Coco Chanel was talking jewelry—not pants—when she issued her “Before you leave the house, take one thing off” proclamation, but it’s not like Lady Gaga would have adhered to that sort of silly edict anyway. The pop diva arrived tardy to the ACE Accessories Awards to accept a Stylemaker prize bestowed by pal Marc Jacobs, while fellow presenter and self-proclaimed flats fan Erin Wasson arrived on the arm of Toms Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie. Having forgone canvas slip-ons (the kind Toms supplies to needy children all around the world) for a pair of seriously vertiginous black leather booties, an apologetic Wasson explained, “I tried to wear Tom’s tonight.” Lifting the tail of her sequined Victoria Beckham gown, she added, “but I told Blake, ‘Babe, my dress is way too long.'” Meanwhile, fellow mannequin Agyness Deyn, seemingly channeling both Ann Demeulemeester and Twiggy for her look, accepted “Brand of the Year” on Burberry’s behalf. The monochromatically clad model shrugged off the black feathers affixed to her lower lashes as “a diva, glam rock thing.”

But back to Gaga. As usual, girl wasn’t playing around. Indulging both a new penchant for obscuring her face (black lace mask) and an old proclivity for drag-ready footwear (towering white platforms), she completed her ensemble with a matching pink bra and hot pants. Said brassiere was worn over a black shirt dusted with what looked like…white powder, which she incidentally sprinkled onstage prior to accepting her award. Turns out it was actually a non-Class A substance, added by stylist Nicola Formichetti. “I felt like the outfit needed gloves, so Nicola painted me white,” Gaga told us. Of course. But the most poignant moment came during the awards, when she intoned to the audience, “Remember, the most important fashion accessory is a condom.”