The ongoing actor and writer strikes have made Hollywood’s red carpets eerily silent, but the music business was in full force at this year’s Video Music Awards (VMAs).
Since it was initially televised nearly forty years ago, MTV’s annual awards show has earned a reputation for having colorful and attention-grabbing fashion. Bebe Rexha’s black leather dress with rear cut-outs, which was reminiscent of Prince’s butt-baring yellow lace suit from the 1991 VMAs, and Doja Cat’s webbed Ap0cene gown were just two of the risqué ensembles on display at New Jersey’s Prudential Center this year.
Other performers included Megan Thee Stallion in a dress by Brandon Blackwood and Artist of the Year nominee Karol G in daring sheer ensembles. Both chose dresses by French label Ashi Studio. Anitta also dazzled in a sheer, off-the-shoulder gown from Schiaparelli’s most recent Fall/Winter Haute Couture collection, which featured a keyhole-shaped opening on the front.
Some attendees chose complementing colors because the red carpet was painted pink for the occasion, such as rapper NLE Choppa in a purple suede two-piece and preshow host Saweetie in a pink Flintstones outfit by New York label, Area.
Though some chose to go for something a little grungier, Demi Lovato wore a dramatic rock star leather look from emerging Chinese designer Buerlangma, and Jared Leto finished off his all-black ensemble with vampish eyeshadow.
Some of the top red carpet outfits from the evening are shown here.
Top Red Carpet Outfits:
Cardi B
Cardi B enjoyed wearing a customized outfit by Turkish-British designer Dilara Findikoglu. The eye-catching ensemble is a floor-length rendition of the mini-dress shown on the brand’s Fall-Winter 2023 runway and was made from hundreds of metal hair clips.
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez‘s flaming Oscar de la Renta dress almost made a crackling sound.
Nicki Mina
Dolce & Gabbana’s pink gown was worn by Nicki Minaj, who opted for bridal Barbiecore.
TikTok stars Dixie and Charli D’Amelio
TikTok stars Charli D’Amelio and Dixie were a striking and complementing duo, with Charli (right) wearing a black dress with whimsical white trim and Dixie (left) wearing a white strapless Maticevski mermaid dress.
Shakira
Shakira, who was given the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award this year, showed up wearing a Versace dress with a gold backless cutout and Jimy Choo shoes.
Tiffany Haddish
Tiffany Haddish was one of many celebrities that choose to go for bare skin. She donned a Jason Wu dress with embellishments and a black bodysuit underneath, along with Giuseppe Zanotti shoes, Reza jewelry, and earrings.
Jared Leto
Jared Leto wore a gloomy appearance with all-black clothing and smokey eyeshadow. The actor and singer finished the ensemble with blocky, futuristic metal bangles and a collar, representing his band Thirty Seconds to Mars, which was nominated in the Best Alternative category.
Doechii
Doechii, whose song “What It Is (Block Boy)” was a Song of Summer nominee, incorporated various styles into her red carpet ensemble. She accessorized with a provocative webbed glittering dress, scarlet Dsquared2 trucker hat, and wool arm warmers.
Tomorrow x Together
Tomorrow x Together, a South Korean boy band, looked sharp while attending their debut VMAs in a combination of black, white, and tan outfits.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift accessorized her Versace gown with gold and diamond jewelry by Maria Tash, T, Ariel Saidian, and Anita Ko.
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Anitta
Anitta arrived wearing a sculptural off-the-shoulder dress from Schiaparelli’s most recent Fall/Winter Haute Couture show, which had a keyhole-shaped opening in the front. Her hand-painted dangling earrings with rhinestone embellishments added a splash of color to the ensemble.
Doja Cat
Doja Cat accessorized her daring Ap0cene gown with glistening wraparound silver bracelets, diamond chandelier earrings, and see-through pointed pumps. Her eye makeup, which included thick white eyeshadow, spidery black eyelashes, and tiny arched brows, reinforced the concept.
Kelsea Ballerini
Country singer Kelsea Ballerini wore a crimson halter-neck cut-out dress from the eveningwear line Mônot to keep things classy and understated.
Bebe Rexha
Bebe Rexha sported a tail and a black leather dress with a risqué back cut-out and cone bustier.
Stephen Sanchez
Stephen Sanchez, a rising musician, was dressed to the nines in a black suit with an extra-large baby blue bow, a black Gucci bamboo handle Diana tote bag, and black leather boots.
Måneskin
Mneskin demonstrated the art of ensemble dressing in a variety of complimentary Rick Owens garments.
Chloe Bailey
Chloe Bailey came wearing a corseted denim velveteen patchwork dress with a high slit that transitioned from a structured top to a flowy train. The outfit is from Roberto Cavalli’s Fall/Winter 2023 Ready-To-Wear line.
Tinashe
Tinashe adopted a glittery sheer style as well.
Billy Porter
Billy Porter completed his dazzling all-white ensemble with a long ponytail with a side fringe of blond hair.
Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo made a statement in a silver, low-cut gown by Ludovic de Saint Sernin that had 150,000 Swarovski crystals. Platform shoes by Roger Vivier and “GUTS” rings, as seen on the cover of her most recent album, finished off her ensemble.
NLE Choppa
With a purple fringed suede two-piece and a large bejeweled “Cotton Wood” chain necklace, NLE Choppa opted for cowboy chic.
Rapper Kaliii
In a vivid orange cut-out gown, rapper Kaliii provided a splash of color.
Saweetie
The preshow emcee for the awards, Saweetie, arrived early wearing an outfit straight off the Fall/Winter 2023 couture runway from New York label Area. The hip-hop artist and singer described the pink garment as having a “caveman” appearance that pays homage to “fashion when it first started.” It also included bone-shaped neck and waistline fastenings.
Karol G
By wearing a glittering sheer beige dress by French brand Ashi Studio, Karol G embraced the see-through trend.
Colton Haynes
Colton Haynes, an actor and model, wore an all-white Dior attire.
Megan Thee Stallion
With Jacob & Co. jewelry, Megan Thee Stallion donned a translucent black bespoke dress by Brandon Blackwood.
Model Emily Ratajkowski
In addition to Melissa Kaye jewelry, model Emily Ratajkowski donned a vintage Jean Paul Gaultier maxi skirt with semi-transparent mesh.
Offset
Offset added silver clips to his hair to match the wife Cardi B’s attire. In addition, the rapper accessorized his dark suit with silver jewelry, a slim skinny tie, and a belt with black and silver buckles.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato looked cool in a mesh and leather minidress from the emerging Chinese brand Buerlangma underneath an oversized geometric black coat.
South Korean boy band Stray Kids
The Best K-Pop nominees from South Korea, Stray Kids, were stylishly coordinated in black and white outfits.
Red carpet attire has developed into a potent form of activism and self-expression in the entertainment business that goes beyond simple dress choices. These costumes are a reflection of societal ideals and changing fashion trends. While red carpet fashion continues to change, one thing never changes: celebrities will always dazzle us on the red carpet with their brilliance, beauty, and, of course, their magnificent wardrobe choices.
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