This week celebrities stepped out for a big week filled with invite-only events. From the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party to the GLAAD Awards, the red carpet was covered with top-tier looks. At ESSENCE we’re all about uplifting Black talent from actresses to singers. These stunning looks ahead need to be talked about in detail.
At the NAACP Awards, actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. showed us that standing out with an eclectic look is always the way to go. He wore a Prada look that was unexpected, but still put together. Actress Michaela Jaé Rodriguez stunned in a brown dress with gold adornments, designed by Gaurav Gupta Couture for her GLAAD Awards appearance. Actress Ego Nwodim also attended the NAACP Image Awards in a Meruert Tolegen look that had an added texture to elevate an otherwise simple look.
At the Vanity Fair Oscars event actresses Jodie Turner-Smith, Kelly Rowland, and Kerry Washington completely stole the show. All three women wore iterations of a long black gown either featuring a plunging neckline like Smith’s, a puffy white train like Roland’s, or a sheer lace detail throughout like Washington’s. These women are trailblazers in their own right and even Kelly’s recant foray into method acting has been exciting to watch. They’ve captured our attention on-screen, but our eyes were peeled for these red carpet moments.
Chloe Bailey recently was spotted in a leather Pressiat dress at the GLAAD Awards that featured so many different details—one was a cheeky touch, no pun intended. Our favorite on-screen teacher Sheryl Lee Ralph wore Sophie Couture for her appearance at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party. She literally can do no wrong styled by her daughter Ivy Coco.
Keep scrolling to see these look in all their glory.
Kelvin Harrison Jr. Wears Prada
Actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. wore an eclectic look for the 55th annual NAACP Image awards. His look was designed by Prada comprised of a long navy coat, bright red pants with a yellow braided belt, and black leather square toe shoes. Underneath his coat, he wore a black turtleneck that he wore just over his shoulders creating an “officecore” effect on his outfit. The look’s hues were mostly primary colors, but it worked on the actor well.
Ego Wears Meruert Tolegen
Saturday Night Live cast member Ego Nwodim wore a Meruert Tolegen black sheer and textured dress to the NAACP Image Awards. Sheer black gloves were fitting for her chic look. The gown’s shape at the hips added even more drama to the extra ruched fabric. She accessorized lightly with a pair of black fringe-style earrings made of gems and completed her look with a pair of pointed-toe black heels with a single strap at the ankles.
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Wears Gaurav Gupta Couture
Actress Michaela Jaé Rodriguez looked incredible in her chocolatey brown, gold bedazzled dress at the GLAAD awards. The dress, designed by Gaurav Guptpa, was strapless with a plunging neckline, giving her decolletage a moment. She was styled by duo Wayman Deon and Micah McDonald. They created such an eye-catching moment with this ensemble. For accessories, she donned brown drop earrings as her final touch to her outfit for her big night.
Chloe Bailey Wears Pressiat
Singer Chloe Bailey wore a leather dress designed by Pressiat with a myriad of added details to the GLAAD Awards. For instance, the back of her dress had a lace-up detail that exposed her backside. The shoulders featured a cutout and feather trims at the cutouts and of her sleeves. The gray leather gown has a slit at the back right at the hem and a plunging neckline at the front. Another detail was the added texture of the dress. It’s already leather but the exposed stitching of each leather panel was a stunning addition.
Jodie Turner-Smith Wears Gucci
The low-cut Gucci frock on actress Jodie Turner-Smith with a side slit was everything we needed in a red carpet moment. Of course, she was styled by the dynamic duo Micah McDonald and Wayman Deon who put together this glamorous look. The actress was adorned with just a few accessories: a pair of large diamond studs and a diamond bracelet, designed by Pasquale Bruni. Her sleek black pointed-toe heels, designed by Louboutin, completed her chic outfit perfectly.
Kelly Rowland Wears Nina Ricci
Kelly Rowland’s Vanity Fair after party look was full of glamorous drama. The white gloves, the striking puffy train, and the old Hollywood hairstyle transported us to the roaring ‘20s. The black and white dress was an elegant selection by her stylist Kollin Carter. Her white gloves were adorned with black satin bows at the top of her arm while she accessorized with a black and white droplet necklace, designed by Messika, to keep the color scheme consistent. She also wore black stockings with open nets that added dimension to her look as well as a pair of black pointed toe heels. The plunging neckline of the dress was rounded, giving her full look a few elevated details.
Kerry Washington Wears Giambattista Valli
Kerry Washington stunned in a black lace, off-the-shoulder dress to the Vanity Fair after party, designed by Giambattista Valli and styled by Mariel Haenn. Her look was playful with layered tulle fabric showing off her decolletage and crystals at her waist. The middle of the gown was sheer exposing her legs as the hemline trails in an opaque black tulle. At her waist is a bow detail that shows the trend is going anywhere. A diamond necklace is on display at her neck with a few rings on her fingers and a pair of drop diamond earrings, all designed by Messika, for accessories.
Sheryl Lee Ralph Wears Sophie Couture
Styled by her daughter Ivy Coco, actress Sheryl Lee Ralph came to party with Vanity Fair wearing a Sophie Couture gown. The gown was a sleeveless long bedazzled, sparkling silver number. She didn’t need to add too many accessories as the dress was doing all the talking. However, she did opt to wear a pair of cuff earrings designed by Charlotte Dauphin. The full look was tailored to perfection by K. Small.