Best To Worst Dressed At The 2019 Billboard Awards
The Billboard Music Awards kicked off on April 1, 2019, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. American Idol alum Kelly Clarkson reclaimed her hosting duties for the second year in a row in what promised to be one of the most star-studded and entertaining nights of the year. Many of the celebrities in attendance had dreams of winning one of the many coveted awards, including Cardi B who was up for 21 nominations and took home six of them. Drake, who was up for 17, snagged 12 awards by the time the night was over, according to Billboard. While not every musician would go home with a golden microphone (or a dozen), at least they looked good strutting their stuff down the red carpet!
Not quite as formal as the Grammys, the Billboard Music Awards is a time for our favorite A-list celebs to getting a little more bold, a lot more daring, and more risqué with their fashion offerings. While we were captivated by many of the stylish gowns, casual suits, and eye-catching designs, such as Taylor Swift's whimsical mini dress, there were some fashion misses, as well. Here's our list of the best to worst dressed at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards.
Taylor Swift looked like a glam princess
The "Love Story" singer left us in awe when she popped up in this lilac mini dress designed by Raisa & Vanessa (per People). Taylor Swift paired the frilly, long-sleeved frock with a pair of nude Casadei heels and a ton of jewelry, including an ear cuff, all courtesy of "Stefere and Graziela Gems, Stephen Webster, Moritz Glik and Jenny Dee Jewelry," the publication reports.
With her hair pulled back, her wispy bangs perfectly framed her face. And how gorgeous are her pink lipstick and matching eyeshadow? To sum up her entire look, E! News declared the singer looked like "royalty," and they weren't lying!
She was on hand to perform her smash hit "ME!" alongside Panic! At the Disco's frontman Brendon Urie. Although she didn't win either of her two nominations, she gets all the praise for her TDF outfit. Swift previously confessed to Harper's Bazaar that she has a thing for dresses. She also admitted that she's the owner of hundreds of them. "There's just something so feminine about a dress," she said, and we agree!
Keep those cute dresses coming, T-Swizzle!
Ciara leveled up in a black gown
Ciara is back to slay our souls with some new music, and her song "Thinkin' Bout You" was the perfect track to perform in front of a packed house at this year's Billboard Music Awards. But before taking the stage, Ciara walked the red carpet in a structured gown that Footwear News described as her "leggiest look" ever.
According to PopSugar, the piece was designed by Stephane Rolland, and it featured a mesh overlay at the chest to show off her goodies. A decorative design of gathered fabric rested on one shoulder, and the dramatic split in the center confirmed she still has the best gams in town.
With her hair pulled back into a sleek high ponytail, we could get a much better look at her flawless makeup application and the biggest diamond earrings we've ever seen! As for her accessories, the singer wore a rhinestone choker, a pair of black satin sandals, and her best addition of all was her son, Future Wilburn, who walked the red carpet alongside her, E! News reports.
The "Level Up" singer told The Hollywood Reporter that it's her husband, professional football player Russell Wilson, who gives her the best fashion advice. "He'll tell me and I trust him. I know he's going to make sure I'm looking good," she said.
We're not sure if Wilson is responsible for this outfit, but if so, kudos to him!
Paula Abdul looked straight up beautiful
Paula Abdul made a triumphant return to the music world by closing out the 2019 Billboard Music Awards with a medley of some of her greatest hits. The former American Idol judge also didn't miss a beat with her red carpet outfit: a white Hamel dress decorated with silver fringe. She paired the long-sleeved, plunging dress with a pair of metallic pumps and silver hoop earrings.
The "Straight Up" singer wore her brown hair in loose waves. With her rosy cheeks and matching pink lipstick, Abdul made it clear that she may be an icon in the music industry, but she's just as beautiful as her contemporary counterparts!
After being in and around the entertainment industry for so long, Abdul has finally nailed her own personal style. However, she admitted to WWD that it took her some time to accept one thing: "I am not as tall as I think I am," she said, before adding, "As I get older, I am more accepting of my body."
Her biological age is a non-factor at this point because the pop legend is a timeless beauty who's clearly "aging backwards,' according to AOL.
Eva Longoria showed off her post-baby bod ... and more
Eva Longoria was tapped to be a presenter at the event. However, before she could have her time to shine on stage, she had to work the red carpet. According to Just Jared, the new mom wore a strapless Alberta Ferretti black dress. The high-low hem was slightly raised in the front to show off the actress' matching black unmentionables, but in a tasteful way, of course!
The Daily Mail called her dress "very daring," and considering she just gave birth to her first child, Santiago Enrique Bastón, less than a year prior to the event, we think the former Desperate Housewives star deserves a standing ovation for bringing this type of post-baby fire to the event.
She combined her risky dress with a black belt, a pair of peep toe Gianvito Rossi heels, and a clutch designed by Mumbai-based brand, Rossoyuki. She also managed to stay true to her own fashion ethos, which she described as "comfortable, feminine, beautiful" in a 2017 interview with USA Today.
Cardi B schooled us on her wardrobe malfunction
Cardi B led the pack with a whopping 21 nominations, six of which she won. With all the hype surrounding the well-deserved recognition she was due to receive, the "Money" singer pulled out all the stops when it came to her red carpet outfit.
With her husband, Migos rapper Offset, by her side, Cardi B wore a two-piece Moschino by Jeremy Scott yellow skirt and bandeau combo, according to Just Jared. Her revealing top was decorated with dazzling ruby pendants and rhinestones that matched perfectly with her huge, intricately designed hoop earrings. Her skirt included a super-revealing, thigh-high split that showed off her toned legs. The mother of one also proved that she has been hitting the gym since giving birth in July 2018. Hello, "insane abs"!
When she and Offset engaged in some PDA on the red carpet (viewer discretion is advised!), he dipped her and exposed everything she did and didn't have on underneath her skirt. After images of her wardrobe malfunction hit the net, she went backstage and disrobed to give the world an anatomy lesson. "That's just my a**. You know when you got a fat a**. That s**t gets fat right here," she said.
Oh, Cardi. Never change!
Diplo went western
We can appreciate anyone who takes a risk and wears something a bit ... unconventional to an awards show. So we give Diplo an "A" for being bold enough to don this purple cowboy-inspired getup. The international DJ's matching shirt and skin-tight pants were emblazoned with a floral design surrounded by shiny jewels. A leather belt with a huge belt buckle cinched his waist, and his eyes were hidden behind a pair of aviator sunglasses. And, of course, he couldn't attend the event without a pair of snakeskin cowboy boots and a tan cowboy hat to tame his shoulder-length hair. Howdy, partner!
He's been on a country kick and even released the country tune "So Long" featuring Cam under his real name, Thomas Wesley, according to Billboard. So that explains his ode to western gear, which Vogue described as "urban cowboy."
When it comes to showing off his fashion prowess, the "Get It Right" artist told Esquire that he's still getting the hang of how to own the red carpet like a boss. "You just don't want to look like an a**," he said.
He succeeded. We stan.
Terry Crews got the boot
Terry Crews was asked to present during the night's festivities, and the entire time he was on stage, we couldn't take our eyes off of his attire. The actor wore a tailored gold suit with a white V-neck shirt underneath his matching blazer. Perhaps he would've landed higher up on our list if it weren't for his footwear. Yes, we're talking about dem boots.
The Brooklyn Nine-Nine star gave his signature pose on the red carpet: a high-flying jump in the air that, sadly, showed off his knee-high, alligator skin black boots. But, hey, going against the grain is something Crews is known for at this point. In 2019, he explained a previously perplexing red carpet look to Fox News, saying that he's not a fan of playing it safe. "This is my life, that's who I am. I take risks, Let's go! I don't want to wait, let's go, I go big or I go home. All in," he said.
RTE called him the winner of the night, simply due to "how happy he is in those boots." We here at Nicki Swift, on the other hand, wish he would've left the winter footwear at home and opted for something a little more spring and summer approp' instead.
Julianne Hough got leggy
Julianne Hough turned the red carpet upside down when she showed up in an outfit that looked more like beachwear. On hand as one of the night's presenters, the Dancing With the Stars alum wore a bra-like top with gold booty shorts by Genny, PopSugar reports. At least she attempted to tone down the scantily clad-ness of her getup by wearing a matching long-sleeved jacket. On her feet, she donned a pair of pointy-toed Christian Louboutins, according to Just Jared.
Showing off her impressive dancer physique was just one element of Hough's red carpet look. The beachy waves in her short blonde 'do were dang near perfect, and her subtle makeup application — with just a little bit of eyeliner, mascara, and nude lipstick — kept the focus away from whatever was going on with her outfit.
The reaction about her flashy outfit was mixed. E! News said she was oozing with "glamour," while we soon discovered we weren't the only ones who placed her on their worst-dressed list.
The fact that she wore a top that looks more like an undergarment isn't surprising, especially since the dancing queen admits she has a thing for athleisure pieces — in particular sports bras. When asked by People if she could count how many sports bras she owns, she answered, "I have seven drawer/shelf options, and then stuff that's hung up, too."
Something tells us this won't be the last time Hough wears a bra on the red carpet!
We tried not to guffaw at Olivia Wilde's golden garb
We're sure it doesn't take much to get Olivia Wilde all dolled up to demolish the red carpet. But, unfortunately, we were way underwhelmed by her Billboard Music Awards outfit. In attendance as a presenter, the Booksmart director wore a gold sequin Ralph Lauren dress, according to Just Jared. The button-down piece featured a mock neck and a matching belt that nipped in her waist. As if the overpowering color of her dress wasn't enough, Wilde paired the designer getup with gold, ultra-high platform Giuseppe Zanotti sandals, an Edie Parker clutch purse, and jewelry by Loree Rodkin and Nancy Newberg, according to the website.
With her hair pulled back and parted down the middle, ringlets of her blonde hair fell gently down the side of her face to expose minimal makeup, including gold eyeshadow and light pink lipstick. She obviously wanted the focus to be on her shimmery number, and she succeeded for the most part.
Perhaps her dress and accessories fell flat, but we kind of understand the vibe she was going for. She's giving us all the '70s feels, which coincides with her love for wearing "a lot of vintage," she told Fashionista.
Sophie Turner's futuristic fashion fell flat
Sophie Turner attended the Billboard Music Awards with Joe Jonas — who became her new hubby just moments after the ceremony, according to TMZ. The Game of Thrones actress was there to watch the Jonas Brothers' performance, but she also commanded our attention with this Louis Vuitton number.
According to Harper's Bazaar, the silver, zip-up metallic jumpsuit was "covered in floral embroidery" and included a black belt. We weren't that shocked the Tron: Legacy star wore a piece designed by the French fashion house, either. Even the brand's artistic director, Nicolas Ghesquière, has called Turner his muse, according to Fashionista. Unfortunately, AOL called her ensemble one of their "least favorite looks of the night." Ouch!
The awkward, droopy shoulders and long sleeves gave her a bulky appearance that we just can't put our stamp of approval on. On the bright side, her neutral makeup made her look fresh and angelic, and we are obsessed with her blonde lob, too.
Even though we're giving her the side eye for her fashion choice, its design — which looked more like a suit of armor — is actually right up her alley. "When I think about getting dressed, I want to feel like a warrior in everyday life. I want to feel tougher with a really strong aesthetic," she told Fashionista. "So on the carpet, I always want to wear things that are very powerful."