The NAACP Image Awards, also known as “the Black Oscars” were held Friday evening in Pasadena. Selma won big in several categories, including Best Picture and Best Actor (for David Oyelowo’s performance). Black-ish was the big winner for TV Comedy, plus Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross (the two leads) took home acting awards. Taraji P. Henson took home two awards for being awesome and Viola Davis won for TV Drama actress and she didn’t even come to the show! You can see the full list of winners, plus a recap of some of the notable speeches here at E!. I have to say, in all my years of covering the fashion from the Image Awards, this was one of the best years ever. People really made an effort this year and it showed.
Two of the biggest names and biggest fashion standouts: Gabrielle Union and Kerry Washington! Gabby wore this pink Gauri & Nainika, which is so over-the-top that I went from hate to love pretty quickly. Pink was a really popular color for this event, so she was on-trend too. Kerry’s dress is Zuhair Murad. Not her best but not her worst either. I feel like she rarely wears red?
Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Burberry. I really do love her and I think she’s absolutely drop-dead gorgeous, and I like that she’s representing the UK with Burberry. But this was not my favorite. It looks like a quilt. Better luck next time, girl! Something nice: her face is flawless and her styling is on-point.
Taraji P. Henson in Georges Chakra. This isn’t my favorite, but I love her. She always looks like she’s having the best time in whatever she’s wearing. It’s a quality that elevates even blah styles.
Laverne Cox in Gustavo Cadile. I know what she was going for but I’m not feeling it. The skirt is too much, and it feels like a bustle is about to happen. Pretty color though.
Ava Duvernay wore a custom-designed gown by Ashi Studio. It’s a mullet dress! It’s kind of cool though – if you’re going to do a mullet dress, this is the way to do it.
Carmen Ejogo in Solace London. She played Coretta Scott King in Selma and let me tell you, her beauty took my breath away in that film. She was SO pretty. Seeing her in modern clothes bugs me a little, and maybe that’s my issue. I feel the same way about the women of Mad Men – they look so wonderful in those vintage styles, I kind of wonder why they don’t look for similar red carpet clothes.
Uzo Aduba in this Zac Posen was one of my favorites from the event. I usually think Posen is so overworked, like he just needs to calm down and EDIT. But this is beautiful and she looks like a princess.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
All of them look incredibly pretty, but I don’t like the Ashi Studio dress AT.ALL.
Uzo Aduba wins, with Gabrielle Union as second.
If it weren’t for the sheer panel, Laverne Cox’s dress would be great, too. The color is beautiful and it emphasizes her tiny waist.
I don’t know. It looks like someone is hiding under it.
Yep, Uzo wins. This is the second time she absolutely floors me with what she’s wearing. The lady has great taste! What a beautiful colour on her and the neckline is so interesting.
Burberry clothing is really terrible. Always. Now the coats, that’s another matter.
I have 2 burberry coats and until I read your exception I was ready to pounce.
I have liked a burberry suit on men.
I love both pink dresses. Everybody looks pretty nice. No real clunkers. Except maybe the quilt/ grammy’s bedspread dress.
Agree, both of the pink dresses are lovely! I saw the Daily Fail article with a lot more photos, and Gabrielle Union just glowed — I’m not typically a fan of the cut-out dresses, but this one is lovely and the back is fantastic.
And I love the Zac Posen that Uzo Aduba is wearing. The color and the cut are just perfect and so beautiful on her.
Overall, I thought that the fashion of the Image Awards was the best of the awards season so far — more risks, and more payoffs.
I love that Yellow dress. The styling too. I can maybe do without the circles as they remind me of something nsfw i’ve seen in the medical field if I was to describe.
Love the color, styling, and silhouette.
Oh Laverne. That skirt is horrible. You’re too amazing for that dress!
Gugu Mbatha-Raw should have been nominated for an oscar. She carried two good movies this year and she was wonderful in Belle. And her fashion style is also more interesting (comparing to Felicity Jones or Reese…). She could have been the fashion breakthrough this award season like Lupita in 2013-2014. I like Felicity (she seems lovely) and adore Keira but if they wanted to nominate a british actress in a period film, Gugu in Belle was a better choice, imo. But there was no buzz around the movie, and of course knowing how Hollywood work ( #oscarsowhite), she had no chance…. 🙁 At least, she has more roles coming up, I hope she has a great career.
They should had let Weinstein distribute Belle. It also suffered the faith of being release too early.
OH, thank you for reminding me of Belle! It was on my list of must-watch when I first read about it, but then it slipped my mind. Hope I can find it somewhere.
Love Gugu and love her dress. Belle was awesome! I also think Ava is beautiful. I adore Kerry but red lace is always awful.
Ava is really decked out — but as the first Black Female Director she gets to show off a little.
Gugu is just lovely.
All so pretty. Gugu Mbatha Raw is just ethereal but definitely not the best dress I have seen on her. I saw an interview with Ava Duvernay, I just want to be her minion.
They all look stunning. I especially like the draping of the skirt on Gabrielle Union’s dress, though maybe a bit much combined with the top half.
I didn’t even recognize Gabrielle Union. Has she had a facelift or something? It’s the eyes.
I tend to scrutinize one shoulder dresses more because I cannot wear them but I love where that Solace sleeve hits the arm – it’s structured but feminine.
Ms. Union’s is my favorite look (I love her hair, too) but I don’t mind Ms. Mbatha-Raw’s fabric that much, it works for the shape of the dress.
Uzo Aduba and as much as I hate to admit it, Gabby Union were the two biggest standouts for me. Both gowns and styles were dripping in glam and grace. Bravo!
Gabrielle looks amazing even though I dislike the side cutouts.
Gugu looks gorgeous and I love the shape of the dress on her, just not the material.
Taraji looks kick ass and awesome. I love that she is doing so well with Empire.
Uzo looks great! She always posts photos of her and her style team and gives them credit whenever she does a red carpet.
I like Carmen’s, but dislike the material of Ava’s.
Laverne’s would be great a solid top, no sheer panel, and less volume in the hips. I think she does really well with more classic styles, this year I haven’t loved her choices.
Thanks so much for covering this event! All the ladies looked drop dead GORG. I also loved David Oyelowo’s speech as well as Traci Ellis Ross’ speech. I love that Black-Ish and How To Get Away With Murder won.
On another note, I read comments last night on what I believe was Eonline claiming that the NAACP Awards are completely racist and it’s not fair that they exist. Sadly, most award shows (like the Oscars) exclude people of color, or have a select few they choose showcase. So awards shows like this were created to celebrate the talents of those that are often overlooked.
Pfft, Eonline as a barometer for appropriateness.
I love Uzo’s dress and Gabrielle is stunning in that pink, they’re my two picks as best dressed. Gugu and Ava DuVernay look lovely.
Nicole Beharie also looked amazing last night. She wore a suit
All these ladies are so beautiful it hurts
I guess I’m alone here, but I don’t really like Gabrielle’s dress. The color looks stunning on her, though. Uzo’s dress is everything!
Gugu is so ethereal and cute, she looks like a fairy. I almost like that dress on her, but it looks so budget.