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Janelle Monae Is Our Glam Gladiator at the 2020 Oscars

Janelle Monae on the red carpet for the 2020 Oscars

She’s ready to go to war against all those phobias you’ve heard about.

MikelleStreet

We knew Janelle Monae was headed to the Oscars tonight. She was announced as a performer so we were anticipating it. And we were anticipating a look. Monae is known for her supremely individualistic style which tends to veer towards a pretty white and black color palette. So we expected a bit of that, with some sort of fun silhouette. But what we got was Janelle Monae, the warrior.

Clad in a custom Ralph Lauren gown, Janelle Monae looked like the glam gladiator we never knew we needed. The silhouette was imposing but feminine, with long sleeved fit upper body, a nipped waist, and a full, skirt. Better still, the look was hooded and the effect that the fabric had been treated with, gave it a passing nod to chainmail. This was Monae thea beautiful and the bold.

In case you were wondering, the look is actually made of a crystal-lacquered silk lame and tulle mesh. According to Laurie Brookins, a noted fashion writer, it required more than 600 hours of hand embroidery and features over 160,000 Swarovski crystals. She's shimmering up there.

We expect this is look one of at least two of the night, considering Monae's performance. No telling what direction she'll go in onstage, but we're sure it will be beautiful.

But before she gets on stage, we are tempted to wonder, what might Monae the gladiator be going to war against? Well all the phobias and isms they warn us about. Sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, all of that. And we have no doubts that she's going to win.

RELATED | Yes, Billy Porter Did Wear A Dress to the Oscars Again

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Mikelle Street

Mikelle is the former editorial director of digital for PrideMedia, guiding digital editorial and social across Out, The Advocate, Pride.com, Out Traveler, and Plus. After starting as a freelancer for Out in 2013, he joined the staff as Senior Editor working across print and digital in 2018. In early 2021 he became Out's digital director, marking a pivot to content that centered queer and trans stories and figures, exclusively. In September 2021, he was promoted to editorial director of PrideMedia. He has written cover stories on Ricky Martin, Miss Fame, Nyle DiMarco, Jeremy O. Harris, Law Roach, and Symone.

Mikelle is the former editorial director of digital for PrideMedia, guiding digital editorial and social across Out, The Advocate, Pride.com, Out Traveler, and Plus. After starting as a freelancer for Out in 2013, he joined the staff as Senior Editor working across print and digital in 2018. In early 2021 he became Out's digital director, marking a pivot to content that centered queer and trans stories and figures, exclusively. In September 2021, he was promoted to editorial director of PrideMedia. He has written cover stories on Ricky Martin, Miss Fame, Nyle DiMarco, Jeremy O. Harris, Law Roach, and Symone.