The 10 Best-Thrown Shades of 2017

If there’s one thing 2017 was good for, it was heaping helpings of shade. Whether between feuding musicians or feuding politicians, 2017 had no shortage of overcast skies (you know, because of shade). Here are some of our favorite shadings of the year.

Michelle Obama Shades Trump’s Entire Life at the Inauguration

The arc of Michelle Obama’s side-eye shade bends toward justice pic.twitter.com/HCjC9Ham4W

— Brentin Mock (@brentinmock) January 20, 2017

Michelle Obama isn’t here for any of this pic.twitter.com/FDZNzT3meD

— Colin Jones (@colinjones) January 20, 2017

Soon to be ex-First Lady.
Parting gift.
Yeah, she’s not pleased. pic.twitter.com/cpbhAtmLkW

— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) January 20, 2017

Think back, if you can, to January 20, when first lady Michelle Obama set the bar for 2017 shade as she welcomed Donald and Melania Trump into the White House. Throughout the ceremony, Michelle Obama gave the incoming president and first lady extreme amounts of arched eyebrow, side eye and feigned clapping.

Fifth Harmony Shades Camila Cabello

Fifth harmony did not. I’m screaming. I’m screeching. pic.twitter.com/TVg9liQpqH

— queen quen (@quenblackwell) August 28, 2017

Throughout 2017, Fifth Harmony had to deal with becoming a foursome after the exit of Camila Cabello. Then, at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, the group made a bold (and shady) statement when they shoved a no-face fifth group member off the stage prior to their performance.

Taylor Swift Shades Katy Perry

If you needed any reminder as to who is the true mustache-twirling villain of pop, Taylor Swift made the villainous move against perennial rival (and former friend) Katy Perry when she released her back catalogue on Spotifythe same day Perry’s Witness hit the platform.

Merriam Webster Shades Everyone (but Mostly Trump)

We’ve updated our Twitter header in honor of the election. pic.twitter.com/mOFT8sUlVD

— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) November 7, 2016

It can be hard to masterfully fit expert shade into only 140 or 280 characters. But Merriam-Webster’s dictionary has redefined (see what I did there?) how to throw the most shade with the least amount of characters. As several news outlets have noticed, this dictionary account has brought political shade to a new level, and left us howling in the process.

Pink Shades Christina Aguilera

via GIPHY

Singers Pink and Christina Aguilera have a long history of trading barbs with other. Now that they’re grown, they claim the rivalry is over, but that claim was brought into question at the American Music Awards, when Pink made a “smelling sour milk” face during Aguilera’s tribute to the G.O.A.T. Whitney Houston.

Aja Shades Valentina

Not since Shangela’s read of Mimi Imfurst has Drag Race given us an endlessly quotable Shakespearean monologue. But that’s what Aja did when she infamously criticized Valentina and the judges’ endless praise for the Latina Linda Evangelista. Aja’s shadefest would continue at the Season 9 reunion when she called Valentina’s “Miss Congeniality” win fan favorite and began clapping before Valentina could respond.

Kandi Shades Phaedra

.@Kandi !!!!! #RHOA pic.twitter.com/XbsJp40ywu

— Brice Sander (@bricesander) November 8, 2017

After Phaedra Parks’ lies and antics, including the rumor that former friend Kandi Burruss drugged and assaulted castmate Porsha, Bravo showed Parks the door. But Burruss had the last laugh when she returned to season 10 with a shady shady tagline that exclaimed, “Don’t mess with the boss, cuz you might get fired!”

Oscars Shade Trump

What started with a few jabs during his opening monologue became an all-out liberal Hollywood onslaught against Trump as the night of Oscars 2017 progressed. Throughout the night, Kimmel as well as some winners, read Trump to filth over his politics, including his anti-Muslim travel ban.

Cardi B Shades Ed Sheeran

Cardi’s face when Ed sang Uzi’s song KILLED ME DEAD #VMAs pic.twitter.com/mV4qmumjcb

— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) August 28, 2017

When singer Ed Sheeran followed Kendrick Lamar at the 2017 Video Music Awards, he did so with a cover of Lil Uzi Vert’s song “XO TOUR Llif3,” which elicited a meme-worthy reaction from new queer 2017 icon Cardi B.

Jane Fonda Shades Megyn Kelly

Megyn Kelly did not please Jane Fonda today…. pic.twitter.com/8IofVdsieF

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) September 27, 2017

Plenty of people have been forced to sit through Megyn Kelly’s latest NBC talk show. But, none have suffered more than Jane Fonda who had to sit through a literal interview with the former Fox News host. During the interview, Kelly veered from the topic of Jane Fonda’s acting to ask her about plastic surgery, after which Fonda unleashed a series of devastating looks at Kelly’s decidedly un-feminist line of questioning.