Before we all took a break to chomp down on Turkey (or whatever it is that your familia eats in your home on Thanksgiving), fashionistas were trying to be seen on the red carpet at the 40th annual American Music Awards in Los Angeles this past Sunday. From sheer dresses to ensembles with a bright sheen, everybody did something different that turned heads. Now were the heads turning for good or bad reasons? Let’s take a look at four of the looks that caught my eye and figure it out!

Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

Kerry Washington

Miss Kerry Ba-by (just kidding) arrived to the awards show rocking a very unique sheer Stella McCartney dress covered in floral details. Underneath the long-sleeved dress she wore a white slip and accessorized with coral pointed toe pumps and a small yellow clutch.

Though, per the usual, I would love if Kerry wore more form-fitting ensembles, once again, she does look great. The dress is a gorgeous color and the hair with the tucked curls is fab as well. Nice touch with the coral heels by the way. I would steal this and rock it any day!

Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

There wasn’t an abundance of color at last night’s American Music Awards. But there was a moment where Psy, the South Korean creator of the internationally popular song and dance “Gangnam Style” performed the song that made him famous. In the midst of the high energy performance Psy introduced a special guest, the one and only MC Hammer. Check out the performance below.

The audience was certainly feeling it. Looking at this video, it’s hard to believe that Hammer is 50 years old. He hasn’t missed a step.

Nicki Minaj and Rihanna are flying pretty freaking high right now. Both ladies have snagged the most nominations for the upcoming American Music Awards with a total of four noms each.

The mega-stars will compete in the Favorite Female Artist Rock/Pop category with Nicki also being up for Favorite Album Rock/Pop, Favorite Artist Rap/Hip-Hop, and Favorite Album Rap/Hip-Hop. Rihanna is vying for Artist of the Year, Favorite Artist Soul/R&B, and Favorite Album Soul/R&B. Drake, Justin Bieber, Maroon 5, One Direction, and Usher aren’t far behind the ladies with three nominations each, and Breezy and J. Cole are up for two potential AMAs.

Winners will be determined by online voting which starts today on the Coca-Cola AMA voting website amavote.com. The annual awards show is slated to take place November 18 in LA. Here are a few more nominations of interest. Check out the full list here. Who has your vote?

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• Justin Bieber
• Drake
• Maroon 5
• Katy Perry
• Rihanna

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• J. Cole
• fun.
• Gotye
• Carly Rae Jepsen
• One Direction

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK

• Justin Bieber
• Flo Rida
• Pitbull
• Usher

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – POP/ROCK

• Kelly Clarkson
• Nicki Minaj
• Katy Perry
• Rihanna

FAVORITE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP

• Drake
• Nicki Minaj
• Tyga

FAVORITE ALBUM – RAP/HIP-HOP

• J. Cole/Cole World: The Sideline Story
• Drake/Take Care
• Nicki Minaj/Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded

FAVORITE MALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B

• Chris Brown
• Trey Songz
• Usher

FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST – SOUL/R&B

• Beyoncé
• Mary J. Blige
• Rihanna

FAVORITE ALBUM – SOUL/R&B

• Chris Brown/Fortune
• Rihanna/Talk That Talk
• Usher/Looking 4 Myself

More on Madame Noire!

• An Open Letter To Men Suffering From Light-Skinned, Long Hair Syndrome: I’m Not Flattered
• Amending The Girl Code: When Your Friend Gets Married, Are Her Ex-Boos Fair Game?
• That Time An Old White Man Entertained Me With Tales Of Colored People On A Flight
• What Do Men Want? Who Cares…
• Bet You Didn’t Know: Secrets Behind The Making Of “Why Do Fools Fall In Love”
• C’Mon Now: Black Celebrities That White Folks Mistake For One Another (But They DON’T Look Alike…)
• Damn Mr. Right, I Need Mr. Right Now! 7 Signs You’re Too Thirsty For Someone To Put A Ring On It

Last night was a big night for Nicki Minaj; not only did she open the American Music Awards with a performance of “Turn Me On” and her hit “SuperBass,” she also won in two huge categories.

Nicki took home awards for the Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist and her platinum debut Pink Friday was named Favorite Album (Rap/Hip-Hop). The win in the album category was a big one, as the star beat out label mate Lil Wayne for Tha Carter IV and Jay Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne—two of the biggest rap releases this year.

Nicki also looked pretty stunning in a bold Oscar de la Renta dress that was still a bit toned down from her usual looks. Did you catch her performance at the AMAs? Check it out here if you missed it. What do you think of her big wins?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

More on Madame Noire!

• Mama’s Boys: Celebrity Stars And Their Sons
• Think He’s Cheating? Think Again…
• Do You Wear the Pants? 7 Signs That Say Yes!
• Reality Rewind: Classic Sayings From Our Favorite Shows
• Give Thanks With These Holiday Etiquette Tips
• Booty-licious! Ankle Boots for Every Budget
• Woman to Woman: When Love is Not Enough