Not Safe For Work

There was no shortage of red leather, single gloves, and shoulder pads at the BET Awards last night. From the red carpet to the stage, everyone from host Jamie Foxx to Ciara to Lil Wayne honored the trademark style of Michael Jackson.

[Photos: Getty Images]

Somali pirates are promising payback for their fallen comrades and the war in Afghanistan is heating up, but these stories are not the most important of the day — not on a day when Cassie shaved half her head and dropped her new look on the world via a Twitter bomb. Why did the model-turned-singer cut off her beautiful locks?

Sometimes in life, you need a change. Something deeper than what you thought you were capable of. Something that displays the “I don’t give a fuck” attitude that was always present, but never showcased. Something that makes you look at this whole wide world a differently… & something that will shock your mother, but make her call you a ROCK STAR…

Well, Cassie’s mother isn’t the only person who’s shocked. Her fans and fellow artists are acting as if they’ve been blindsided — and everyone’s taking sides. Some people love it (including Estelle and rumored boyfriend Diddy) and others think it’s nothing short of hideous. Fabolous, clearly in the latter camp, Twittered his opinion: “Looks like one of the haircuts from Edward Scissorhands.”

While we’re not sure that a haircut can turn someone into a rock star, we think Cassie would look stunning even if she were dressed in a giant paper bag. What do you think of her new do?

We’re busy live blogging the Brit Awards (check it out here!) which is the UK’s version of our Grammys - minus two young pop stars engaged in a domestic battle, natch. Scandalist has rounded up pics of the night’s best fashion moments - as well as our favorite faux pas - for you to ogle at below. A few highlights thus far:

• Breast cancer survivor Kylie Minogue’s outfit - Yay!
• Kanye West pal Estelle’s get-up - Nay.
• Natalie Imbruglia’s botoxed face - Nothing’s right. We’re torn.

Check out pics from the red carpet and show below!

12►

[Photos: GettyImages]

Officially. We Brits love eccentric outsiders, and hey, Courtney Love’s pretty much defined this. But it was still a leftfield decision that saw British Elle magazine name La Love their Woman Of The Year at the Elle Style Awards last night. It could have been Cheryl Cole, who’s transformed from pop star into national treasure. Nah, too obvious. It could have been Adele, Estelle or Duffy, for making it big internationally. Boring! It could have been Kate Winslet, for combining a stellar career, motherhood and supreme hotness. Dullsville! No, we would prefer to honor someone who’s spent the year scribbling incoherent blogs, flashing the paps wearing fashion roadkill and throwing her daughter a “Suicidal 16″ birthday party. Surely there’ve been better years for Courtney?

Never mind, she still rocks. And is it just us, or does she look a hell of a lot like Madonna at the ceremony in London last night? Freaksome. [Photo: Getty Images]

The 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards snoozed up Liverpool tonight, but left behind plenty of photos worth ogling. Scandalist blogger Becky Howard, who watched the show from London, was stunned that host Katy Perry managed to change outfits six times in one night. The singer dressed up like a carnival ride, a football player, a Barack Obama stumper, and even some kind of hermaphrodite.

In other news: Singers Duffy and Estelle looked super hot during the show; celebrity blogger Perez Hilton looked super ridiculous. (Hey, doesn’t he always?) And Beyonce’s outfit was a bit hard for us to interpret — but we think she was wearing body armor!

12►

After the jump, Becky Howard comments on all of 2008’s winners.

(more…)

No, sadly he wasn’t at the MTV Europe Music Awards cozying up with Grace Jones and Estelle. But President-elect Barack Obama proved to be the real star of the evening’s proceedings, featuring in a huge number of tributes …

• At the beginning of the show Jared Leto got the crowd chanting in a “Congrats Barack” shout-out. (”Maybe Europe will love us again now,” quipped Katy Perry.)

• Katy Perry’s least-mad costume choice of the evening was a glittery yellow Barack shift dress. We’ll all be wearing them next season!

• Estelle and Kanye West ended their less-than-exciting “American Boy” duet with a giant projection of the man himself on the video screens. It got the biggest cheer of their entire performance, natch.

• Paul McCartney also namechecked Mr. Obama in his self-depracating acceptance speech.

• And Solange Knowles tried to get in on the action by bigging up Obama while wearing a puffy striped top and glittery skirt. Yet she still managed to have the personality of a wet towel. Never mind.

— By Beck Howard (in London)

Mel B definitely has one of the fiercest bodies going these days, but we have to question the way she showed it off on the red carpet last night at the MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) awards in London. Spice Mama Mel was over in London to host the show, and rocked up looking like a cross between Grace Jones and Kylie Minogue in the Can’t Get You Out Of My Head video with a hooded dress. (Later, she moved the hood down to over her shoulders, which leads us to think her stylist was frantically shouting, “Mel! Mel! It’s not supposed to go over your head!” at her from the crowds).

Throughout the show — which saw British star Estelle pick up two awards and Leona Lewis get booed for not turning up at all Mel changed into a few different outfits, channelling at various points, Britney Spears in the Oops I Did It Again era, and someone wearing a cat on their head.

But it was all in vain for poor Mel. Because the real deal was there, showing you just how to wear a hood, a mask and still look scary/cool at the same time. We give you Grace Jones. May she never change. [Photos: Getty Images]