Think Pink: Our Faves Were Coming Up Roses at the 2018 Emmys ... and in Nike ... and Whiteface?

If there was a signature color at the 2018 Emmys, it was pink. Yara Shahidi (in Gucci), nominee Tracee Ellis Ross (in Valentino Haute Couture), and award winner Thandie Newton (in Brandon Maxwell) all showed up in rosy hues, as did several other celebs, who wore shades ranging from blush to bold pink.

Does it signify a shift in the decidedly bleak (and all-black) Hollywood mood that followed the explosion of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, or was the traditionally feminine hue a sign that woman power is finally here to stay? One can only hope, but it looked gorgeous on Shahidi, Ross and Newton.

Also gorgeous? Winner Regina King, who wore custom Christian Siriano to accept her awards from Leslie Jones, also in a custom Siriano pantsuit. King’s chartreuse dress echoed the color scheme on Siriano’s Spring-Summer ‘19 runway, and played beautifully off of her brown skin.

In fact, Siriano remained a favorite at the Emmys, sending seven actresses down the red carpet in his looks, creating a mini-runway of his own.

Also making a statement on the Emmys step-and-repeat? Tiffany Haddish, who continued to pay tribute to her late father with a rainbow-striped gown that incorporated the colors of his native Eritrean flag. And then, there was the “Mother of Black Hollywood” (and giver of zero fucks) Jenifer Lewis, who broke with awards show formality and instead wore head-to-toe and bedazzled Nike sportswear to show her allegiance to the brand amidst ongoing boycotts sparked in response to their current campaign star, Colin Kaepernick.

But by far, the biggest statement was the “did he or didn’t he?” moment of the night, as the Michael Jackson-inspired Atlanta character “Teddy Perkins” mysteriously appeared in the front row of the audience during the Emmys telecast, causing many to wonder if Donald Glover (who’d previously occupied the seat and played the role on his hit show), donned “whiteface” to make the appearance.

In an Atlanta-worthy twist, Glover, Lakeith Stanfield and Brian Tyree Henry were all pictured next to “Perkins” (who conspicuously had what appeared to be naturally fair-complected hands) at an Emmys afterparty. So, we still don’t know what in the Andy Kaufman/Tony Clifton hell was going on. Was it the same actor? Was it all a dream? Who knows, for sure? But as InStyle noted:

“Glover’s decision to take Teddy Perkins off the screen and into one of the industry’s most illustrious events is a huge comment about how white things seem to be in Hollywood.”

While we weren’t big winners in what was widely touted as “the most diverse” group of nominees in Emmy history, we did, as always, make our presence known; not only in stunning gowns and suits, but with natural hair statements. Braids, twists and even afro puffs appeared on the carpet this year, cementing the fact that natural textures belongs in formal settings, too.

Want to see more? Check out our red carpet roundup!