Janelle Monáe’s Red Cutout Dress at 2023 NAACP Image Awards

Janelle Monáe arrived to the NAACP Image Awards in a fiery red gown that showed a new side to her style. The sultry satin dress featured an asymmetrical side cutout and dramatic leg slit that reached all the way up her thigh. Delicate straps and ruching along the waist provided the final details for this unexpectedly colorful look.

Diverting even further from their historically muted aesthetic, the singer and actor accessorized with red ankle-strap heels, a diamond ear cuff, and a diamond ring. They kept their bangs neatly side-swept and added a glossy red ombré lip that perfectly matched their gown.

Monáe has gravitated toward bold style trends before, but never in this color palette. Previously, she wore feathered cutout couture to a premiere, and later, a completely sheer black gown with hip cutouts to the Critics’ Choice Awards. It was a big night for Monáe, whose work in “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” earned her a nomination for outstanding supporting actress in a motion picture. She also recently released a new single, “Float,” although she threatened to withhold any new music following comments about her fashion choices on Twitter.

“Janelle monae finally showing off how fine she is instead of dressing like the monopoly man,” one fan wrote in a since-deleted tweet earlier this month, referencing Monáe’s previous affinity for top hats and bow ties. Upon discovering the tweet had gone viral, Monáe jokingly replied, “No new tour. hope it was worth it beloved.” Could their glamorous NAACP Image Awards look be another response to the social media jabs? Read ahead to weigh in.