The red carpet was turned a majestic shade of purple for Sunday night's 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. And celebrities arriving for the show embraced the color change with a rather regal approach to eveningwear that turned heads and lit up social media.

The evening's entrances saw an unusual amount of gold, with "Russian Doll" star Natasha Lyonne and "Veep" actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus among the most eye-catching. There was also an abundance of shimmery metallics, exemplified by Isla Fisher, Chrissy Metz and Patricia Clarkson, among others.

Fairytale dresses -- complete with flowing chiffon and layers of tulle -- were also out in number, from actress Brittany Snow in J. Mendel to singer Halsey's strapless pink gown.

The change of carpet color also gave attendees a chance to play with shades of red and pink they might otherwise avoid. Mandy Moore in a stunning creation by designer Brandon Maxwell, Sandra Oh and Vera Farmiga were among those to do so with aplomb.

A brief history of the red carpet

Her on-screen love interest, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, was one of a number of men to embrace gold, with the Danish actor arriving in a dashing suave honeycomb-patterned jacket. Elsewhere, the men found plenty of ways to disrupt tradition, from the understated (see Sterling K. Brown's suit in maroon and Mahershala Ali's in forest green) to the bold (see Steven Canals' floor-length tux sleeves and RuPaul's silky pink patterned suit).

Scroll through the gallery above for some of the night's best fashion.

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Emmy Awards 2019: Best red carpet fashion - CNN