Yara Shahidi’s Emmy Awards Beauty Included an Eye-Catching Optical Illusion

Yara Shahidi s beauty moment for this year s virtual Emmy Awards didn t need a red carpet walk—in this case, a simple snap was enough to capture the look in all of its stylized glory. A first glance found focus falling on the actress hair: A quintet of cornrows appeared to give way to clouds of onyx feathers, an optical illusion offered by the detailing of Shahidi s Prada gown.

The braids, which came courtesy of sculpturally-minded hairstylist Fesa Nu, were defined by sleek execution and creative detailing. Rather than gelled, Shahidi s face-framing baby hairs were actually diminutive twists, each snaking from a tautly pulled plait. And while the ends of each braid may have initially appeared to culminate in a burst of plumage, the real finishers were simple knots, replacing hair bands with an additional ounce of texture. A kittenish flick of liquid liner—deftly applied by makeup artist Emily Cheng—and a glowing complexion furthered the sleek styling. Sans an in-person event, this turn is worth 1000 selfies.