BET Awards 2026: 5 Red-Carpet Trends and How to Wear Them
The BET Awards always bring the boldest red carpet of the summer, and the 2026 show in LA kept the promise. Cardi B led the nominations. Teyana Taylor...
The BET Awards always bring the boldest red carpet of the summer, and the 2026 show in LA kept the promise. Cardi B led the nominations. Teyana Taylor collected Icon of the Year. Doechii treated the carpet like a stage, the way she always does. Here are five of the looks that carried the night, and how to wear a bit of each one without a stylist on call.
“The BET carpet has never been about blending in.”
The red-carpet palette
Deep, saturated and a little dangerous. This is night-out colour, not daytime.
Jet Black
#0B0B0C
Oxblood
#5A1A22
Emerald
#0F5132
Gold
#C8A03C
Scarlet
#B11226
Lady in red
Coco Jones took the night's loudest colour and made it look easy: a ruched scarlet bandeau and a draped cut-out waist falling into a sheer chiffon fishtail. The lesson for the rest of us is that one strong red does all the work. Keep the jewellery gold and minimal and let the dress talk.
Shop the look
How to borrow red-carpet drama
Full theatre is for the people with a glam team and a step-and-repeat. The rest of us want one of these ideas, not all five stacked on top of each other.
Bringing it down to earth
Pick one loud thing
A cut-out or a sequin is plenty on its own. Surround it with plain pieces and it reads considered rather than costume.
Tailoring beats sparkle
A sharp dress with a real shoulder line looks more expensive than any amount of glitter. The structure is the luxury.
Mind the balance
If the dress is doing a lot, keep the hair and jewellery simple. Two statements fight. One wins.
Shoes you can dance in
These are party dresses, not museum pieces. A block heel or a barely-there sandal keeps you going past midnight.
The carpet wraps long before most of us see the photos, but the looks stick around. Save the ones you love and the next big night is half-planned already.