The NCLR 15th Annual American Latino Media Arts (ALMA) Awards took place at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Friday 10th October in sunny California. For the fourth year in a row, actress & entrepreneur Eva Longoria was joined by actor & TV presenter Mario Lopez to host the 2014 show, honouring the best American Latino contributions to music, television and film. The red carpet of course, is one of my favourite parts to any big event, especially award shows. I had many “whoa…oh wow!” moments when seeing the beautiful dress choices for this year’s turn out. So let’s see who has made the Killer Fashion Best Dressed cut.
The Hostess with the Mostest
Eva Longoria kicked things off in a breathtakingly beautiful Gabriela Cadena dress on the red carpet. Her white strapless gown featured metallic lines that interlocked with one another all over the dress, with more thin sequin lines along the sides, and a flowing train to finish. It was a statement without being over the top, which she teamed with a chic ponytail, white & silver stud earrings by Martin Katz, Brian Atwood shoes, bronze smokey eyes and a nude lip.
During the show, Eva changed seven times, from one beautiful gown into another. Opting for a dark look, Eva wore a black & midnight blue geometric patterned mesh column dress, complete with full sleeves, a high neckline and styled her hair up for the look.
Staying with a peekaboo style, Eva later wore a turquoise blue lace dress with intricate beaded embroidery on the shoulders, front and outer legs, and I love the colour of this against her glowing complexion.
Eva changed back into a white metallic look, but different to her red carpet look; this strapless had a pointed neckline, peplum details and gold accents on the bodice & hips that ended with a fabulous fishtail skirt.
She then switched into wore a mustard yellow strapless with a wide open-cut skirt on the front, that showed off olive trims & lining, as well as gold strappy sandals and let her hair down for the look.
For the penultimate look, she wore a pewter column dress with an asymmetrical cowl ruffle on the front that she worked beautifully with her long ombré locks.
And finally, for the end of the night & press room look, Eva wore an Emilio Pucci fully embellished mini dress with a wide plunging neckline in a palette of peach, black, white, bronze & green that she teamed with Oscar Tiye metallic leather sandals, and a messy pulled back ponytail.
Metallic Madness
Young Colombian actress Maria Mesa attended in a fully embellished gown with a lace underlay and a deep sweetheart neckline. She kept the look on the sweet side with sideswept waves, exaggerated lashes & liner and a Saint Laurent monogram clutch.
Lisa Vidal opted for a mini dress with a crystal embellished skirt and feathers atop that she wore with pavé sandals with a matching embellished mini clutch and more sparkling jewellery.
Puerto Rican beauty Valery Ortiz stunned and then some, sporting a beautiful nude mesh mermaid gown, with her chest & derriere covered up by iridescent beaded embellishment that resembled multiple sunrays. A sideswept do, and vixen-like makeup was finished with red lipstick, simple jewels and an embellished clutch too. Mermaid beauty at it’s best, I just love all that sparkle.
Massiel Taveras also opted for an embellished dress to the awards. Former Miss Dominican Republic 2007 wore a beautiful floral appliqué gown with a slight plunging neckline that was matched with a keyhole detail and a mid split on the skirt. I adore the blush hues of this gown, and the scalloped hem on the skirt too. Massiel completed her look with a straight hairstyle, long drop earrings and big lashes.
Zulay Henao attended donning a head-turning Rhea Costa gown. The Colombian-American actress wore a tulle & lace gown that was white at the top, blush at the bottom and had a peekaboo effect along the waist & decollatage. She teamed a dark plum lip & manicure and flat updo for this, which really made her stand out, and held an Atelier Strut embellished clutch. Stunning!
Black Beauties
Stephanie Beatriz kept her look simple but sexy, donning a plunging fitted dress with a matching middle split on the skirt to showcase her gold plaque sandals that also matched her gold ribbed box clutch. The Brooklyn Nine-Nine actress added a sideswept voluminous hairstyle and a dewy glow with kohl-rimmed eyes to complete the look perfectly.
Sporting a monochrome look, Andrea Navedo stunned on the red carpet. The bustier features beautiful regal-like sequin motifs with an inverted v-cut and a column skirt. A beautiful curled do, simple jewellery and a subtle red lip finished off her look beautifully.
Actress Judy Reyes stepped out in smiles to the ALMAs. The Scrubs & Devious Maids actress wore a black mini dress that had fan-like motifs on a nude slip, with a tulle overlay from the knees down. She wore black criss-cross sandals, a gold cuff and cocktail ring, with an updo and subtle smokey eyes.
Lilliana Vazquez wore a Misha Collection creation, turning heads in a leather swirl-designed mesh dress that she wore with a black bra & shorts set underneath. Although slightly risqué, the style expert worked the look elegantly with barely there black sandals, a ponytail with bangs and exaggerated lashes & a dewy finish.
Devious Maids actress Justina Machado also showed up in a black & white mini dress, with a mini v-cut neckline and white trim and another v-cut by the knee. She teamed the look with black pumps, a straight-styled bob, gem drop earrings and red lipstick.
Yvette Yates opted for a black Adolfo Sanchez gown. The upper-half featured an artistic see-through mesh top with half-sleeves, while the lower-half of this gown was made up of tiered lace in a waterfall cut, exposing her black & gold chain sandals by Olivia Hines that matched her Loyal Antiquity chain necklace.
Blue and Beautiful
One of my favourites, Ana Ortiz, stunned in a bright & bold blue hue. The Ugly Betty & Devious Maids actress wore a turquoise strapless gown with a slightly asymmetrical-cut bodice and fishtail fit that suited her body to a tee. She styled her hair perfectly for this dress; an updo with curly sweeps coming in from the back, along with a pavé clutch and simple jewellery.
Alicia Sixtos donned a beautiful sparkling gown to the awards. Her royal blue dress featured a sweetheart neckline that was connected to a spider web cut out all covered in sequins, along with a side split and slight train to finish. The actress added more sparkles to her look with blue & silver gem earrings, a pavé cuff bracelet and matching clutch, a chic updo and red lipstick.
Like her sister, Andrea Sixtos opted for a blue hue too but a cornflower blue lace column dress. The young actress’ dress featured a lace overlay with a simple straight neckline strapless slip underneath, that worked perfectly with her beige nude clutch, sparkling cocktail ring and bracelet, and especially so with her loose curly updo and foxy eye makeup.
East Los High co-star Danielle Vega was also sporting blue. Her halterneck dress featured cut outs on the waist with contrasting black embellished panels and a thigh-high split. Loose waves, smokey eyes, a sparkling box clutch and black leather pointed ankle strap heels completed her look.
Maria Canals-Barrera attending in blue too, in an opera-style gown that featured a sweetheart boned bodice atop an asymmetrical ruched skirt, which the actress & singer matched with sideswept waves and finished with a subtle red lip.
Actress Kelly V. Dolan was also in trending blue for the awards, wearing a lace number with an embedded ribbed bodycon sweetheart bustier. The high neckline and sheer lace on the upper contrasted well with the rest of her look, which she teamed with black peeptoes, a sparkling cuff bracelet, tousled curls and pink lipstick.
Angelique Cabral donned a darker and more interesting choice for the ALMAs. Her dark slate blue gown by Walter Mendez featured a nude coloured panel on the front with a wide-v neckline and floral embellishments that fitted the actress like a mermaid gown. She matched her sparkling gem drop earrings and embellished clutch to her look with blue-rimmed eyes and exaggerated lashes, as well as a pink lip and half-up half-down hairstyle.
Dominican Republic-born actress Katherine Castro looked fab in her royal blue satin look by designer Rubin Singer, wearing a pleated sweetheart neckline strapless with ruched & pleated details, and a thigh-high split that showed off her Celtic cut out sandals.
Gorgeous in Green
Edy Ganem blew me away! The young Devious Maids actress wore a fabulous green & gold creation by Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran. Her gown featured gold embellishment over a sheer green overlay on the sleeves & front creating a plunging neckline illusion that was then banded together on an embellished waistband and a darker green tulle skirt. Edy teamed her look with Old Hollywood glamour waves, a dewy glow and dark lashes along with a snakeskin printed box clutch by Fiona Kotur and Elizabetta Franchi heels. I love everything about this from head to toe.
Chicago-born Gina Rodriguez also stepped out in green, donning a strapless straight neckline dress. The dress featured a folded-over detail on the bust and peplum on the waist, which she wore with a simple bangle & rings and tousled curls. Bright and beautiful.
Radio & TV host Melissa “Crash” Barrera also attended in green, and made quite the va va voom statement in her Mac Duggal gown. The sweetheart mermaid dress featured ruffled peplum on the waist with black trims and a fishtail skirt that created a beautiful silhouette on the Mexican-American. A straight behind-the-ears hairstyle, simple crystal gem drop earrings and red lipstick completed the look, reminding me very much of a Sofía Vergara moment.
Bold in Berry
Adriana Fonseca donned a full-length plum lace shirt dress by Eduardo Lucerola to the ALMAs, with an open v-cut neckline and mid-split on the skirt. The telenovela actress & dancer added a black waistbelt to the look with black strappy sandal-booties by Q by Pasquale, a black clutch and gold cocktail ring.
Vanessa Villela kept her look for the awards very simple but did so beautifully. A lower-cut sweetheart strapless column gown in a candy pink hue was teamed with a gold tassel chain necklace & bracelet, long curled locks, dramatic eyes and a light pink lip to finish. I love how these ladies make simple so chic.
One gorgeous lady in red was Jessica Carrillo, who absolutely stunned in a red wide v-cut gown. Her bodice was fully embellished though from the waist-down it was simple and straight to the point with a side slit on the skirt to show off her pins, which she wore with nude T-bar sandals, a messy fishtail braid to the side, shimmery cat eyes and a pinky-nude hue lip. Just gorgeous!
Another lady in red was Mrs Mario Lopez, Courtney Mazza who attended in a scooped neck gown by Jean-Ralph Thurin with slight pleated detailing on the skirt, an open v-cut back and floor sweeping train. Courtney added a glittering cylindrical clutch by Maria Elena, a silver chain bracelet and silver plaque sandals to the look, and kept the rest simple with a straight style, big lashes and a nude lip.
Yarel Ramos also wore red to the event, in a red lace on nude slip gown, with a flaring skirt and thigh-high side split. Her Mac Duggal dress featured sheer areas around the décolletage and waist adding to the sexiness, which she topped up with dramatic eyes and a nude lipstick.
Notable Mentions
Photographs © respective owners
Images courtesy of Zimbio
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