

Ciara one-two-stepped her way into our lives over two decades ago and she's been giving ever since. I remember wanting to be just like her as I entered high school. She was beautiful, talented and an all-around five-star chick. From her style to the way she just seems so effortless, she was all that I wanted to be. To this day, she is still goals. Ciara once said about style, "I believe a person's style is an expression of who you are - way more than dancing."
In December of 2020, she created The House of LR&C, a fashion house that intersects fashion and philanthropy and that's when my love for the ATLien grew stronger. Ciara stated in a press release:
"Fashion has always been my avenue for creative self-expression, and throughout my journey, I've always been looking for a brand that's a one-stop-shop, from investment pieces to budget-friendly items."
The fact that she is using her platform to create a line that can be a woman's best friend in fashion speaks to why she deserves multiple bouquets of flowers. So we are going to do just that. Ahead, find an assortment of Ciara's most memorable looks which makes up one hell of a style evolution.
2005: 10th Annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards
At the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, Ciara opted for a black satin suit with black open-toed heels. At this point in the game, the singer was still figuring out how to make her mark on the carpet but it was still very fitting for the year 2005.
2006: 48th Annual Grammy Awards
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Fast forward to 2009, you see Princess Ciara draped in a beautiful and delicate white gown. This was also a monumental night as she won her first Grammy for Best Short-Form Music Video for "Lose Control," featuring Missy Elliott & Fat Man Scoop.
2011: 53rd Annual Grammy Awards
Jason Merritt/Getty Images
By 2011, our favorite dancer realized her love for high slits. Ciara wore an Emilio Pucci Spring 2011 dress featuring cutouts and an extra-long train to grace the red carpet.
2012: MTV Movie Awards
Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Is it us or do we see Ciara stepping into her grown and sexy bag on this red carpet? She brought the heat to the carpet in a red, hot Balmain dress paired with the nude Christian Louboutin 'Pigalle' pointed-toe pumps. It's a timeless look that could be worn in any era.
2014: 56th Annual Grammy Awards
Dan MacMedan/WireImage
The year is 2014 and the singer is expecting her first child with rapper, Future. We remember being so excited to see her on the carpet with her adorable bump. The pregnant star stole the show in a custom Emilio Pucci gown and her simplistic beauty made for a perfect ensemble.
2015: American Music Awards
Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images
Reem Acra never looked as good as it did on the R&B beauty during the 2015 AMAs. She was a presenter this night and if we recall, we had just fallen in love with her new relationship with Russell Wilson. They made their pro-BAEte at the White House State Dinner earlier that year and we have been stanning ever since.
2016: Billboard Music Awards
Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images
As the co-host of the 2016 Billboard Awards, Ciara had to bring it. She did so in a metallic chain dress designed by Phillip Plein. The sheath-style dress accentuated every curve and gave a new meaning to the side-boob. These Casadei Blade Sandals were also all the rage back then as strappy sandals had a chokehold on red carpets.
2017: Vanity Fair Oscar After Party
Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images
The Vanity Fair Oscar after-party is one of the biggest nights in Hollywood. All of the biggest and brightest stars gather after the Academy Awards to have a party comparable to a night spent with your favorite people eating In-N-Out burgers and drinking Veuve Clicquot while indulging in deep conversations.
Picture Ciara strutting down the not-so-red carpet in this plush velvet, oxblood Jovani Signature gown that perfectly shows off her burgeoning baby bump. She did that. She and her hubby were welcoming their first child together and this was a perfect way to make memories of a beautiful union.
2018: Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports
Steve Granitz/WireImage via Getty Images
Ciara is not like regular moms; she's a cool mom. And this is shown to be facts on the 2018 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sports carpet where the star rocks a Maison Margiela getup with her baby boy and baby girl in tow. We know Ciara to have a boyish-chic vibe since her introduction to the music scene so this is very on-brand.
2019: MET Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes On Fashion
Karwai Tang/Getty Images
This look from 2019's MET Gala will go down in history. The Dundas gown is stunning but this hair defined the moment. Interestingly enough, Peter Dundas was once the creative director of Emilio Pucci, an obvious fave of Ciara's. So when she chose this Dundas frock for the Camp: Notes on Fashion theme, it was serendipitous. Her larger-than-life hair was the winner of the night. Diana Ross had to be proud.
2020: Vanity Fair Oscar Party
Toni Anne Barson/WireImage
It might be safe to say that the mommy mogul loves showing off her baby bump at the premier Vanity Fair event. Wearing Ralph & Russo, the "Level Up" singer made this sheer sequined number look like the ensemble of angels. It screams ethereal goddess and the styling of her hair brought it all together.
2021: 27th Annual ELLE Women In Hollywood Celebration
Amy Sussman/Getty Images
Looking heavenly in white, Cici donned a Mônot Spring 2022 gown to ELLE's annual event celebrating the achievements of women in entertainment. This year, like many events, was a comeback from 2020 which means the stars shined super bright in their high-fashion garments. Ciara stunned us all in this Ready To Wear piece by Lebanese designer, Eli Mizrahi, dramatized by a thigh-high slit and "gone with the wind fabulous" cape.
To get your fashion fix and to stay up to date with the latest trends, check out the xoNecole Style section here.
Featured image by Toni Anne Barson/WireImage
Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by xoNecole/YouTube
Self-Validation, No Meals After 5 P.M. & The Wellness Rituals That Helped Lizzo Take Her Power Back
Don't let the "weight release" fool you, Lizzo's transformation wasn't just physical. It was spiritual, emotional, and deeply personal. In her Women's Health cover story, the "Good As Hell" artist opened up about the low point that became the catalyst for radical change in her life, inside and out.
In the summer of 2023, Lizzo found herself at the center of what she calls painful allegations when some of her former dancers filed a lawsuit against her. The 37-year-old singer has denied their claims, and though she has experienced "backlash my entire career," going through such legal woes coupled with public scrutiny proved to be detrimental to her mental health, leading her to one of the darkest periods of her life.
She told Women's Health, "I got very paranoid and isolated. I wasn’t even talking to my therapist. I wasn’t present. I wasn’t open. I wasn’t myself anymore."
After spending months in isolation, Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, decided to go to a tour stop on the Renaissance World Tour. She was nervous that the public would shun her, boo her, or reject her, but instead, she was embraced. It shifted something in her and after feeling so in the dark, she saw the light again. "It made me feel like, wow, maybe I don’t want to die," she shared with Women's Health.
"That was the kick-starter to me being like, ‘Okay, Melissa, get your ass in gear and take your f*cking life back.’"
Her first step in Operation Get Your Life Back? Cutting out the external noise. She gave her team total control of her social media and stopped looking at comments. "My validation was from external sources, people telling me they loved me, or that I look good, and accepting me," she explained. "But if that’s all I’m getting my validation from, when it changes—and it will, because people are not always going to like you—what happens? Where are you going to get your love from?"
Lizzo continued, "I can convince myself that I’m beautiful, my body fine, no matter how big or small. But reminding myself that you can’t let others tell you who you are—that was hard work."
Lizzo started going to therapy again, she started practicing quigong meditation, reading books, journaling, and doing sound baths. She released unhealthy relationships, drank echinacea tea, and began incorporating Pilates as a means to "feel sacred" and "be gentle" with herself.
But what many have interpreted as a "weight loss transformation" after she popped out sharing she met her "weight release" goal earlier this year, Lizzo has clarified that it has been something deeper for her than the aesthetic of a smaller body. "I wanted to be big-girl skinny," she told the mag. "Every big girl knows what I’m talking about. Big-girl skinny is 250 pounds." According to her, it was her back issues that inspired her to take the physical part of her wellness journey seriously.
I DID IT! #weightrelease
@lizzo I DID IT! #weightrelease
Through her friend Kelly Rowland, she linked up with her now-trainer Marvin Telp and developed a fitness regimen that prioritized strength and intention. Her weekly schedule now includes moves like single-leg deadlifts, reverse flies, and lateral lunges, along with infrared sauna sessions and cardio. Add to that a change in eating habits after realizing her vegan diet no longer served her (to be fair, she wasn't doing the vegan thing the "healthiest" way).
All the meat substitutes, bread, cashew cheese, and soy left her bloated and lightheaded, so now she's switched things up a bit to fill the nutritional gaps. When it comes to diet, it's heavy on the protein and vegetables for Lizzo. A typical day eating looks like scrambled eggs and cauliflower hash browns for breakfast, Thai chicken salad or lettuce wraps for lunch, and turkey meatloaf with greens for dinner.
She also has a strict cutoff of no meals after 5 p.m. to support her GERD and give her body the time it needs before bed to digest her food sans the acid reflux. Of her relationship with food and wellness, she told Women's Health, "There's a balance. I think that's what true health is."
Read Lizzo's full cover story with Women's Health here.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock