Fresh off the “Out of this World” tour with Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, and Timbaland, Ciara is now busy promoting her new single, pushing her Ten To One rum, and marketing her OAM Skin by Ciara brand during New York Fashion Week.
On Friday, Sept. 6, the “Promise” singer was honored in New York City by the Black Beauty Roster (BBR) for her influence in the beauty space. She received the Icon Award for pushing the “boundaries” and “setting new standards of excellence.”
To accept the award, Ciara, a mother of four, donned a curly blunt-cut wig, minimal makeup with a nude lip, and a gray Bottega Veneta pantsuit.
While her face was undeniably stunning, some fans were less than thrilled with the masculine silhouette and the “lemon pepper steppers” she wore, expressing a longing for the sexier style they had grown accustomed to.
“I’m confused with all the masculine type ish. Like do y’all like being women??” a fan bluntly commented on Ciara’s Instagram page after she posted pictures from the day. “This has @teyanataylor type energy on it. Look amazing as women but wanna be a nxggx s000000 bad. Wtf.”
“The pantsuit and shoes are too masculine,” another fan commented.
Other comments rolled in when Fashion Bomb Daily shared pictures of her from the event.
One person wrote, “She know she ain’t have no business putting them deacon specials on.”
Others chimed in, “This is terrible,” and “it’s weird,” while someone else remarked, “Dressed like somebody’s uncle.”
A fourth commenter joked, “She’s been playing in Russ wardrobe.”
Despite the critique, not everyone was disapproving.
One fan explained, “She looks lovely but it’s too on the nose menswear for me,” adding, “It think if she did a more femme shoe or maybe a loafer it would’ve been a 10/10 for me. I also really LOVE the hair!!! that’s what made this look interesting for her.”
Others were fully supportive of her style choice.
“You look gorgeous!! And I swear Ciara you can wear anything and btw your skincare is the truth. I own three of them!!” another fan shared.
Ciara launched her skincare line, OAM Skin, in 2022. She introduced it to the world through a Vogue magazine tutorial, where she applied products like a hydrating cleanser and moisturizer, even demonstrating how to exfoliate her skin with a face pad and apply eye cream under her eyes.
BBR founder Maude Okrah Hunter explained why the organization chose to honor Ciara, a leader in both music and fashion, noting her efforts in an industry where other celebrities like Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, and Gabrielle Union have also made an impact.
Ciara was not the only person recognized at the ceremony. Other 2024 BBR honorees included James Vincent, the Allyship Awardee; Naeemah Lafond, who won the Trailblazer Award; Zabrina Matiru, who received the Department Head Award; Monique Rodriguez, the Pioneer Award winner, and Patricia Bright, who took home the Creator Award.