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Updated 27 Jan, 2020

Saturday night saw a bunch of our brightest celebrities strut their stuff down the Hum TV Awards' red carpet.

This year's awards were held in Karachi, not Dubai, unlike last year's shindig. Still, we were sure this change in venue wouldn't let us down, and we were expecting some fine plumage. It's a soon-to-be-televised awards show, and one of our main reasons for tuning in is that we want to see some razzmatazz and glamour, right?

We were disappointed. Not all the red carpet looks we saw were terrible, just most of them. Below, we attempt to decode why these looks fell flat, and what these stars could've worn instead.

1) Uzair Jaswal's indecisive feathers

Though we do offer props to Uzair for trying something outside the birdcage — er, box — if he reaaaally wanted to rock feathered shoulders he should've gone full fabulous and opted for a more exaggerated look. These tiny 'accent' feathers just look... random, and didn't work at all.

2) Humaima Mallick's Alia Bhatt moment

Note to stars: if a very famous person has worn a certain dress on the cover of Filmfare just a little over a month ago, don't wear the same thing or similar to a red carpet event.

Besides, we just don't love the dress in real life. It looks fine in a highly stylised fashion shoot, but in person it's too baby-girl, too flouncy, too... much. Yep, this is one case where going big isn't the best idea. We can't understand why Humaima, lovely as she is, didn't opt for another, more flattering Elan look. Something sleeker would've worked wonders on her. Oh, and no choker. And no updo.

3) Sarwat Gilani's tea cosy cape-let

Let this be your guide: stay away from anything that could reasonably be described as a cape-let, pant-let, short-let... you get the idea. These mini-me items are extremely hard to pull off. Especially when they look like the cape-let Sarwat Gilani is wearing here, decorated as it is with the kind of sad, wilted ribbon roses that wouldn't look out of place in a third-grader's art project.

We were sad to be this elegant stunner dragged down by a not-so-wow outfit. Sigh.

4) Reema's forced cold shoulder

Hmmmm where to start? First, let's all agree that 'cold shoulder' tops are slightly teeny bopper. Even then, a case could be made for the peek-a-boo style if it conforms to certain rules: it shouldn't look forced, it should be unfussy, it should work within the context of your look. Unfortunately the 'cold shoulder' let Reema down.

This gold gown's 'cold shoulders' are so forced it's painful to view. Combined with the gown's many swoops and flounces there's just too much going on. Also, Reema's managed to break yet another simple yet vital rule: a floor-length gown is meant to skim the floor, not your ankles. Stars be warned: when a gown is too short for you, opt for flats. Easy fix.

5) Gohar Rasheed's magic carpet moment

Oh Gohar. We love you for trying something new, but we don't love the outfit. At all.

On their own, the pants could've worked. By that we mean if they were paired with a simple top/kurta (untucked). But the way this look is worn, its just too costume-y for a red carpet appearance.

6) Urwa Hocane's corny cornrows

Urwa Hocane's cute outfit was let down majorly by her unfortunate hair styling. Someone needs to tell her stylist that cornrows are dated and just a little bit inappropriate.

What Urwa could have used is a super-sleek ponytail, so the attention remained on her unconventional outfit choice. This instead was high school hair that makes her look like she's a gutsy girl at the prom.

Special mention: Nomi Ansari's double-breasted decorations and Ali Xeeshan's eye patch.

To Nomi we'd say: chose one or the other, the medals or the pocket square. Rocking accessories on both sides of your sherwani is just not good. To Ali Xeeshan: statement sunnies would've worked better than an eye-patch. And if you were suffering from conjunctivitis, well, then you're forgiven.

However, like we said, the fashion at the Hum Awards wasn't all bad.

While Syra Shehroz played it safe, she did look well turned out in Shehla Chatoor. Rubya Chaudhry's Adnan Pardesy sari gown also worked, and we rather liked Nausheen Shah's sequinned slit skirt.

Comments

Skeptic Apr 25, 2016 05:30pm
Seems like there is an award ceremony or fashion show somewhere in Pakistan almost every week! Even Hollywood has 2-3 such events a year!
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Madhusudan Apr 25, 2016 06:07pm
What about fawad khan? Did he come at awards? He is an international icon now.
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Exlim Apr 25, 2016 06:26pm
Good write up. The crit is spot on.
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Syed Apr 25, 2016 06:47pm
The hosts (Hamza & Ayesha) themselves did not look all that great.
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RF Apr 25, 2016 08:08pm
Seems like it was a fancy dress party rather than an award show.
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Usman Apr 25, 2016 09:25pm
My eyes are hurting ..
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AMER ALIKHAN Apr 25, 2016 09:30pm
No offense, nobody looks good.
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azkhan71 Apr 25, 2016 09:32pm
Ugliness on it's peak!
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lemon Apr 25, 2016 09:37pm
Who are these people? what inspirational and great work have they done? Why and who cares about them? I have so many questions.. Can we not be like western countries in education, technology, science and social work...And then after that follow them in fashion and all this useless stuff?
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Fried Chillies Apr 25, 2016 09:46pm
@Madhusudan Absolutely in two international cities...Lahore and Mumbai!!
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jyotsana Apr 25, 2016 10:01pm
ha ha, for all those who say Pakistanis dress better than Indians its there for all to see, ha, ha
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Mehkan Apr 25, 2016 10:51pm
Pakistani artists try so hard. It seems like now the race has become how unconventional can i look on the red carpet. "I want to be different!" I am sure this is what most people are saying these days. Different is not by putting on clothes. different is accepting yourself as you are, who you are, and dressing as your personality genuinely is. If only pakistani artists are aware enough of their own beings. Nevertheless, I think there is much to learn here. We need to be distinct in our style, and not try to be unconventional. This has rather made unconventional a conventional thing! Lol!
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A Shah Apr 25, 2016 11:47pm
Was this an awards ceremony or a circus?
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A Shah Apr 25, 2016 11:48pm
Please copy Bollywood stars they always look good
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NASR Apr 26, 2016 12:03am
When cross your limits, You sure will cross yourself.
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ibs Apr 26, 2016 12:49am
Ali Xeeshan tries so hard that he's just made a fool out of himself.
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Exlim Apr 26, 2016 01:00am
Uzair's furry winglets and Reema's (three sizes too small) dress are the funniest.
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Syeda Maham Apr 26, 2016 01:57am
The fashion quotient of this year's hum awards was drastically low and mediocre. Alot of celebrities (e.g sumbul)failed even with the safest trends .Gohar Rasheed looked like he was off to judo practice.Mahira,Urwa and Mawra looked too causal and Sarwat gillani reminded me of a Spanish bullfighter. Syra yousuf,Hira and Rabiya were my favorites from the night...
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Nomi Apr 26, 2016 09:21am
Good critical review...... well and truly said...
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asgher Apr 26, 2016 09:29am
how could you spare resham? look she is wearing her dad's trench coat!
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Al Khan Apr 26, 2016 10:32am
What is Pakistan turning in to? to everyone who is reading that is not from Pakistan, please be advised people shown above do not represent us ordinary citizens of this country.
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Sheena Apr 26, 2016 10:50am
And Award goes to "Uzair Jaswal's indecisive feathers". Seriously man what were you trying to do with yourself.
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SAC Apr 26, 2016 11:39am
Is it red carpet fashion or Halloween gear?
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Mashal Apr 26, 2016 12:22pm
@AMER ALIKHAN yeah, you got it right. I agree!
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abu.ashhad Apr 26, 2016 12:48pm
Uzair Jaiswal - Tahir's Shah little "Angel"?
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Jax.Junejo Apr 26, 2016 03:13pm
@abu.ashhad Haha, very spot on
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anon Apr 26, 2016 10:33pm
The way they are looking into the camera, even that looks a little cranky and spooky!
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nasir Apr 26, 2016 10:44pm
Dressing without thinking at its best.
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Payal Queshi Apr 27, 2016 01:44am
@jyotsana Agree with you...who are the dress designers in Pakistan to create such a fashion disaster...
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Syed Waqar Ali Apr 27, 2016 02:01am
It is not necessary that people should change the attire because they are going to an award ceremony. There is no need to put on tea cosy dress or an odd type of pant. Our TV artists are themselves very handsome and pretty. When they put on such type of dresses they look unnecessarily ugly. They should know they look far better in their normal dresses.
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sss Apr 27, 2016 10:06pm
This is what happens when "pandus" try too hard to come across as elegant...what a laugh
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Critic Apr 28, 2016 07:49am
Humaima Mallick's dress is not same as Alia's. It's just a cheap version of the real dress.
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SA Chandio Apr 28, 2016 07:09pm
Very good looking people of south east Asia , thanks dawn! For letting me have the glance of my favorite stars, glad to see Reema ji after such a long time .
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Amy Apr 28, 2016 10:19pm
@lemon BEST COMMENT!
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