Lace, Color, and Sheer Madness at the Latin Grammys

The 15th annual Latin Grammys took place in Las Vegas Thursday, with politics at the helm: Obama had just made his immigration reform speech (which preempted the airing of the Grammys on Univision) and nearly everyone seemed to have the murdered students in México on their mind. (Calle 13’s René Pérez: “Ayotzinapa somos todos!“) It was a pretty historic event rife with political tensions, even for a wanky awards ceremony. Spoiler alert: boringass Enrique Iglesias won a bunch cause “Bailando” and Sex Packets or whatever it’s called.

Also: there was RED CARPET! (Green carpet, actually: Heineken is going full-force in marketing to Latinos, if you haven’t noticed, and they paid enough to get their brand centered smack in the middle of the step and repeat). SO much good was happening here:

ChocQuibTown’s Goyo Martinez (also pictured above) looked stunning and super-modern in a lace cut-out two piece while Spanish singer Vega kept it simple and chic in a simple red gown, no accessories, and let her matching lips do the talking. Jenni Lopez did the opposite: her maximalist draped gown and formal satin hat didn’t quite match, especially with a silver pocketbook, but the extreme DGAF of the look and confidence she radiates makes it work in execution if not formally. And Olivia Gorra, soprano of México, did not want anyone to forget that she is a Soprano of México, so she went formal, and also flashed her album around on the red carpet like a dude slinging mixtapes in Times Square which: I respect her hustle.

Real talk, people looked mad good last night on the whole, so even the lesser looks weren’t that terrible—maybe just a misstep here and there. Alessandra Ambrosio was the worst offender in a Balmain look that screamed “I AM A VICTORIA’S SECRET MODEL!” which, sorry but, if you’re a Victoria’s Secret model, that is redundant because we already know that you are a Victoria’s Secret model because YOU ARE A VICTORIA’S SECRET MODEL. Colombian singer Rakel looks gorgeous, but she’s in the mix with the vague offenders because maybe holiday-ish gold plaid isn’t quite right for the season—it’s not even black Friday yet. Same Venezuelan jazz trumpeter Linda Briceño: she looks like a lovely mermaid in that gradient blue dress, but there’s something vaguely obscene about open-toed shoes with a sheer skirt. And something’s not quite computing about Mexican singer Camila Sodi‘s miniskirt and scalloped top with metallic kelly green pumps: Too Much.

When it went south, it went rill south. I’m not actually that mad at Gaby Natale‘s sequin pantsuit because she looks like she’s having fun, but there’s also no denying that it is tackay-fugnay, although they are in Las Vegas. Maybe she’s gonna go tie one on at the Sands and drop $45 in the nickel slots. Adriana Valenti is allegedly a fashion designer as well as a singer, but it is unclear for whom she is designing: more Vegas special that looks like my cousin styled it off Teen Vogue Me Girl Level 19 Spring Break. Erika Ender is serving quinceañera realness which normally I would support if said quince was not apparently held in a VW circa 1982. And Erika Zaba, dear sweet Erika Zaba. I’m assuming she lives in an apartment with five men she knows from high school and three of them are her brothers because a woman would have told her to like, not wear a white bra under a sheer shirt in a dark color. Maybe that was the point, though? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

Trendspotting: so much sheer in the leggal area—I’m betting this trend is going to continue into Oscar season, and these are some of the better examples of it. Eiza Gonzales looks like someone just ordered bottle service, while Alexa PenaVega is her antithesis in black—the bottle service aftermath. Roselyn Sánchez and India Martinez are not, like, demure in tan gowns that compliment their skin tones, but they are elegant. Sánchez, especially, is leaving your imagination without a trace. See how I did that there. Mom jokes, all goddamn day.

Here is how you do bold color, people: Monica Navarro, Mariana Vega, Franca Masu and Natalia Jimenez all kept it clean and correct, simplicity as statement piece. Bravo.

See what I mean by there was too much goddamn good going on here? Univision host Alejandra Espinoza showed off her baby bump in perfect aquamarine, while Michelle Vargas, in a red firework of a thing, perfected her smizeglare, which is something akin to bitchface but what you do when you are immensely satisfied with yourself (which you should be, Vargas). It’s all in the details.