MTV VMAs: See the 26 Most Outrageous Red Carpet Looks Of All Time
If you show up to the MTV Video Music Awards in a simple ball gown, you’re doing it all wrong. Unlike the Academy Awards or Met Gala, the network’s signature awards show is not the place for couture. Instead, it’s a chance for music’s biggest stars to let their freak flags fly, sartorially speaking. And fly they have. Over the years, we’ve seen Lady Gaga come in her now infamous meat dress, Katy Perry pay homage to Britney Spears’s denim gown circa 2001, and Pamela Anderson don a very, very fuzzy pink hat. Then, of course, there has also been plenty of skin, starting with Carmen Electra in 1997, leading all the way up to Miley Cyrus’s metallic moment in 2015 that left little to the imagination. Below, take a look back at the 26 most memorable and outrageous red carpet looks of all time.
Miley Cyrus
As the host of the 2015 VMAs, Cyrus delivered a number of over-the-top looks but the naked dress—or harness, rather—was perhaps her most revealing of all.
Britney Spears
Leather Bar Britney showed up at the 2002 VMAs in a slick halter top, lace-up pumps and fingerless lace gloves.
Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson Lee
Long after the 1999 VMAs, Lee’s flasher trench coat and the Baywatch star’s giant fuzzy hat and corset top would become the stuff of fashion legend—and, of course, couples’ Halloween costumes.
Christina Aguilera
The singer, on the heels of the release of “Dirrty,” put a sexy spin on indie sleaze at the 2002 awards.
Lil’ Kim
The rapper’s lavender mermaid body suit with a strategic shell pasty arguably stole the show at the 1999 VMAs.
Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé, and Michelle Williams
Destiny’s Child turned up to the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards in coordinated orange fringe ensembles accented with chunky turquoise jewelry.
Jennifer Lopez
From the 2004 MTV VMAs to the Met Gala red carpet, the newly married Jennifer Affleck has never shied away from a floppy hat on the red carpet.
Carmen Electra
Electra worked her angles in a revealing side-split dress for the 1997 VMAs.
Fergie
The “London Bridge” singer put a very Fergalicious on British fashion with her Burberry hot pants and top hat at the 2006 VMAs.
Rose McGowan
Rose McGowan left nothing to the imagination in a naked dress at the 1998 VMAs.
Lizzo
The “About Damn Time” singer sounded the alarm in her red-hot Moschino by Jeremy Scott gown emblazoned with the word “SIREN” at the 2019 awards.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj was ahead of her time in her futuristic metallic corset worn with a Shojono Tomo mask at the 2011 VMAs held in Los Angeles.
Avril Lavigne and Kelly Osbourne
From the corset top to the low-slung belt and cheeky slogan shirt, every early-aughts sk8ter girl trend was front and present in Avril Lavigne and Kelly Osbourne’s 2003 MTV Video Music Awards show looks.
Macy Gray
Macy Gray seized the opportunity for self promotion at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards held in New York City. “My new album drops September 18, 2001” read the front of her dress. On the back? “Buy it.”
Jessie J
Broken foot, but make it fashion. Jessie J made a virtue of her injury at the 2011 MTV VMAs, bedazzling her boot and crutches to match her showgirl ensemble.
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani, at the height of her pop-punk princess era, cited Judy Jetson as the inspiration for her space-age skirt worn with a furry blue bikini top and matching blue hair at the 1998 Video Music Awards.
Lady Gaga
The Chromatica singer draped herself in Argentinian beef complete with a matching purse and shoes by the designer Franc Fernandez at the 2010 awards.
Madonna
At the 1984 VMAs, the legendary singer set the pace for good-girl-gone-bad looks on the red carpet.
Doja Cat
Always the fashion risk taker, Doja Cat showed up to the 2023 edition in a knit naked dress that imitated the look of webbing.
Charli XCX
Charli XCX opted for a literal catsuit for the 2014 awards held in Los Angeles.
Riff Raff and Katy Perry
At the 2014 VMAs, Perry and the rapper Riff Raff paid tribute to the iconic denim-on-denim looks that Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake once wore to the American Music Awards.
Blac Chyna and Amber Rose
At the 2015 awards, Amber Rose and Blac Chyna coordinated in skin tight emblazoned with misogynistic terms like “slut” and “whore,” thus sending a very clear message to their haters.
Jared Leto
Jared Leto, a longtime member of the House of Gucci, brought cinematic flair to the 2017 awards in a grand sequined cape from the Italian luxury brand.
Halsey
Halsey’s perfect rainbow part managed to upstage her sheer dress at the 2019 awards.
Kim Petras
The “I Don’t Want It All” singer paired her regal embroidered dress from Richard Quinn with a gimp suit from Vex latex at the 2021 VMAs.
Halle and Chloe Bailey
The Bailey sisters both opted for daring ensembles at the 2021 Video Music Awards with Halle channeling the Fifth Element in a white cut-out gown from Mônot and Chloe taking a surrealist approach by topping her voluminous silver Marni dress with a spoon necklace.
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