The Most Outlandish Red Carpet VMA Outfits We Are Still Talking About
It's unsual times we live in, no less so for this year's MTV Video Music Awards. The VMAs makes for the first major awards broadcast to air since the pandemic hit the United States, and consisted of a hybrid programme of video acceptances and performances with no audiences. Keke Palmer, as host, kicked off the ceremony honouring Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, who died on Friday from colon cancer, and addressed the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests.
But of course, we welcomed some familiarity in the unfamiliar: Lady Gaga stunned in social distancing-appropriate couture, continually raising the bar for outlandish, and eyebrow raising fashion.
But she's not the first, and will certainly not be the last. Ahead, we sieved through our archives for some of the most outlandish red carpet looks at the VMAs in history.
Madonna's famed "Like A Virgin" performance at the first-ever Video Music Awards in 1984 was perhaps one of the most unforgettable VMA performances in history. She wore a white wedding dress when she experienced a wardrobe malfunction, with her white stiletto accidentally slipping off, and as she reached for the shoe, her dress went up. The performance set the VMAs as a houeshold name and raised the bar for every performer coming after her.
Courtney Love dressed like Marilyn Monroe, Kurt Cobain in the image of a grunge star - yes, there is nothing shocking in this picture. But this is one of their last ever family snapshots in public, and that's why this photo is cemented as one of the most unforgettable moments in VMA history.
Dennis Rodman is a famous NBA basketball player. He now wears mostly pink pantsuits, but in the 1990s he was not one to shy away from rhinestones and crystal jewelry.
Perhaps the "naked" outfit worn by Rose McGowan is one of the most talked about outfits from the red carpets, ever.
Somehow, her choice of companion, Marilyn Manson, looks a little more normal in comparison - we're totally digging his sweet acid leopard look.
Certainly a moment to remember by from the heyday of No Doubt. Gwen Stefani was a cool punk princess, dressed in a flying saucer-like dress over trousers, a fur bikini and a matching blue hairstyle.
The media, who had not yet recovered from Rose McGowan's revealing outfit, wrote the following year that Lil Kim, with her purple jumpsuit and a shell-nipple, was very well covered.
Soul singer Macy Gray is an unrecognized queen of self promotion. She came to the award in 2001 in a dress with a print in the form of the release date of her new album. 'Buy It' was written on the back.
Lady Gaga has stunned, and will continue to stun. Hat, clutch, dress - for the VMAs in 2010 Lady Gaga, came in a total meat look. As she later explained, this was her statement against the policies of the American army. For those who are worried: the dress was preserved by taxidermists that came in dried form.
Every first appearance of Nicki Minaj on the VMAs should be in the most shocking outfits list, somewhere. But we chose only this harajuku outfit to leave you with.
Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake's total denim look from the 2001 American Music Awards still haunts us all to this day. Thirteen years after their original appeareance, it was parodied by Katy Perry and Riff Ruff.
Call this the most powerful red carpet anti-slut shaming look ever: Amber Rose and Black China came to the VMAs in bodysuits adorned with the words "prostitute", "whore" and their synonyms.
Want to look for a surefire way to stand out? Ask Jared Leto (correct answer: choose Gucci).