From Taylor Swift in leg-baring Versace to Rita Ora in witchy Rodarte

The VMAs have provided some of the most iconic red-carpet moments of all time. There’s something about the unseriousness of the award ceremony, which is hosted by MTV, that inspires celebrities to let down their guard and really have fun. It’s notably different from something like the Oscars or Cannes, where you probably wouldn’t see Saweetie dressed up in a just-walked-the-runway look from Area accented with giant, Flintstones-esque bones. As she told us on the red carpet, “Dress up, bitch, damn.”

Long gone are the days of Madonna wearing a white lace bustier dress with a “Boy Toy” belt, Sofia Coppola in a sheer nightgown layered over tiny black panties, or Rose McGowan in the naked dress that puts all of the other naked dresses to shame. Despite all the talk about personal style, the VMAs red-carpet outfits in 2023 feel a bit more online and trendy than ever before—but there were still some great custom runway looks from fashion girls like Anitta and Cardi B.

Below, the 10 best looks of the night.

ANGELA WEISS

1

Cardi B in Custom Dilara Findikoglu

What most people don’t realize is that Cardi B isn’t just that girl, she’s that fashion girl. Her look for tonight was a custom Dilara Findikoglu, altered slightly from the mini version last seen on the London Fashion Week runway in February. I’’s beautiful armor, like if someone tailored the Iron Throne.

JASON KEMPIN

2

Emily Ratajkowski in Vintage Jean Paul Gaultier

The VMAs already make people nostalgic for the award ceremonies of decades ago, and it would be fun to see more celebrities lean into that with archival looks from that era. Emily Ratajkowski understood the assignment in a colorful vintage Jean Paul Gaultier dress that feels of another time but was still totally her.

GILBERT FLORES

3

Anitta in Schiaparelli

Celebrities need to be wearing more of Daniel Roseberry’s surrealist Schiaparelli on the red carpet! And if they’re not sure why, all they need to do is look at Anitta. With a keyhole cutout exposing her midriff and mismatched earrings that look like clunky painted rocks, her outfit is the perfect mix of sexy and weird. It’s the kind of look you don’t forget; the kind of look that makes you think.

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GILBERT FLORES

4

Olivia Rodrigo in Custom Ludovic de Saint Sernin

Olivia Rodrigo’s custom Ludovic de Saint Sernin gown features over 150,000 Swarovski crystals. The singer, whose second album, Guts, came out last Friday, frequently references the ’90s and early ’00s with her style. And her consistently low-key but glam looks on the red carpet nail the ease of that era in a way that feels far more authentic than the louder takes of some of her peers.

DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS

5

Måneskin in Rick Owens

Rick Owens is freaky sexiness at its finest, and finally, a band has realized how well that translates to the red carpet. Måneskin looks intimidatingly hot in Rick, and collectively prove a good pair of platform boots can be even better than your standard pump. It’s a little surprising to see his looks in this context, because they’re so otherworldly. But whatever planet he’s designing for does look like it would have far better award shows.

JOHN NACION

6

Megan Thee Stallion in Brandon Blackwood

A strapless sheer dress is a red-carpet staple, but Meghan Thee Stallion’s Brandon Blackwood number feels fresh thanks to the lines that mimic the boning of a corset.

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JOHN NACION

7

Rita Ora in Rodarte

Rita Ora wore a black off-the-shoulder Rodarte dress from the brand’s Fall 2023 collection. The look has flowing long sleeves that droop like a dead lily, but the overall effect feels like bat wings. The Mulleavy sisters said the collection was inspired by “fairies,” and Ora is certainly serving a dark emo fey fantasy that’s a little weird and witchy in the best way. Plus her glitter Marc Jacobs Kiki boots add some nice spunk.

DOUG PETERS – PA IMAGES

8

Madelyn Cline in Custom Givenchy

Madelyn Cline’s nude custom Givenchy dress oozes a special kind of sex appeal. The fabric on top ruches and falls to her belly button, revealing a corseted top underneath, with her legs peeking through the opaque skirt on the bottom. It has all the impact of a naked dress without showing much skin at all.

JOHN NACION

9

Selena Gomez in Oscar de la Renta

Florals on the red carpet can sometimes skew too casual, but Selena Gomez’s Oscar de la Renta feels less like a dress and more like red vines wrapping around her.

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JOHN NACION

10

Taylor Swift in Versace

Taylor Swift went viral on Twitter—sorry, on X—for her fan-girl behavior in the audience at the VMAs. She appeared to be having more fun than anyone (the night’s *NYSNC reunion nearly brought her to tears), and a large part of that was how comfortable she seemed in her look. This slinky Versace gown had a long leg-baring slit, but it still felt very Swift, and her confidence radiates through every retweeted GIF.