Here are some photos from this year’s NAACP Image Awards, held Saturday night in LA. Some big names took home some big awards – Forest Whitaker won Best Actor, Angela Bassett won Best Actress (for Black Nativity), and Kerry Washington & LL Cool J took home lead acting awards in TV. Lupita Nyong’o won Best Supporting Actress (beating out Oprah) and 12 Years a Slave also won Best Picture, Best Director (Steve McQueen) and Best Screenplay. You can read more about the awards here.
Let’s talk about fashion. Lupita, our Style It Girl of the season (last year it was Eddie Redmayne), wore Givenchy. As in, Riccardo Tisci designed this and Kim Kardashian might attempt this at some point. Like so many of Tisci’s designs, the proportions are weird and I have no idea what he has against floor-length gowns. This dress would have been so much cuter if it wasn’t cut above her ankle. WTF? I really dislike the color of this gown too.
Naomie Harris in Valentino. This was one of the best looks of the night, and I applaud Naomie for actually bringing some true glamour to the Image Awards. She looks gorgeous.
Nicole Beharie, showing some skin in Saint Laurent. I think Nicole is so beautiful, but I’m not feeling this look as a whole.
Here’s Kerry Washington in maternity Thakoon. I’m not feeling this at all. In fact, I feel bad for saying this, but Kerry’s maternity style has kind of sucked in general.
Archie Panjabi (who was nominated for The Good Wife) in a Port 1961 gown. I don’t have a problem with any of this, but it’s just kind of boring. Still, she’s so pretty!
This is the one time this season where I’ve thought Oprah’s look is a mess. She’s nailed it every other time before this.
Nia Long is a mess!
Michael B. Jordan looked handsome – he does the monochromatic style too often though. I would like to introduce him to some white tuxedo shirts.
Photos courtesy of WENN, PR Photos.
I don’t like the look at all.
Naomi looks lovely.
Lupita’s dress i really ugly. But I love her hairstyle.
Naomi looks great.
Kerry’s dress would have been perfect without the sleeves.
Agreed. Naomi and Nicole look so pretty! What’s wrong with Nia? I see some weirdness with the folds over her breasts but maybe I need to see another angle. Oprah… Ooh bebe no comment!
Lupita’s dress just proves Tisci is not nearly as talented as people assumed. He really did think he dressed Kim K beautifully! All this time and the guy has no taste, ha! Feels like the fashion version of Punk’d.
Nicole Beharie is bringing IT!
Its gettin hot in here, (so hot) So take off all your clothes. – “Hot In Herre” Nelly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkzrdUEkj7Y
C’mon, My “Darling Nikki”! – Prince Before He Was A Symbol
@ Mcraw, Is your name from Quick Draw McGraw and Snuffles? – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sa32ZoS6mk
Lmao @sloane! As much as I loved Quick Draw, it’s just a play on my name. Sorry for the late reply, if you ever see this!
Lupita’s dress is meh. I actually kind of like the pumpkin color. But the design makes her chest seem masculine and strange. The whole look feels sort of futuristic though so, I guess there’s that.
Same here. She has a small chest and this dress draws all attention to what lacks. The colour is ok though.
And I love Nicole but Jesus Christ does this look cheap on her! She’s so petite and this dress emphasises it in the wrong way. She looks a bit like a child trying to be sexy.
This is definitely not the best look from Lupita. In some pictures I hardly recognised her. Naomie definitely looked the best.
I really like Lupita, but I agree, this isn’t her best look. She doesn’t look hideous, but I have seen her in other colors/styles that really make her pop. This is kind of drap, and a wee bit unflattering in the neckline.
The way she always matches her eyeshadow to her dress is starting to bother me. She still looks good though.
Hasn’t Kim already worn that dress in red?
I think it was black, someone else did red.
Only difference is Lupita has cloth underneath it, Kim didn’t.
Kim wore the black version and Imogen Pots wore the red one. Don’t know why celebs wear this design – the length is all wrong, the cut is unflattering, and it’s not even a beautiful dress.
This is awful, in color and design. I hope this is just a small misstep and her team gets it together for the Oscars. Friends don’t let friends wear Givenchy.
Agree!!
Naomie is gorgeous! Head2toe perfection. But then again she always gets it right.
As for Lupita’s Givenchy dress…don’t like it.
Also, Kim Kardashian has already tried a version of this dress. She wore the black version with cut-outs in the belly area. She looked awful.
Kim Kardashian DID wear this, in black with no lining underneath. Of course. Remember the flesh triangles at the hip? I’m glad Lupita didn’t go that route, but the color and texture are so odd. Like a basted turkey. Naomi’s dress is gorgeous.
I really don’t get all the love for this girl. Yes she was good in 12 Years and sure she wears nice clothes, but after watching interviews with her, I really find her personality to be highly obnoxious and I can’t see past that.
Really? I’ve only seen a couple of interviews, but she seemed lovely.
Wait what? Obnoxious? It must be reverse day because in every interview I have see Lupita comes across as humble, funny, down to earth and lovely. Go to YouTube and check out all her interviews from redcarpets to David Lettterman to Ellen to Jimmy Fallon and the morning shows. She is the epitome of grace.
I totally agree. It seems like when a celebrity is seemingly crowned the darling of Hollywood there’s ALWAYS a backlash. I saw her interview on Jimmy Kimmel and she was sweet, funny and well spoken. If that’s obnoxious EVERYONE should strive to be obnoxious.
When you are a pretty woman, especially a pretty black woman, you almost have to apologize for existing for people to be comfortable with you.
Only male actors get away with it, like Robert Downey Jr….can you imagine a female actress behaving like him AND getting away with it? Particularly if she is pretty?
Oh Jesus Christ, the fact that she’s pretty and black has nothing to do with anything. Staaaahp with it.
And I find RDJ annoying as f**k.
Actually Zadie, for some people it has everything to do with it.
I never said it was the only reason so you “staaahp” it. Sheesh. You’re acting like women can get away with the same thing men can which is so not true.
Even if she were to be “stuck up”, what’s wrong with that? We are complex human beings and some actresses will be stuck up, others will be more modest, others will be outspoken etc etc
She has the right to be stuck up. I have the right not to like her. It annoys me when some celebrities are held like sacred cows and nothing bad can be said about them.
And I simply don’t understand why should her being black be anyhow relevant in the frincking 21st century.
It shouldn’t be relevant, but it is. Such is life, still, in the 21st century which is sad.
And she is no sacred cow to me, I have said some things about her which some people find to be borderline racist. So yeah.
“And I simply don’t understand why should her being black be anyhow relevant in the frincking 21st century.”
Because, Zadie, we don’t live in a post-racial society and anyone who thinks otherwise is seriously blinkered to reality.
I’m sorry Gretchen,. I live in a very small country with very few people of other races and grew up watching american movies which gave me a very sugarcoated view of the US, so it still shocks me sometimes how relevant race still is.
@Observer. Ok I just shimed in to say RDJ can get away with it because he’s RDJ. There are plenty of male actors that would get called out on their shit if they act that way. I don’t think Lupita have to apologize with the way she acts because she is Black. In case you haven’t notice there have been plenty of Black Actresses that have come before her and they don’t apologize for shit. They tell it like it is, unapologetically.
Lupita is such a breath of fresh air. After all the media whores like Miley, Kardashian, Biber, Beyonce and so many others who only get attention when they behave like idiots. I hope the girl stays around a long time and is not just the IT girl for a season. As for RDJ, he is irreverent and self deprecating, whats wrong with that?
Obnoxious is a bit much, but I do think she comes across as stuck up.
She’s intelligent, well spoken, and has a sense of humor. What’s obnoxious about that?
+1 and, on the shallow side, she has one of the loveliest faces I have seen in a long time.
If this is stuck up and obnoxious then I must not know what those words mean. That or being educated, well spoken, funny and sweet are obnoxious traits. LOL.
Lupita on Ellen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh7I7UKe3aE
Lupita on Letterman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TkxP_scLwE
Lupita on CBS This Morning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL_ZLu_EnsA
It seems we’re skirting dangerously close to “uppity” here, calling a perfectly lovely woman stuck up and obnoxious. I get that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but these characterizations of Lupita seem to be incongruous with her actual behaviour. Hm.
I had never thought if it that way but you might be right. That really kinda upsets me.
I personally find her humble, VERY articulate, smart, smart, smart, funny, and gracious. And not at all obnoxious.
Gigi: Agreed. Sloane Wyatt spoke in detail about this in the last Lupita post we had.
How a person acts in interviews and how they are without the need to sell an image are 2 different things.
And I think people are getting a bit tired of her from over exposure.
I think her humble and gracious attitude is wearing on me like how Swifty was all “Oh, gosh! I won again?” or how Jennifer Lawrence was jut everywhere last awards season with Oscar campaign, Hunger Games, X-Men talk, and her Dior work.
Over time or too much at once and people will become sick of it.
I’m still reserving judgement until she shows she can consistently turn out good roles and keep herself humble even when she gets less attention and the roles aren’t as frequent as they are now coming in.
She strikes me as being dignified, which I guess can be seen by some as stuck up. Personally, I find her attitude and professionalism to be really refreshing, given that most of the time we hear about celebrities complaining about how they hate fame, how they’re such artistes or generally being entitled.
Sorry to say this, but Lupita looked really bad all around. The dress is a mess (I never get any of Tisci’s designs, to me he seems just as talentless as Stella Mccartney) and the styling sucks, particularly the hair. I agree about Washington, can’t remember a single good maternity look from her.
…I was browsing the comment section just to be sure that someone will bash her for not imitating white hair with a wig. Before you comment again please watch Chris Rocks “Good hair”.
I personally love her hair. I love to see more women being brave enough to show their natural hair.
I don’t think she’s shading her for not “imitating white hair” (really?). She wore her hair naturally a lot and no one said anything. I think it’s more due to the styling.
I think people are sometimes actively trying to find racism where there is none.
It’s because she’s got Gary Oldman as Old Dracula hair here…the rest of her natural hair styles have been great and something I’ve used to encourage friends to go natural with…to show that they can and still be fierce and stylish. I’m not even gonna get into the horrors this dress inflicts on her chest.
Oh for the love of gahd, just because someone doesn’t like her hair doesn’t mean they think she should have white woman hair! I think her hair looks bad too, just like Miz Misanthrope says, it looks like Gary Oldman’s Dracula hair! Lupita’s hair has always looked great before, however, this middle part is not doing her face any favours.
And the dress is awful. The colour is awful. The fit is awful. Now I’m in a bad mood lol. The trolls on this thread have really irritated me this morning. Nothing like waking up to -35 weather, with a wind chill of -48!
I also do not like the hair style she chose. We comment on hairstyles of women of many different backgrounds and cultures, to make an exception for Lupita would be wrong.
Exactly @LeLe and @littlestar…It’s not coming down on her for having natural hair. I love that she has the confidence not to buy into the whole colonial bullshit that many women of colour face with the ‘lighter is better’ feeling that permeates the beauty industry. I say this as someone who does hair and makeup professionally and as a white woman. It makes me sick that these gorgeous women don’t feel they can embrace their differences even though it comes off ‘white savior’ of me. Then again I actually specialized in working with women of colour.
Naomi looks best indeed. Very elegant. Lupita, the color is wrong on her. I also don’t like her hairdo. It’s not her signature look which works well on her. As far as Nicole. Too much skin I think. It borders on trashy.
I actually love Kerry’s dress. She can wear color in such a way that no one else really can. I think the color of Lupita’s dress is beautiful, the design is just all wrong though.
I agree with both comments.
Kerry looked good, while Lupita has looked better.
(Tisci’s design almost looks like it should be tea length — was that the impression other colours left as well?)
I kept scrolling down to see if anyone else liked the color of Lupita’s dress! I love the color period but, especially on her in this dress. Not crazy about the dress overall but I think it is a thousand times better than the white one she wore with the bandeau bra which I hated.
Oprah’s dress it too fussy and I have been loving her style lately.
Jordan looks handsome…big surprise 🙂
Tulip, I like the colour as well, just not the execution. Something is off but I do like the colour.
ETA: Can we bring MBJ home to the Garden?!??? Peas? Purdy Peas???
IF we can get someone to wrangle him, we can seduce him with our “special” plants and then he’s ours forevah! I’m on board but we have to get Secret Squirell to trip him up, tie him up, and deliver him up 🙂
I don’t care for the outfit or her hair, but she wears both beautifully.
That dress is just too busy for Lupita, or anyone else for that matter. Noemie looks gorgeous and Archie Punjabi’s dress is very pretty. She’s making an odd expression in that picture. If she smiled, it would brighten her look and she would look stunning. Oprah is a mess. Nice finish there with the adorable Michael B. Jordan.
PLease cover Archie Panjabi a bit more . This woman is an AMAZING actress!!!!!!!!!
Agreed.
I love Lupita’s hair – so cute, but certainly not a look for many. While she has been the queen of color lately, that shade of orange would look gross on anyone.
Lupita just doesn’t look good in a plunging neckline. And she has lovely skin that takes to makeup very well, but that doesn’t mean her makeup has to look painted on. Can she not be subtle and look natural for a red carpet?
And there’s nothing I like about her hair style.
I don’t know if it’s the plunging neckline or her boney sternum that makes me dislike the dress. It’s a hard look to pull off.
There’s a couple of women on that list who the plunging neckline does not flatter.
Lovely women, mostly terrible dresses. Archie’s is OK but boring, and Naomi’s isn’t bad. But the rest, I don’t care for.
@Mayame,
I think it is the sternum that throws this look off. I see the same on a lot of actresses and I don’t know why a boney sternum doesn’t stop them from wearing these dresses. It’s the same for me for extremely large chested women. The plunge is difficult to wear and only a select few look appropriate, classy and elegant in it, imo. Like most, Lupita isn’t one of them, imo.
Whaat? She does not look bony – she looks extremely fit without looking emaciated, or augmented! Perfection. I love orange anything – so I thought this was a great look!
This is the first time her make up isn’t doing it for me. I don’t mind the dress, but she HAS looked better. I love Nicole Beharie but the dress was a mess. I don’t particularly like Naomie Harris’ dress, but her hair and make up were beautiful. Kerry Washington’s stylist must not know how to dress a pregnant body because she’s looked awful on mostly every red carpet she’s been on. Oh Oprah. You can do so much better. Nia Long’s dress isn’t fitted well at all. Michael B. Jordan…God must have spent a little more time on you.
These are beautiful young women with healthy bodies, but the dresses are cut in a way that makes their boobs look saggy. Save the boobs!
There are times where Lupita reminds me of Grace Jones, this is one of them, love the color. Michael B. Jordan looks handsome as always, and Naomie looks really good. The rest are a but meh for me.
Lupita honey, sigh, no. Just no. The dress is simply awful. The color, the cut, the plunging neckline, err-damn-thang! And who did that hair? And this matchy-matchy business of matching eyeshadow and the dress AND THE DAMN SHOES? Urgh.
Still, love you like mad girl! 🙂
Naomi Harris looks superb.
Lupita looks like she is trying for Miley Cyrus’ VMA hairstyle. Not a good look.
To be fair, the “hairstyle” Miley’s been showing off is a lot lower and requires waxing!!
That is a horrible dress. I hate the cutouts below the waist.. they make me think of a circus tent. Also, she did not need to do that to her hair!
I’m going to have to do a big thumbs down on all the dresses. Lupita no on everything from makeup to dress, Naomie Harris very pretty face but plain boring dress not red carpet material, Kerry lovely makeup but no to that tent dress. Oprah, you failing me. Nia Long lord have mercy no. Nicole Beharie the boob and ass show should be saved for the porn awards. Michael B Jordan at least looks presentable.
I’ve been saying this for awhile but the whites of Lupita’s eyes always bother me because they look yellow.
She is so pretty though but I don’t like the dress or the hair here.
The make up is terribly done, that said I do like the colorsof her lips and eyeshadow.
Really? You’ve been “saying for awhile” that her eyes are yellow? Are you kidding?
Yellow or muddy sclera are totally normal especially in people with deep pigmentation.
Yes, really. I am black myself so I know wtf I am talking about.
And no, it’s not “common” among us with deeper skin tones. At least not as common as you think.
It’ can be a sign of jaundice like with every other human being. And no, I am not saying that is what Lupita has so calm down you reactionary …
I didn’t say it was common, I said it was normal, meaning that there’s nothing wrong with her eyes because the sclera are yellow. My daughter is dark like Lupita and her sclera are muddy – almost blue.
Well I personally think she should put some drops in her eyes to make them look whiter because it will look better in photographs.
I’m sure she’s noticed and wants to nothing about it because most black people of lupita’s colour or way darker than her ESP in certain parts of Africa and India have it. It’s due to the heavy concentration of melanin in the sclera. In others it’s due to genetics. My Indian dad has it, I don’t but my little sis does. Sometimes it can be due to high deposits of fat etc
I think she looks great! Is she tanned?
No she’s naturally that dark skinned
Dark skinned people do and can tan too you know.
Of course dark skinned people tan esp at the beach, but i answered a question on if she’s tan, saying she’s naturally that dark skinned since her previous pictures are the same and her dad is very dark. Skin colour can change with season and temperates. Well mine though.
Nia Long’s dress seems like it’s showing me something that is propping up her right boob…is that a sticky pad or something?
a lot of these looks seem sloppy to me.
Oh my the HAIR! awful awful.
Yeah…I’m not in love with the hair. I love that she’s willing to play with her look, though.
Oh no! I was hoping this girl doesn’t get to this stage of agreeing to anything. Anyway givenchy sigh he can’t redeem himself past rottweiler and Bambi t shirts. Sad that Ricardo is so consumed into pop stars meanwhile season after season makes bland unflattering dresses. And I hate her hair sheesh. She looked the best during 12 years premieres with just short hair when she left it all alone now I don’t know.
Anyway naomie looks the best.
I didn’t like the last plunge, but this one looks better, the other with the strange lines was disjointed and cut off part of her ribcage and looked strange. That said, I don’t love the dress, maybe if it were a brighter shade of orange, or if it didn’t have the flaring details, I’m not sure? I think the hair is cute. As someone above said, she reminds me of Grace Jones here, with a hint of androgyny/masculinity, and that’s all cool.
Really? Other than their skintones I see nothing similar between her and Grace Jones.
Lupita has a very cute/pretty face with delicate facial features. Very feminine full lips and eyes. She has a cute button nose.
I see nothing masculine about Lupita. She has nice toned muscular arms but that’s about it.
I like Grace Jones. She can take it up several notches toward masculine or down toward feminine chic. I didn’t say I thought the two looked identical, but the hair styling and the musculature that was prominent in the photo was of reminiscent of Jones.
http://longuette.blogspot.com/2011/07/get-inspired-grace-jones.html
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v228/effgeevee/Grace-Jones-2.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CuVSL_2DhxM/Thyz3ejBznI/AAAAAAAADfE/k620afeeA68/s550/6Grace-Jones.jpg
This isn’t my favorite look of hers, but it’s definitely not fug. Her hair is cute, too. I love how she’s not afraid to experiment with fashion.
The “Fab Four” looked simply beautiful on Saturday. I hope Lupita wins the Oscar: then take a much-needed holiday from the media.
First time I haven’t liked Lupita’s look. The dress is just fug. Love the hair though.
“Nia Long is a mess!” Ummm Kaiser??? Do you know who Nia Long is??!! She ALWAYS looks amazing and she also looks half her age. My husband would pass out if he read that statement lol he thinks she can do no wrong. She’s gorgeous.
Lupita’s hair looks good. I love it!
Everyone raves about Lupita’s clothing but I can’t get past her matchy matchy style. Nicole’s dress looks like some cheap, off the rack dress. Archie and Naomi are the only ones who look good.
This site has been pushing her as the next big style icon for a while, and for a while I thought she had good style too, but now I doubt it. It’s exactly as you say, she’s way too matchy matchy with everything. Dress, eye shadows, shoes, bag they all match! That blue dress with the matching blue shoes at one of the awards shows a month or so back is what did it for me. She has a beautiful muscular body, she should stick with clean lines. This Givenchy dress does nothing for her.
And I love Archie’s look too. She is so beautiful!
A lot of tension in this thread. It’s almost like reading the comments on a triad of doom story.
lol
I hear you. People seem to be itching for a fight.
The negativity surprises me. I feel like I’m looking at different shots to everyone else.
My god Lupita is gorgeous. Her look isn’t something I would wear, but she totally pulls it off. Love her hair too, playful and elegant.
Compare her in this dress to Kim K in the black version, and they’re like night and day. You’d never guess it was the same dress.
I absolutely love Nicole but that dress is just no.
@FirstTimer, Welcome aboard!
I absolutely love Nicole too! See #1.
Lupi N is great, but I’ve been stanning Nicole Nicole Beharie since FOREVER!
That dress is hideous. She obviously works out of a lot and her body is amazing, but it is doing her chest area no favors whatsoever. And ankle length?? What a disastuh.
I wish there was more coverage of the NAACP Image awards show on here. I was more than blessed enough to be able to attend (front row near Oprah. Squee!). I met Idris Elba who is more of a panty dropper in person if you can believe it. Naomie Harris’ dress just sparkles beautifully in motion. You heard people go “Oooo” when her and Lupita came out to present an award. Anyway, there was a good amount of stars there. The show was great. Stevie Wonder playing a tribute for Mandela. Where’s the male coverage?!
The lighting in these pics look particularly bad, because they are making the clothes look more awful than they were. With the exception of Nia Long and Oprah everybody’s dresses looked amazing. Lupita’s is better in motion as well. I will agree that I would prefer on someone with a little more of a chest. It enhances too much the fact that she’s flat chested.
Wow so amazing that you got to attend! More details, please. I wanna know everything!
It aired on TVOne so it may be online somewhere to stream but it was an amazing, funny, and inspirational awards ceremony. I’m so happy The Butler got some love, because I still get tears in my eyes watching certain scenes or the trailer. My funniest moment had to be when they showed a clip of Steve Harvey’s nomination of Entertainer of the Year where he gave away a trip to Vegas to everyone in the audience. Oprah was like “Hmm wonder where he got that from?” lol. Celebrities and guests alike were coming up to her all night for hugs, or to get pictures with her. My drop dead moment was when I turned back and to my right and made eye contact with Idris Elba he then makes dance movements at me during Stevie Wonder’s performance. OMF’ingG lol. Then we took a pic together after the show. It was a great experience to see how a live awards show is handled. The production team really hustle to get people back into their seats when we’re about to come back from commercial. Cast of Scandal really enjoy each other’s company. While Kerry was accepting her award for Best Actress I swear Tony Goldwyn thought the Scandal cameras were still rolling, lol. You can see he adores her. Amazing blessed night…I still can’t believe it lol.
Funny I love Lupita’s look here, especially the way she’s styled it. The only thing I don’t like is the neckline – would prefer it to be a deep-V neck rather than the very open plunge.
Its a big miss for me. But congrats on the win Lupita/12YAS!
Naomie looks stunning.
Lupita’s dress looked great in movement on TV, not so much in these photos.
Kerri Washington’s dresses often are ugly, but she frequently looks nice in them anyway. And SHE always looks gorgeous. She’s radiant in anything.
like the dress, dislike the hair
Can’t say I love it. It is certainly okay but not the best. I do like the color however!
I just read Lupita is in Liam Neeson’s new thriller, Non-Stop, opening on the 28th. I didn’t know that. Julianne Moore has the lead female role.
Lupita and Michelle Dockery play stewardesses.
Is Nia Long pregnant? She’s got some serious boobs going on.