The Best Hair Moments at the 2026 BET Awards

Sculptural hair took Sunday night’s BET Awards red carpet by storm, with a slew of stars — from Queen Latifah to Doechii — styling braided buns that ranged in size and silhouette. The more voguish looks accessorized the A-list and artist attendees clad in avant-garde garments, adding texture on top. Other guests sported subtle transformations, swapping their signature styles for straight extensions and sunset coloring.

Ahead, WWD takes a closer look at the standout hair moments at the 2026 awards ceremony.

Queen Latifah

Queen Latifah topped her inflated Kilian Kerner coat with textural volume in her hair. The style, crafted by celebrity hair architect Iasia Merriweather, featured a sleek base and a suspended bun wrapped in spiraling braids of all sizes. The skinny braids wrapped the bottom of the bun, while the thicker braids dressed the top, forming a cylinder shape that protruded from the crown of her head.

Teyana Taylor

Teyana Taylor once again departed from her curly pixie cut, styling straight extensions in its place. The sleek ends, installed by Edith Donaldson, complemented the drama of her maroon Stephane Rolland spring 2026 couture gown, and later, her royal blue halterneck dress, which she wore to accept the Icon of the Year award, presented by Janet Jackson.

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer juxtaposed her studded low-back Gucci gown with sunset-hued box braids that finished just above the edge of her dress. The long hair, styled by industry artist Jamika Wilson, was on par with the aesthetic she’s been favoring recently. In fact, Palmer was first seen with the orange- and pink-tinged extensions at the Cannes Lions International Festival last week, where she spoke alongside Oprah Winfrey.

Doechii

Doechii will never cease to surprise her fans with her ever-evolving hair portfolio. Her latest look arrived on Sunday night, wrapped like a present. Here, half of her cherry cola braids and coiled ends were sectioned off and tied in a wide, bowtie-shaped bun on the back of her head. Meanwhile, her front sections were laid flat next to her face, with pieces falling in front of her chest. The look was the work of Matthew Jeanpierre, whose client list also includes Lizzo.

Kelly Rowland

Kelly Rowland allowed her natural texture to shine alongside her gold-dusted halterneck gown, styling wild curls with the help of Tai Simon. The brushed-out ringlets appeared to gradually lighten as they moved away from her roots, turning from dark brown to a burnt caramel hue at the ends. The body of her bouffant hair was parted over the left side of her head, with pieces tickling the top of her forehead.