Twitter Literally Cannot Get Enough Of Billy Porter's Tuxedo Gown At The Oscars
Oh, you assumed a classic gown or a dapper tuxedo would win best dressed at the Oscars? Think again — Billy Porter considered these basic options before deciding to slay in something infinitely more iconic, and there are officially more tweets about Billy Porter's 2019 Oscars tuxedo gown than there are likes on my entire Instagram account. I wish I was joking, but it's true, and TBH, I'm not the least bit upset, because this one-of-a-kind, ultra-unique ensemble deserves all the hype and more. Twitter is always quick to drag a celeb no-no and celebrate a style success, and it's safe to say users leaned toward celebration when it came to discussing Porter's look.
What's that, you haven't seen it yet? Hi, hello, where have you been. Just when we thought Porter's hot pink cape at the 2019 Golden Globes was the fiercest look he'd serve this award season, he's decided to grace us with yet another over-the-top moment, and this time, the style is so unexpected. From the waist up, Porter wears a standard tuxedo, only... is that cummerbund a little high? That's because it's the strapless top of a dress, honey!
Behold, a sneak peak:
And the striking full tuxedo gown, in all its glory:
A train, you ask? Why, of course there was a train. "When you come to the Oscars, you must dress up," Porter declared on Twitter:
The velvet fit was designed by my fave, Christian Siriano, per TMZ, and Twitter users simply could not get enough:
Some fans pledged their allegiance to Porter and his incredible sense of style for life:
While others let their faves know that no one else could compare:
Some even deemed it the look of the future (take note, designers!):
And pretty much everyone was loving how style gender norms were basically gone with the wind when it came to the night's red carpet lewks:
My favorite tweets were those from users who felt seen because of Porter's bold look:
"I wish I had a Billy Porter when I was a kid," wrote Twitter user Yashar Ali. "You don't need to want to wear a dress to be inspired by someone who is unafraid to be themselves." A beautiful, perfectly-worded sentiment.
Wondering who inspired Porter to inspire the rest of us? It turns out his look was an homage:
Hector Xtravaganza, known as the "Grandfather of Ballroom," passed away on December 30, 2018, and he was actually a consultant for Pose, the dance musical Porter stars in.
Fans quickly declared the look an instant classic:
Others just felt lucky to have witnessed this iconic moment in fashion (and anti-gender normative) history:
If you're a leaning a little more "WTF" than "wow" on this one, let me explain why this look is important. It's not just that Porter looks fabulous, it's that he's proving people can and should wear what they want, however they want, wherever they want, sans judgement — even style-scrutinized celebrities at major awards shows, who we so often expect to be dressed a certain way. His look says, "If I can be myself, can't we all?" And while I've ooh-ed and ahh-ed over many a red carpet ensemble, the power behind Porter's makes it a special kind of iconic.
