ESPYS Red Carpet Style

Lisa Leslie, the former WNBA player and easily the tallest, most beautiful woman in any room, can list the ways the red carpet at the ESPY Awards is different from any other awards arrival photo op. Unlike the Golden Globes, Oscars or Emmys, let’s say, the ESPYs really “celebrate all kind of athletes,” she said. “And we have long—or short — bodies that tend to be pretty muscular. A lot of us end up getting things made for us, so the fit tends to be pretty good, which means you’ll look better.

And athletes, we are pretty comfortable in our own skin,” added Leslie, who wore an orange strapless dress by La Petite Robe. “Getting dressed up once in awhile is only half the battle with that. So it’s just so great to be able to see people every year on the red carpet and we’re all able to be ourselves.”

Let’s review that equation: perfect bodies + tailored clothes and hot jewelry = super beings who dress really well. That means new trends in hair styling, new color combinations in men’s formalwear, and unisex jewelry made their way onto the carpet. Throw in professional grade hair and makeup, and you’ve suddenly got the coolest jock table in the history of high school cafeterias. It would be annoying if it weren’t so obvious how much fun the athletes, coaches, managers, agents and family members were having on the red carpet. The 16th annual ESPY Awards were held on Wednesday at the Microsoft Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. Here are a few of the best looks that stood out from the rest.

Best Bounce Back by an NBA player: When the President of these United States tells you to put on a shirt after pictures of your naked, tattooed torso have gone viral around the world, you should probably heed the warning. Cleveland Cavaliers star JR Smith did just that and more by wearing a custom-made tuxedo by Tom Ford, who also designed the black sequinned mini dress worn by Smith’s wife, Shirley. “My biggest mistake was not being prepared enough on the red carpet at the Es last year,” Smith said, “I wasn’t formal enough. I kind of rushed over here and didn’t get anything together. So I decided I wasn’t going to do that again!”

The New Mix-and-Match Duo: Cool Blondes with Dude Jewelry: New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. and European football star Paul Pogba know how to do flash better than almost anyone, on the field or off. A special shout out goes to Beckham’s diamond-encrusted hamsa pendant, which is an ancient symbol used to ward off the “evil eye” and protect wearers from harm. The blonde tips of Beckham’s now-famous spiral curl hair brought to mind the newly peroxided crop top of Paul Pogba, the Juventus midfielder who attended his first ESPY Awards in a custom Dolce & Gabbana suit and diamond Cartier hoop earrings.

Lean and Green: Fashion risk-taker DeAndre Jordan donned a forest green suit with a gold floral brooch and beige suede boots. Green was another striking color worn by many men at the annual fete, while British actor David Oyelowo donned a double-breasted Dolce & Gabbana suit in a deep forest green hue.

Best Old Hollywood Glamour Couples: Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Douglas: The “Being Mary Jane” actress wore a black lace dress by August Getty, and her Miami Heat superstar husband brought a preppy slant on a traditional tuxedo. Ciara and Russell Wilson made their official red carpet appearance as husband and wife, with the singer wearing a blush-colored Atelier dress and paired it with a simple diamond cross necklace and tennis bracelet. The ladies kept their hair and makeup simple and clean, and paired it all with simple jewelry and heels.

Best Low-Key Power Couple: Golden State Warriors captain Steph Curry and wife, Ayesha. Steph’s blue velvet jacket was a standout color trend for many of the men in attendance to this year’s awards, including Richard Sherman and Dwyane Wade (who did a quickie costume change before participating in this year’s heroic cold open segment). Ayesha’s wine-colored dress had a payette petal detailing that gave the gown a bit of texture. The hero details: the flattering silhouette, daring sexy decolletage and the berry-stain color of her lipstick. Nude suede pumps and an asymmetrical hemline kept the ensemble simple and refreshingly sexy.

Richard Sherman, Usher and Iman Shumpert: Three men, three ways to take on color and pattern without sacrificing individuality or acquiescing to formality. Richard Sherman’ blue jacquard jacket, black shirt and pants was bought off the rack in the Las Vegas boutique, Stitch. Singer Usher’s maroon print bomber took the place of a formal suit jacket. And Cleveland Cavalier Iman Shumpert let all the chest tats out that teammate JR Smith appeared to cover up.