It's always fun to see what kinds of glamorous outfits celebrities wear to the various awards shows we all look forward to watching each year. Usually, we're talking formal gowns and tuxes, but for MTV's Video Music Awards, the standard is just a bit different. The VMAs offer celebs the chance to be a little more creative with their red carpet looks, and over the years we've seen some absolutely wild outfits from musicians like Lady Gaga and Britney Spears. We're sure it's a lot of fun for celebrities to dress for the VMAs since they're a lot more casual in general.
From revealing, barely there get-ups to outfits that make a statement, literally anything goes at the VMAs. It's honestly just fun to see, and if we're being truthful it's one of the reasons we keep tuning into the awards show year after year. Here, we're going to focus on red carpet looks, but of course a lot of celebs also do multiple outfit changes at the VMAs, especially if they're also performing or presenting, and those 'fits are often even more outlandish.
That said, the red carpet looks are usually the most exciting because we often get a close-up look at them as celebs are interviewed upon arriving, and that's super fun. Going all the way back to the 1980s, here are some of the wildest VMAs red carpet looks of all time:
Madonna
Madonna is the OG of shocking outfits. Way back during the first VMAs in 1984, the "Material Girl" donned a dress that looked like a cross between lingerie and a wedding gown, accessorized with a chunky belt that had the words "boy toy" spelled out on it. The look is now so iconic that people duplicate it on Halloween, and Madge herself once appeared along with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera wearing outfits inspired by the original look.
TLC
The R&B girl group TLC was nominated for multiple VMAs in 1995, thanks to their hit song "Waterfalls," and they also performed at the awards ceremony. They arrived in matching, belly-baring white tops and baggy pants that looked like they were strung up around their bodies. It was a lot to look at.
Rose McGowan & Marilyn Manson
Back in 1998, when Rose McGowan and Marilyn Manson were hot and heavy, the couple showed up at the VMAs in some of the most jaw-dropping outfits ever seen at the event. Rose wore a mesh and chain dress that revealed not only her entire behind, but also her nipples. Marilyn wore a nearly holographic, leopard print suit with a red fur collar.
Gwen Stefani
That same year, Gwen Stefani — when she was still 100% a punk singer — tried the skirt-over-pants trend with a baby blue furry bikini top that matched her colored hair perfectly. Oh, and all of that was paired with wedge flip-flops and jewels that she wore across her eyebrows. That was so definitive of her style back then, though.
Lil Kim
Rapper Lil Kim literally shocked the world when she showed up to the 1999 VMAs with her entire left boob hanging out and just a pastie covering that nipple. It was wild and totally not subtle either! The rest of the outfit was a lilac colored, beaded and sequined catsuit, and she wore a purple wig that matched it perfectly.
Pamela Anderson
Also in 1999, Pamela Anderson wore an outfit we could only describe as, well, strange. It was a super-tight corset that looked like it had been sheared off of a formal gown, paired with sequined pants and the biggest, fluffiest bubblegum-pink hat we've ever seen. There didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the outfit at all.
Pink
Pink is still an absolute staple at the VMAs, and we've seen her in many different looks at the show over the years. But the outfit she wore in 2000 was definitely among her most memorable. It featured the lowest of low-cut jeans, a sequined halter crop top, and a gold pimp jacket with fur trim. Then to top it all off, she styled her short hot pink hair in skinny spikes all over her head.
Destiny's Child
Listen, girl groups wear matching outfits — we get it — but this one was just bad. Yes, turquoise and orange are complementary colors, but that doesn't mean anyone should actually wear them together. Plus, the whole southwestern vibe just didn't match their aesthetic, even though they're from Texas. This one was a total fail.
Macy Gray
Singer Macy Gray went the shameless self-promotion route with her dress at the 2001 VMAs. She wore a shiny hot pink and royal blue floor-length dress with the message, "My new album drops Sept. 18 2001," printed on it. She accessorized with a pink and silver floral hat that looked very much like a shower cap.
Christina Aguilera
The early 2000s were obviously about as showing as much of your midsection as possible, and Christina Aguilera fully embraced the trend on her ultra-petite physique. At the 2002 VMAs, she wore the shortest denim skirt, a crossover belly shirt, knee-high black boots, and a newsboy cap. Outfits inspired by this one were seen in nightclubs for years afterwards.
Britney Spears
Of course Britney Spears is on the list! Her leather minidress look from the 2002 VMAs won't soon be forgotten. The low-cut black dress had lace inserts and grommet details down the middle. But it was the accessories that really took her outfit over-the-top. She wore a newsboy cap, gloves, and stiletto heels with straps that crisscrossed all the way up to her knees.
Christina Aguilera — Again
Christina is never one to censor her style. In 2003, when she was going through her brunette stage, she donned this hot pink feathered minidress that totally claimed the red carpet. To this day, it's considered an iconic look that she actually re-created for a 2018 event hosted by Harper's Bazaar that honored unforgettable fashion moments.
The Polyphonic Spree
Ever heard of the band The Polyphonic Spree? Well, we hadn't either until the 2004 VMAs. The choral group from Texas arrived on the red carpet holding hands and wearing long, brightly colored gowns. Together, they created a rainbow of sorts. It was definitely fitting for their aesthetic, but it sure was a sight to behold.
Lady Gaga
We're skipping forward a few years, because honestly not much changed in the second half of the decade fashion-wise. Weirdly, Lady Gaga gave us A Clockwork Orange vibes with this outfit for the 2009 VMAs. The gown itself definitely looked like it was inspired by fashions of the late 19th century, but the hat and eye covering reminded us Alex, Malcolm McDowell's character in the eerie Stanley Kubrick flick. To be honest, we like it.
Lady Gaga — Again
Behold Lady Gaga and her iconic meat dress. Jaws literally dropped when the singer stepped out in this costume designed by Franc Fernandez. It's been reported that she wore it in protest of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, but that it wasn't meant to be offensive. It still shocks us to see it.
Nicki Minaj
Rapper Nicki Minaj is well-known for her outlandish outfits and she always shows up at the VMAs ready to shock and amaze. Back in 2011, she wore this outfit that literally looked like a piece of abstract art was installed on her. There was metal and fabric and bows and all sorts of other embellishments. And oh yeah, she was wearing a face mask years before the rest of us.
Katy Perry
It was really interesting when Katy Perry chose to wear a patchwork denim dress to the VMAs — mostly because it looked a whole lot like the denim dress Britney Spears wore all the way back in 2001 when she and Justin Timberlake attended the American Music Awards together in matching outfits. We're still not sure if Katy knew it had been done before.
Miley Cyrus
Miley went through a big rebel stage, and a part of that was making some really daring red carpet choices. What Miley wants, Miley wears. This teeny-tiny metallic number from the 2015 VMAs is a prime example. Instead of a bodice, her "dress" featured thin straps that barely covered her breasts. One false move and she risked a major wardrobe malfunction in that number!
Jared Leto
Although most of us know Jared Leto best for his acting, his band, 30 Seconds to Mars, is actually really successful and has made many appearances at the VMAs. In 2017, he showed up in a really interesting outfit that featured a printed button-down shirt topped with a bright blue and red sequined cape. He accessorized with silver Gucci sneakers.
Madonna — Again
The queen herself is always going to serve a lewk. We're not saying we're big fans of the outfit Madonna donned at the 2018 VMAs, but it was definitely unique. It was tribal-inspired, though we're not sure what tribe or from where. Some might call it cultural appropriation, but we call it, well, Madonna being Madonna.
Lil Kim — Again
Not be outdone by herself, Lil Kim had to make another bold appearance at the 2019 VMAs. In what seemed like a nod to her infamous 1999 look, she wore a purple and black outfit that featured a single long sleeve and tons of bright purple feathers bursting from her shoulder, chest, and hip.
Amber Rose
Amber Rose undeniably has an incredible figure, so if anybody can pull off a look like this, she can. She says she was inspired by Madonna's cone boobs, and then wanted her stylist to make her look like an "intergalactic space slut." We'd say they nailed it, but it was definitely wild to see something so overtly sexual and bold on the red carpet.
Kim Petras
At the 2021 VMAs, German pop star Kim Petras made quite the memorable entrance — and it wasn't simply because she arrived to the red carpet in a bright pink Mini Cooper driven by none other than Paris Hilton. It was her wild look that really turned heads. She wore an ornately embellished Richard Quinn tunic dress covered with cross icons and other religious-inspired motifs. Underneath, her entire body — including her face — was inexplicably covered in a black latex suit.
Megan Fox
Also at the 2021 event, Megan Fox left little to the imagination. She showed off her killer figure in a completely sheer, curve-hugging midi dress by Thierry Mugler that featured glittery embroidery details. She wore nothing underneath but a bedazzled pair of thong underwear. It's the kind of look that takes major confidence to pull off — and clearly, Megan's got it.
