H.E.R. Was The SECOND Person To Walk The VMAs Red Carpet With An ACTUAL Snake

Um, was there a snake theme at this year's Video Music Awards? Because absolutely no one told me, and all the snakes on the red carpet left me shook — and kinda squirmy, TBH, because I don't love snakes. H.E.R.'s VMAs 2019 outfit was one of two that featured a living, breathing, slithering snake as the pièce de résistance, and I have to wonder if she knew she wouldn't be the only one with a creature wrapped around her neck. Don't get me wrong, she slayed, but what are the odds that this look would be served twice in one night??

H.E.R. received three nominations for the 2019 Video Music Awards: Best New Artist, Push Artist, and Best R&B Video for her song, "Could've Been." Obvi, she had to slay the red carpet in celebration, so that win or lose, she could look back on a fab outfit and feel proud. Personally, I think her bold jumpsuit, beautiful braids, and oversized shades would've been Mission Accomplished, but H.E.R. chose to up the ante and take things a step further, and she finished off her look with a literal snake.

Yup, a snake. Behold, le serpent:

Wow, she really did that. H.E.R.'s snake is wrapped around her neck as if it were a scarf or statement necklace — it's literally resting atop her braids. Is that comfortable for either party? I have to know. Fingers crossed for interviews with either H.E.R. or the snake very, very soon.

If we're looking past the elephant in the room (aka, the snake on her shoulders!), the rest of the look is equally good:

Like, I high-key love this green jumpsuit and the floral moment on the front, and her hair looks beyond. Those wavy baby hairs at her forehead? Styling perfection. There's not much to say about her glam, as her eyes were covered by massive circular shades with stars in the lenses, but her skin looked glowing and smooth, so it's safe to assume her eye makeup was equally on point. She also rocked the perfect not-too-bold, but also not-quite-neutral lip shade. It's just the lightest tint of red, and I'm dying to know what brand makes it.

I guarantee H.E.R. assumed she'd be the only one wearing a snake on the carpet...

...but Tana Mongeau wore an albino Burmese python as her standout accessory of the night, so H.E.R. was in good company:

I know snakeskin and animal prints are trending RN, but actual snakes? Is this a look we should be trying at home? Definitely not, although both ladies killed it on the carpet.

To be clear, both looks are most likely nods to Britney Spears' snake moment at the 2001 VMAs:

The 2019 Video Music Awards had some incredible performances, but nothing can ever top Britney's 2001 VMAs "Slave 4 U" performance, during which the snake trend officially began. Britney for life! But H.E.R. and Tana, y'all definitely did Brit proud. You both looked fierce AF!