Time was that a red carpet event was an everyday occurrence on the busy Irish social scene.

After all, who can forget the likes of the VIP Style and the TV Now awards being the hottest tickets in town?

Charlize Theron would pop along to the Meteors, while the Iftas also boasted oodles of Hollywood attendees.

Duchess Kate and her Mammy Middleton would swing by for a weekend break in our capital (circa spring 2007), making sure to stop by a fancy-pants, red-carpeted gallery launch while they were in town.

Then there was the Eurovision, an iron-clad stable of the mid-Nineties. Even the MTV Europe Music Awards came to Dublin back in 1999 (where Christina, Mariah, Britney and Whitney – *swoon* – ALL made an appearance).

Of course, red carpet events still take place: but we dare say that there’s not quite as much glitz nor as much glam these days. Yes, the dresses are more muted; the hair decidedly less full.

Thankfully, however, you may yet have reason to dust off your Gina sandals.

Yes, the inaugural black-tie Gossies are taking place this Sunday in Dublin and suffice to say that the guestlist (Vogue Williams, Rosanna Davison, Nicola Hughes and Roz Purcell) is as impressive as anything 2006 could have offered us. Hurrah!

Here, in honour of the glamorous Gossies (where a total of 18 awards will be up for grabs), we examine the five key red carpet styles we can expect to see on the night…

 

1) Dressed to the nines

A big night out means only one thing: a really big dress. Take inspiration from Lisa Cannon in Vera Wang:

 

2) Keeping it casual

The ‘oh this old thing’ vibe. Look to Mariah Carey – dressed down in a black vest and ripped denim jeans – for ideas:

 

3) Look at me

The UTV Ireland cameras will be there at the Gossies, so expect a few head-turners, just like Michelle Keegan:

 

4) Dividing opinion

They’ll love it or they’ll hate it. Check out Lorraine Keane in a Deborah Veale gown to perfect your look:

 

5) Classic is best

Why try and reinvent the wheel – keep it simple like Kathryn Thomas: