. Her Sept. 3 portrait posts were all gold sequins, captioned as a mock chat with the statuette.
- The carpet itself is blue this year, rolled out Thursday outside the Peacock Theater for NBC's 100th anniversary. That changes which gowns read best on camera.
- We will add every host look to this page Monday night, same URL, as each one appears.
Quick answer — expect gold. Hargitay posted gold-sequin portraits a week and a half out and has been dressed in sparkle at every Emmys stop since: a scarlet strapless gown when she won two Creative Arts Emmys for My Mom Jayne, then a sequined skirt suit at Thursday's carpet rollout. The closest gold-sequin gowns we found run $55.99, $398 and $6,800.
Hosts are the one person on an awards night guaranteed to be on screen in more than one outfit. Hargitay is the first woman to host the Emmys since Jane Lynch in 2011, and she has been open about wanting the night to feel like a celebration rather than a roast. That usually means the wardrobe gets more airtime, not less.
When will we see Mariska Hargitay's host looks?
| Moment | Time (ET) | Time (PT) | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpet coverage opens | 5:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. | E!, Peacock, the TV Academy's own feeds |
| Ceremony, live coast to coast | 8:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | NBC, Peacock |
| This page updated with each look | From about 8:15 p.m. | 5:15 p.m. | Here |
Hosts rarely walk the full carpet. When they do, it is early and quick, because they need to be backstage well before 8. If you only catch one window, make it the opening minutes of the telecast. The full carpet schedule and every streaming option are in our Emmys carpet time guide, and the rest of the week's clothes-on-TV calendar sits in TV Fashion This Week.
What has she already teased?
On Sept. 3, NBC Insider rounded up a set of portrait-session photos Hargitay shared from her Emmys fittings. At least two gowns appear. The one she led with is gold and covered in sequins, and her caption imagined the statuette answering her question about color with a single word: "Obvi."
A portrait shoot is not a promise. Stylists often shoot a look for promotion and then save it, swap it, or move it to a later slot in the night. So treat gold as the direction, not the guaranteed opening outfit. What the tease does settle is the finish. Sequins and metallics, not matte crepe.
Why is the carpet blue this year, and what does that do to the clothes?
On Thursday, Sept. 10, Hargitay and the show's executive producers unrolled the arrivals carpet outside the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live. It is blue, a nod to NBC turning 100 this year. The network has carried the Emmys 26 times.
That matters more than it sounds. Photographers shoot full-length on the carpet, so the floor ends up in almost every arrival picture. Here is how the common gown colors should sit against a saturated blue:
| Gown color | On a blue carpet | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gold, champagne | Strongest | Blue and gold sit opposite each other on the color wheel, so each makes the other look brighter |
| Red, orange, coral | Strong | Warm against cool; reads instantly in thumbnails |
| White, silver, pale pink | Good | High contrast, but silver can go cold under blue bounce light |
| Black | Safe, flatter | Separates from the floor but loses the glow a red carpet adds |
| Navy, cobalt, sapphire | Risky | The hem can visually melt into the carpet in wide shots |
Which makes the gold tease look less like a whim and more like a plan. We covered what last year's carpet suggested about 2026 in what to wear while you watch. The blue floor is the new variable.
What has Hargitay worn to the Emmys before?
Her history is useful because it shows what she and her team keep coming back to: a defined waist, a long line, and something that catches light.
| Event | Look | Designer |
|---|---|---|
| 74th Emmys, Sept. 2022 | Black long-sleeve V-neck gown, glittering, high slit | Christian Siriano |
| 77th Emmys, Sept. 2025 | Burgundy velvet strapless gown, corset bodice, mermaid shape | Not publicly confirmed |
| Creative Arts Emmys, Sept. 2026 | Scarlet strapless gown, pleated skirt, embellished waist, thigh-high slit, layered diamond necklace | Not publicly confirmed |
| Carpet rollout, Sept. 10, 2026 | Shiny sequined skirt suit | Credited by one outlet; we are waiting on a second |
| Portrait tease, Sept. 3, 2026 | Gold sequined gown | Not named |
Siriano is the name to watch. She has said publicly that he "has made me," and she presented him with an award at the Fashion Group International gala in 2022 wearing one of his cobalt suits. If you want the long version of how these loans and fittings work, read how TV wardrobes actually work.
She did the rounds this week on Jimmy Kimmel Live, talking about practicing nominee names and asking Kimmel's wife, Molly McNearney, for hosting advice. The night-by-night late-night guest list is on Talk Show On Air.
What will we track on Monday night?
This is the part of the page that fills in live. Each row gets a description, a color, and the designer once two outlets agree on it.
| Look | Expected window (ET) | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival | About 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. | Updating Monday |
| Opening and monologue | 8:00 p.m. | Updating Monday |
| Mid-show change or changes | About 9:00 to 10:30 p.m. | Updating Monday |
| Closing and after-party | After 11:00 p.m. | Updating Monday |
The Creative Arts winners, including Hargitay's two, are broken down in our costume Emmys roundup. Every carpet piece we publish lands in Red Carpet.
How do you get the gold-sequin look at three prices?
None of these is the gown she will wear. They are the closest sold versions of what she teased: gold, fully sequined, floor length, with a slit or a structured bodice. Prices were checked on each brand's own site on Sept. 11, 2026, at 12:24 a.m. ET.
| Tier | Gown | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Flolae Strappy Cutout Sequin Gown With High Slit, Gold | $55.99 | Allover sequins and a high slit, S–2XL. Thin straps rather than strapless, so no boning to fight. |
| Mid | Mac Duggal Gold Sequined Sleeveless V Neck Side Slit Gown | $398 | Hand-beaded, plunging V, US 0–16. The closest to a real carpet weight of sparkle. |
| Splurge | Christian Siriano Metallic Gold Corset Draped Gown | $6,800 | Made in New York, final sale, 8 to 10 weeks on pre-order. Her designer of record, in her color. |
A note on fit: sequin gowns do not stretch, and the slit sits wherever your hip puts it. Size to your hips first and have the bodice taken in. More price-tier edits live in Shop the Look.
What else is on TV this week for clothes?
The Emmys are Monday. Dancing with the Stars opens season 35 the next night, and its costumes will be the week's second big wardrobe story; Reality On Air has the cast. The rehearsal gear on that show belongs to Activewear On Air. Daytime hosts will recap the carpet Tuesday morning, which we follow in Daytime Style. Thursday's Project Runway finale closed out the other big fashion night on TV this week.
Mariska Hargitay Emmys FAQ
Is Mariska Hargitay hosting the Emmys alone? Yes. She is the solo host of the 78th Emmy Awards, and the first woman to host since 2011.
What time is the Emmys red carpet? Carpet coverage starts at 5 p.m. ET. The ceremony airs live at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock.
Why is the Emmys carpet blue in 2026? It honors NBC's 100th anniversary. The network airs the show this year.
Who designs Mariska Hargitay's Emmys dresses? Christian Siriano dressed her in 2022. Designers for this year's looks have not been confirmed by two outlets yet. We will add them here when they are.
Did Mariska Hargitay win an Emmy this year? Two, at the Creative Arts ceremony: directing and documentary special, both for My Mom Jayne. How to stream the late-night shows she visited this week without cable is on Talk Show On Air.
Sources
- NBC Insider — gold sequin portrait tease, Sept. 3, 2026.
- Deadline and Just Jared — blue carpet rollout and skirt suit, Sept. 10, 2026.
- Deadline and TV Insider — hosting announcement, first woman since 2011.
- Hello! — Creative Arts gown and wins.
- Bravo and Tom + Lorenzo — 2022 Siriano gown. AOL — 2025 velvet corset gown.
- Prices: Flolae, Mac Duggal, Christian Siriano, checked Sept. 11, 2026, 12:24 a.m. ET.
- Costume Design Emmys 2026: Every Winner, When FXX Airs the Ceremony — and Why Bridgerton and Emily in Paris Lost
- Emmys 2026 Red Carpet: What Time It Starts, Where to Watch — and What Those Column Gowns Cost to Copy
- Emmys 2026 Red Carpet: What Last Year Told Us to Expect — and What to Wear While You Watch