Beyoncé in Zuhair Murad and Nicolas Jebran at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards

Miss Bey owned the night last night. Like a good diva and entertainer, she dressed the part. Then again, she always dresses the part. But how she dresses does not, in fact, make her very discussable on a style level a lot of the times. No risks were taken last night and the looks were right out of the Beyonce playbook. These are not criticisms. The reason she’s become this generation’s primary star entertainer is because she thinks like an entertainer all the time. Everything Beyonce wears in public is stagewear. And because she’s so consistent with her image management, that off-the-stage stagewear tends to follow certain guidelines.

Beyoncé Knowles attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum in Inglewood, California in a Nicolas Jebran couture gown accessorized with Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

Nicolas Jebran Fall 2014 Couture Collection

Black, beaded skin-tight and partially sheer, or …

Beyoncé in the press room of the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards held at The Forum in Los Angeles, California in a Zuhair Murad gown accessorized with Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

Zuhair Murad Fall 2014 Collection

Red, beaded, skin-tight and partially sheer.

The Murad is a far better dress and the red looks great on her. But the point here is, she’s got her public uniform and she doesn’t deviate much. It’s why Bey never became a style icon in the way someone like Rihanna has. She’s just not that into experimenting with her style. She’s got a product to sell and she’d like to keep the packaging as consistent as possible. It’s very Cher-in-her-heyday.

[Photo Credit: INFphoto.com, Juan Rico/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES, Zuhair Murad, Nicolas Jebran]

• Beyonce
• Lorraine Schwartz
• MTV Video Music Awards
• Nicolas Jebran
• Nicolas Jebran Couture
• Red Carpet
• VMAs
• VMAs 2014
• Zuhair Murad