All the best and worst outfits on the 2023 MTV VMAs red carpet
Taylor Swift turned plenty of heads as she hit the MTV VMAs red carpet in a slinky gown with a plunging neckline and thigh-high slit.
Celebrities have flocked to the red – actually, it’s technically pink – carpet for the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards in New York.
The ceremony, hosted by Nicki Minaj, featured performances by stars including Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Demi Lovato, Doja Cat, Fallout Boy, Olivia Rodrigo and this year’s Video Vanguard Award recipient, Shakira.
Heading into this year’s event, Taylor Swift lead the 2023 nominations pack with eleven nods, followed by SZA with eight, and Doja Cat, Miley Cyrus, Nicki Minaj, Blackpink and Olivia Rodrigo each with six.
But before all the awards were given out, we had the outfits.
Swift gave some “Angelina Jolie leg” in this slinky black dress, featuring a very racy neckline:
Selena Gomez made her long-awaited return to the VMAs, marking her first appearance since 2015, in honour of her three nominations.
The singer and Only Murders In The Building star looked like a vision in her daring red floral dress:
Doja Cat was one of the early arrivals, and really got things going with a very daring string dress - which looked like she’d experienced the Australian summer tradition of accidentally walking through several cobwebs at once.
However, unlike most of us in that scenario, she appeared pretty calm:
Amazingly, the barely-there cobweb dress was upstaged by Bebe Rexha’s outfit - which, at first glance, looked so innocent...
Listen, we’re used to seeing more hair extensions on an awards show red carpet than a Real Housewives convention, but this isn’t where they’re usually placed:
The Meant To Be singer, aka dedicated Horse Girl, completed the unexpected look with very large bottom cut-outs.
This tweet just about summed it up:
The back of bebe dress omg #vmas
— PixelSuper (@J2Hottie) September 12, 2023
Think you’re having a stressful day at the office? Try being Sasha Colby’s brooch:
Tinashe’s black tape was also doing some extremely heavy lifting:
I know I should be focusing on the alleged “dress”, but I’m mostly just baffled by the inclusion of the arm-warmers, like when people wear a beanie with shorts.
Is it hot or is it cold, Doechii?
Speaking of people who won’t get through the night without a wardrobe malfunction, welcome to the VMAs, Yung Miami!
Shakira arrived looking spectacular - and if you tell me you didn’t hear “Shakira, Shakira” in your head as you read that, you’re lying:
The Colombian pop star teased details of her 10-minute performance during her pre-show interview on the red carpet, describing it as “pretty dynamic”, but admitted: “I hope it’s not too long.”
Rita Ora’s dress was slowly devouring her from the feet up:
Actress and model Emily Ratajkowski was there, for some reason:
Meanwhile, I can almost hear Karol G’s mum shouting as she walked out the front door: “Take a jacket, you might get cold!”
Also embracing the sheer trend was comedian and actress Tiffany Haddish, who spiced it up further with a G-string:
British comedian and TV and YouTube star Amelia Dimoldenberg went for a more elegant look, which honestly, was not really in the spirit of the VMAs:
As did singer Olivia Rodrigo:
Demi Lovato had apparently entered The Matrix:
Somehow, Coco Jones wore the exact opposite of Demi’s outfit:
Italian rock band and Eurovision 2021 winners, Måneskin, were having a blast:
There was a fair bit to unpack here with Brazilian singer Anitta:
The Iron Throne, but make it fashion, Cardi B:
Megan Thee Stallion opted for a classic black strapless number, with a sheer twist:
Saweetie’s outfit was giving “grown-up Pebbles Flintstone”:
And not since Aladdin has someone so brazenly rocked a purple vest: