Glee star Darren Criss is dividing the internet with an eye-catching red carpet look

Darren Criss, star of the gay favorite JoyHe hit the red carpet last night (October 28) wearing his most daring look yet – but sofa critics are divided.

The American crime story The actor arrived at the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) 2024 Fashion Awards in a cropped, open black blazer and silver chains with a little chest hair sticking out for good measure.

But it's the bottom half of his look that really drew the spotlight, as he opted for an eggplant-purple tulle skirt by designer Christian Siriano, embellished with black roses.

The surprising look, which is somewhat reminiscent of Billy Porter's famous fuchsia tuxedo dress at last year's Golden Globes, marks the first time Criss has explored dresses in his public fashion.

The look has now gone semi-viral online, and it's fair to say that opinions vary widely.

Some were quick to comment that he looked “insanely hot,” while others wrote that the risqué cut was enough to rekindle their “obsession” with the star.

“One thing about Darren Criss is that he will never go into a boring fit,” one fan wrote.

A second added: “As before Joy Fan, I loved Darren Criss in high school and college, so it's cool to see him experimenting with fashion like this. Personally, I think it’s a cute look.”

“Is it CRISSmas? Because this is a GIFT,” joked a third.

However, others were far more scathing in their comments.

“I believe that all clothing is suitable for everyone regardless of gender, so I have no hesitation in saying that this outfit would look bad on anyone,” wrote one reckless social media user.

“I mean, as a former Darren Criss stan I'd say yes, but there's something that makes me, um, say no,” a second added.

A third savage fake critic wrote: “Why can't men break gender norms in a cute dress? Why does it always have to look like the first one they see on the shelf?”

The bold appearance has prompted some social media users to bring up Criss' sexuality, which has been a constant source of online speculation since his role as gay student Blaine Anderson on Ryan Murphy's hit series Joy.

Although he is heterosexual – he is married to film producer Mia Swier, with whom he has two children – Criss has had to repeatedly refute claims that he is gay.

Earlier this year, he came under fire for claiming he was “culturally queer” as he had been “inspired” by queer culture since he was a child.

He has also previously stated that he would not take the role of Blaine if it were offered to him today as he did not want to be “a straight boy taking on the role of a gay man again.”

His latest red carpet look has some social media users questioning whether he's truly inspired by queer culture, as they suggested that this look probably wouldn't be worn by a queer star.

“Hollywood straight men who try really hard to get praise for crossing gender lines are always so allergic to actually serving,” one commenter wrote.

Another added: “Why can't any of these outfits ever look good like you're making queer people look like we can't dress?”

Despite the multitude of opinions, it's actually a quote from Blaine Anderson that best sums up Darren Criss' recent red carpet statement: “Listen, boys can be divas too.”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below and remember to keep the conversation respectful.