On the night of May 13, Keke Palmer walked the red carpet at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles for the premiere of ‘I Love Boosters,’ the upcoming adventure comedy directed by Boots Riley. Palmer stars in the film and serves as an executive producer, making the evening both a professional milestone and a fashion moment worth paying attention to.
Styled by Molly Dickson, Palmer wore an archival Blumarine piece pulled from the brand’s spring 2010 collection. The full-length halter dress featured a fitted, ruched bodice, a high slit running up the skirt, and a tie-dye pattern moving through shades of fuchsia, orange, and white. Scattered embellishment caught the light throughout, giving the gown a texture that read both nostalgic and alive on the red carpet. Palmer’s copper boho braids were arranged in an updo, and her makeup leaned into the warmth of the dress with a glossy, deep pink lip.
The shoes did exactly what they were supposed to do
Where another stylist might have reached for something metallic or strappy to anchor the look, Dickson went the opposite direction. Palmer’s footwear was the Lidia mule from Paris Texas, a luxury label known for its pin heel and its commitment to clean, architectural shapes. The specific pair featured a mirror leather silver sole and a transparent PVC strap across the toes, creating what the industry has taken to calling a barely-there silhouette.
The choice was deliberate. Against a dress as visually busy as vintage Blumarine, a clear heel functions less like an accessory and more like an absence of one. The eye stays on the garment. The shoe holds the look together without competing for attention.
Clear heels are having a sustained moment
Palmer’s choice fits into a broader pattern that has been building across red carpets and front rows for several seasons now. The clear heel trend, which draws from materials including PVC, TPU, and plexiglass, has shown up consistently enough to stop feeling like a trend and start feeling like a fixture.
Hannah Einbinder wore Alaïa thong sandals with a plexiglass wedge at the Cannes Film Festival recently. Jennifer Lopez was spotted in clear Femme LA mules at Kevin Hart’s Netflix roast. Jordyn Woods stepped out courtside at Madison Square Garden in a clear heeled mule during the Knicks’ playoff run. The through line across all of these moments is the same logic Palmer applied on Tuesday night: let the rest of the look do the work, and let the shoe stay out of the way.
Lizzo rounded out the evening’s fashion conversation
Lizzo also attended the premiere and brought a different kind of energy to the carpet. She wore a soft pink fitted top with a white mini skirt and a feathered white jacket, finishing the look with fluffy white heels and statement earrings. Her hair was styled in long, loose blonde waves. Where Palmer’s look leaned into saturated color and vintage drama, Lizzo’s read airy and light, two approaches to spring dressing that worked in conversation with each other without overlapping.
About the film
‘I Love Boosters,’ directed by Boots Riley, follows a crew of professional shoplifters who set their sights on a fashion mogul. Palmer plays Corvette, a fashion designer from Oakland funding her ambitions through unconventional means. The film opens in theaters on May 22. Also in attendance at the premiere were Taylour Paige, Eiza González, Naomi Ackie, Poppy Liu, and LaKeith Stanfield.