12 Hours With Alyssa McKay At Her First Hollywood Red Carpet

Red carpets are like the fairy tale balls of Hollywood, and content creator Alyssa McKay finally had her Cinderella moment. The 24-year-old TikToker and co-founder of streetwear brand Beyond Lost was among the who’s who of Gen Z stars at Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood party on Aug. 8.

Walking the cream-colored carpet outside the Santa Monica Proper Hotel, McKay tells Elite Daily, “This event has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. For this to be my first red carpet is a very full circle moment.” Other attendees of the night included Addison Rae, Joey King, and Leah Kateb and Serena Page from Season 6 of Love Island USA. Guests were all there to celebrate honorees Sabrina Carpenter, Sadie Sink, and Saturday Night Live’s Marcello Hernández.

Sabrina Carpenter was my inspo.

McKay, who started going viral for her diss tracks during lockdowns, actually wore a sparkling blue dress in honor of Carpenter’s Vogue look from 2018, but the hooded design resembles something from the singer’s “Please Please Please” music video as well. The social media star, who now has over 10.4 million followers on TikTok, says of her look: “Sabrina Carpenter was my inspo.”

Below, McKay shares more on how she got red carpet-ready for the Young Hollywood party, what it was really like inside, and how she was really feeling making her big event debut.

August 8, 2024

8:30 a.m.: The first thing I did when I woke up was take an everything shower. I needed to wash my hair, exfoliate, and shave to prep for the big evening.

This shower really changed my life. I have been traveling for an entire month straight for work, and the Santa Monica Proper Hotel was by far the best one I’ve stayed in. Highly recommend!

9:15 a.m.: Up next: skin care. I made sure to use a hydrating face mask because all of the flying (and lack of water) has done a *number* on my skin.

10 a.m.: Once I was ready, I met up with my lovely PR team for brunch to discuss the event. This was going to be my first red carpet, so I needed a rundown on what to expect.

1 p.m.: Around this time, I headed to a fitting to figure out what I was going to wear. This is when I got to play dress-up for a bit and pick out a designer outfit for the special occasion.

1:30 p.m.: I almost wore another dress, but ultimately, I went with a piece from Amani Saab. My inspiration was, of course, the queen Sabrina Carpenter. She wore something very similar in Vogue.

3 p.m.: Then, it was time to head back to the hotel and start getting ready. Of course, I needed a little *espresso* (martini) before seeing my girl Sabrina.

5 p.m.: After doing my glam and shooting all my getting ready content, it was time to walk the red carpet.

7 p.m.: I’m not gonna lie, I was SO nervous when I got there. I was worried I’d trip on the carpet, or I wouldn’t know how to pose and look awkward. I mean, doesn’t this look a little intimidating?!

7:30 p.m.: I DID IT. I walked the carpet and not only did I get over a fear of mine, but I DEVOURED.

8 p.m.: Finally, it was time to enjoy the party. I was really looking forward to seeing Sabrina, but also my dear friend Matt Friend. He was was hosting, so I was very excited to see him, too.

At the rooftop party, I made so many new friends and saw a lot of cool celebrities. It was such an honor to be invited alongside all these amazing, beautiful, and talented creatives. I could not have asked for a more magical night.

This as-told-to has been condensed and edited for clarity.