Last night, the BET Awards took place in the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles; many wonderful, talented humans were awarded for outstanding achievements in the entertainment industry.
And, thus, celebrities flocked to L.A. Many of them were doing creative cleavage things. There was also a staggering amount of sheer, shimmer and slinky. Let’s take a look:
The lovely Kerry Washington continued her Reign of Radiance in a strapless floral Dolce & Gabbana dress. (There was, I think, some conspiracy in which Kerry Washington and several other celebrities were barely photographed on the red carpet, but like 14 million photos of Paris Hilton were taken. As a palliative cure to this Kerry Washington dearth, I’ve included a better-lit photo of her in the actual awards show.)
Gabrielle Union is beautiful, but I’m not really into what she’s wearing. The dress looks like what would happen if the ancient Greeks invented normcore (toga with mesh details), and the boots really don’t work for me.
Here’s Ashanti with the most inventive cleavage concept of the night, in a formfitting white gown with several cutouts.
Michelle Williams played it safe, a bit, in a cutout teal Olcay Gulsen dress. It looks lovely on her, but I feel like the shape is something I’ve seen before.
Amber Rose went very minimalistic — both sartorially and makeup-wise — in a floor length white gown.
Keke Palmer wore a craaaaaazy dress by Alon Livne, who also designed the wild pantsuit that Kylie Jenner wore earlier this month. (AND PELVIC CLEAVAGE IS HERE TO STAY!!!!) Honestly, it looks really uncomfortable.
Ok, fine, you win, Hilton-happy photographer. Here are some photos of Paris Hilton. Like everyone else, she did a lot of cut-outs. She should sit her makeup person down and have a long and stern talk with them.
Zendaya wore a getup that sort of looks like if Britney and Justin’s matching denim outfits reproduced and then the offspring of that procreated with a tracksuit.
Long, white and form-fitting was a popular choice, it seems: Eva Marcille did it (with cut-outs, for good measure); as did Pia Mia Perez and former Cheetah Girl/Rob Kardashian paramour Adrienne Bailon.
Also in white, but of the short variety, we have Shane Murphy in a cute, sleek lil’ number; Sevyn Streeter reminding you, once again, that pelvic cleavage is something that people are doing now; and Faith Evans in a plunging blazer-dress.
A bit edgier: Jeannie Mal in leather with an unconventional neckline; Lil Mama in a futuristic, structured dress; and Charli Baltimore in a dress that is even more futuristic and structured (she looks like a beautiful cyborg).
FORMAL PANTS! Tinashe‘s are playful; Gabi Wilson‘s are bold; Regina Hall‘s whole look is wonderfully, effortlessly glamorous.
In formal crop tops, we have Latarsha Rose in a printed tea-length skirt; Bria Murphy in a slinky, peach slip ensemble; and Lolo Jones looking lovely in an abstract print.
Experiments with sheer, some of which are more successful than others: Erica Hubbard‘s dress looks like if a witch got locked in a Michael’s overnight; Nhlanhla Nciza‘s red carpet cape is wonderful, although perhaps a bit too busy; Tiwa Savage‘s top appears, unfortunately, to be covered in pom-poms.
Nadia Buari is wearing what appears to be a king’s summer bathrobe, which I approve of as a concept; Laura Govan is a bit underdressed; Tameka “Tiny” Harris looks as though she’s wearing the flesh of a goth sea-creature.
Colors and cut-outs: Jennifer Freeman in a very neon dress; Tatyana Ali also doing the creative cleavage thing; Claudia Jordan pulling off a very-difficult-to-pull-off dress; and Malina Moye wearing something that looks like a slip from the Victoria’s Secret teens section.
Not wild about Karrueche Tran‘s rope bits, Ledisi‘s mullet peplums, or Kyla Pratt‘s strange beige contraption.
Some men: looking casual, have T.I.; a bit more formal, Lionel “Lionel Ritchie” Richie; and a very cool John Legend in sunglasses and a varsity jacket.
More men! Nelly looks kinda preppy; Ginuwine has some excellent shoes; B.o.B. busted out his best formal tunic.
Images via Getty.