Since they stepped out at the UNCF Atlanta Mayor’s Masked Ball in December, the internet has not been able to keep Karri Turner Bryant’s name out of its mouth. The wife of well-known Pastor Jamal Bryant arrived at the fundraiser for HBCUs in a sexy, form-fitting gown that some said left too little to the imagination – for a Pastor’s wife, of course.
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But while people online debate whether a First Lady should be stepping out in a body-con evening gown, Bryant and her husband have defended her choice, calling the whole scandal much ado about nothing – especially considering the only thing exposed are her shoulders.
The First Lady’s custom gown was designed by Michigan-based fashion house, Jazella Couture. And while the curve-hugging silhouette most definitely gives the illusion of sexiness, Bryant isn’t showing any skin at all. The painstakingly-constructed gown is made of flesh-toned fabric with a black mesh overlay.
The not-really-naked look is a favorite of Beyoncé’s and was heavily featured in the costumes on her 2023 Renaissance Tour.
Others, like TikToker @aliyajohnson_ are giving the illusion of showing skin with the help of fleece-lined flesh toned stockings that are the perfect for extending the life of mini skirts and dresses into the winter months.
In a Jan. 7 appearance on The Tamron Hall Show, Bryant said that when she saw the dress for the first time, she was immediately drawn to the design and the creativity and believed it was appropriate for the event. She told Hall that she is always mindful of what she wears, telling seamstresses during her fittings to make sure she was covered up top. Throughout the fitting process, Bryant said she didn’t see anything about the dress that was alarming.
Her husband, Pastor Jamal Bryant agreed, telling Hall that when he saw his wife in the dress for the first time, he thought she looked beautiful and didn’t anticipate the controversy that came after pics of his wife set off a virtual firestorm.
“I thought she was drop-dead gorgeous,” he said. “But it doesn’t matter what my wife has on, it’s always gonna be top tier. She is just amazing in everything that she puts on.”
As talk about her outfit choice continues to dominate the headlines, Karri Turner Bryant says she refuses to let her style be defined by what others think.
“I think there is this idea that a woman can only be one thing,” she told Tamron Hall. “I happened to marry a pastor, and so with that came the title of First Lady, but there is no book for that. There is no manual for what that looks like. I have decided that the title doesn’t define me; I define what the title is.”
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