Variety Power of Women 2021

Lorde in Rodarte

Mandatory Credit: Photo by CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock (12518307e) Lorde attends the Variety's 2021 Power of Women event at the Wallis Annenberg Center in Beverly Hills, California, USA, 30 September 2021. Variety's 2021 Power of Women Event in Beverly Hills, USA - 30 Sep 2021

She looks good in this. It's more... elegantly whimsical than I typically associate with her? Like, I would have picked Katy Perry for this before I thought of Lorde, although it works really well on her. I like that she's veering quirky.

Katy Perry in Schiaparelli

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Honoree Katy Perry attends Variety's Power Of Women at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on September 30, 2021 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

This entire thing seems like it could inflate with helium. It's hilarious and shapeless and I sincerely can't tell if it was fun to wear or not. I suspect... less so than she imagined? Plenty of room to breathe but ultimately like hauling around your parachute after you landed in a field.

Reader, I laughed.

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Honoree Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom attends Variety's Power Of Women at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on September 30, 2021 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/WireImage,)

Meanwhile, Orlando Bloom looks like he's trying to figure out if there's anything in her ear.

Amanda Gorman

What a gorgeous color on her.

Kelly Hu

This is good, too, and I'm VERY fond of the silver streak in her hair. A little sexy burnishing en route to being a silver fox.

Alyssa Milano

I was SO CONFUSED by this. From a distance it looked like a cutout in the shape of... an upside-down leg that was bent at the knee?!? But it's really just that her neck kerchief is askew. I might have ditched it entirely.

Ava DuVernay

Fab, as always.

Jenna Dewan

Her styling TRULY has been all over the map lately. This is a great pattern, but the cut of the dress somehow gives it a Rumpled Maid After a Woodland Tryst look.

Justina Machado

ANOTHER good pattern. We're on a roll.

Channing Dungey

Channing runs Warner Bros. now, and I very much appreciate a dress that's both sparkly AND checked.

Merrin Dungey

And Merrin, aka Francie on Alias, is Channing's sister. That is a successful and well-turned-out sibling duo.

Chelsea Peretti

This is very unexpected cleav AND unexpected shoes. They might be a bit pale for this, but it's a plus that she didn't just lean on basic black pumps. She looks super. Boobular and super.

Tia Mowry

In HER thumbnail, I thought she had on sunglasses. Turns out she just used actual charcoal as eyeliner.

Cazzie David

I want to take Tia's charcoal, light it, and throw Cazzie's shoes onto the pyre.

Hunter Schafer

Phew, the jacket is just a touch longer than the romper, and that's awkward. The pattern is groovy, though.

Gayle King

Oh, Gayle. You have chosen... the most.

Zahara and Angelina

Mandatory Credit: Photo by CAROLINE BREHMAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock (12518307i) Zahara Jolie-Pitt (L) and US actress Angelina Jolie (R) attend the Variety's 2021 Power of Women event at the Wallis Annenberg Center in Beverly Hills, California, USA, 30 September 2021. Variety's 2021 Power of Women Event in Beverly Hills, USA - 30 Sep 2021

Zahara looks extremely cool, and as promised, Angelina Jolie is wearing a thing. The lipstick is too hot on her and the dress is too much like it was made of unbleached coffee filters, and the whole effect is... yeah. Angelina Jolie is wearing a thing.

Marlee Matlin

She's been turning up a lot lately, and I'm here for it. Bring back the Matlin.

Rita Moreno

I TOLD YOU Rita Moreno was being awesome, although that's hardly a shocking twist of plot.