Ciara took up more room in the national consciousness than the Clemson Tigers after the 29-year-old singer nailed the national anthem at the College Football National Championship game. (Clemson lost to Alabama 45-40.) Ciara sparkled and not just sonically. Her voice was equalled only by her beauty, though there was some controversy about how much of her beauty she needed to share. The plunging neckline of her dress got a few on Twitter — can you imagine? — upset that the dress wasn’t quite appropriate for the occasion.
Many viewers felt Ciara showed more skin than necessary — and it distracted some who had tuned in to see a more elegant affair in which unpaid grown men try savagely to give each other concussions, not to see Ciara’s cleavage. Designers are usually quick to claim such divisive attire (everybody knew Cher was wearing Bob Mackie, back in the day). But the news after the Championship game has generally neglected to say who designed Ciara’s glimmering, controversial frock. Was it the Los Angeles-based designer Walter Mendez? He dressed Ciara back in the spring when she went to the White House with NFL quarterback Russell Wilson. Ciara is also a brand ambassador for TopShop. And she’s been known to rock Roberto Cavalli… No, on this night it was Yousef Al-Jasmi. Ciara’s was rocking the National Anthem Arabia style.
