On March 11, Jennifer Lopez presented Kerry Washington with the Courage Award from the Women's Cancer Research Fund. "Thank you Jen—what an insane surprise," Washington wrote on Instagram. The twists continued when Lopez took center stage: Her trusty naked dress trend traded places with something completely opaque.
Lopez ensured all eyes went to the guest of honor in all-black attire. But she's physically incapable of not serving a look, as proven by her lace-trimmed slip dress. The Grammy nominee took center stage in a plunge maxi, featuring the faintest slice of sheerness. Strategically-placed black lace decorated each triangular bust. The rest of her outfit skewed full-coverage, including the skirt's vertical pleats. Then, J.Lo swerved even further away from her red carpet repertoire with an oversize, shoulder-padded blazer. Even Lopez's jewelry—diamond drop earrings and a cocktail ring—felt relatively minimal for her.
Jennifer Lopez rarely wears black, much less a dress this understated, unless she's trying to keep a low-profile. Last January, she wore a similar V-neck slip from Sasha Therese to go vintage shopping in Beverly Hills. On the off-chance she does walk a red carpet in black, the gown includes at least one bold element. For example, Lopez wore a voluminous black taffeta gown to a hotel opening in Dubai two Februarys ago. A matching coat and white opera gloves added even more drama to her step-and-repeat.
Fast forward to April 2025, and Lopez livened up her black velvet gown with the most glamorous of stark white capes, both from Saiid Kobeisy. At George Clooney's Broadway show, Good Night and Good Luck, she filled the plunge's negative space with an onyx and diamond Van Cleef & Arpels necklace.
Most recently, the Maid In Manhattan actor returned to the Governors Awards in Tamara Ralph Fall 2025 Couture. The strapless, black velvet gown stood out for champagne-colored curvatures atop its waist and floor-length train.
The Women's Cancer Research Fund event had a more relaxed dress code than the 2026 Governors Awards and Lopez's Broadway visit. Still, she elevated the out-of-character slip with a menswear-inspired blazer—a style hack anyone can take off the red carpet and into wedding season.
