With a name like “VH1 Divas Celebrates Soul” — and guests like Jennifer Hudson, Dolly Parton and Mary J. Blige — you expect some over-the-top glamour and a healthy dose of glitter. But you also get giant dyed fur coats, a smattering of sequins and, yes, fingerless gloves.
Drita D’Avanzo from Mob Wives manages not to look sleazy even though she’s wearing very little fabric. Simple shapes and covered-up-cleavage helps with that. VH1 news correspondent Janell Snowden is wearing some kind of glam armor (glarmor?), accentuated by a giant upswept bun. Fierce. Estelle‘s liquid gold gown is gloriously goddess-like… It’s her hair that could be better.
It’s a good thing Martha Reeves is a legend, because otherwise her busy floral top with matching cardigan-thing, sequin skirt, white hose and gold cage booties would be a big old mess. But since she sang “Heat Wave,” “Jimmy Mack,” and “Dancing In The Street,” survived a bad acid trip and became a councilwoman for the city of Detroit, she gets a pass. Travie McCoy‘s sweater looks snuggly and warm and cuddly, even if a tad casual for an event at which there are DIVAS. LaLa Anthony is beautiful, but mullet dresses should be banned. Plus, an open neckline would be much more flattering for her shape.
Siggy Flicker‘s sharp red dress is all kinds of pretty, and it’s great that she didn’t add a bunch of extraneous accessories. Let the sleek silhouette and the red rose do all the talking. Leopard shoes keep things fun; this is a music event, after all. Ramona Rizzo is on Mob Wives, and her pale gold sequined dress says “I don’t need no stinking witness protection program.” It could use another three inches on the hemline, though. Sherri Shepherd‘s dress is such a mess, twisted here, baggy there, tight somewhere else. It’s like a drop cloth. And her shoes are fug.
One must commend Jessie J. and her commitment to bare skin. If it weren’t for those stiff epaulets, there’d be something romantic and Theda Bara about that gown. Someone ought to creep up behind Florence Welch with a pair of scissors and snip off the mullet flounce — then that dress would be perfect. Archie Panjabi is glorious in a little black dress: Never underestimate the power of simple elegance. Her accessories — crystalline earrings and a smile — are perfect.
Divas love fur. Sapphire blue looks fabulous on Jill Scott, but the earrings are an unneeded distraction. The drab rust-colored dress Marsha Ambrosius is wearing fits well, at least. Chaka Khan‘s red mongolian lamb coat picks up the red streaks in her hair, and her glittery gown is just right for the night. 50 Cent is dapper as hell in soft violet velvet. Love how the shirt, tie and pocket square are in complimentary shades of purple. Also? Fiddy is wearing jeans that fit. Take notice, neighborhood kids with asses hanging out above your waistband!
Most of the other gentlemen stuck to basic black. Nas brought the military-inspired style, but left his blunt in the car. Common makes a scarf super sexy. Is that Black Thought next to Questlove? Love the skinny ties.
Mary J. Blige looks faaaabulous. Love the color and cut of this gown, and her champagne chubby, too. Divine.
Jennifer Hudson chose a similar color, but in a less successful ensemble. The tunic’s hem and sleeves both end at awkward spots. And the lower half of that thing needs to be super tight or super loose, not a vague in-between. Ugh! It’s just bad. The boots scream “mummy disco,” and not in a good way. The matching bling is cute, though.
Lord knows what in heaven’s name Dolly Parton is wearing. But her attitude — and the little bows in her hair — are awesome. Fingerless gloves!
(Images via Getty.)