The Top 10 Best Dressed Stars at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards

The VMAs have produced some of the most memorable red-carpet events ever. Celebrities are inspired to let their guard down and have a lot of fun by the award show’s lack of seriousness, which is hosted by MTV. It differs noticeably from events like the Oscars or Cannes, when Saweetie definitely wouldn’t be decked up in a just-walked-the-runway style from Area accentuated with gigantic, Flintstones-like bones.
Get dressed, bitch, damn, she said to us on the red carpet.

The days of Sofia Coppola in a translucent nightgown draped over tiny black underwear, Madonna in a white lace bustier dress with a “Boy Toy” belt, or Rose McGowan in the nude dress that puts all other naked costumes to shame are long gone.
The VMAs red carpet attire in 2023 seemed a little more online and popular than ever before, despite all the discussion about personal style, while there were still some excellent custom runway designs from fashion ladies like Anitta and Cardi B.

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. It’s beautiful armor, like if someone tailored the Iron Throne.

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 felt of another time but was still totally her.

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.

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.

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 proves 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

11. Doja Cat
Doja Cat wore a naked, white Monse dress that closely resembled spider webs strewn across her body. The look featured white web-like fabric that might’ve caused a stir for the flashing cameras but was cleverly disguised with a pair of nude underwear beneath. She paired her OOTD with see-through heels, diamond drop earrings, and silver bracelets. Her buzz cut, Y2K-inspired metallic eye-shadow, and hard-to-miss lashes upped the ante and left us down with envy.

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12. Nicki Minaj
Hosting the ceremony for the second consecutive year, Nicki was ready to take her VMAs commitment to the next level in a bridal-esque ensemble. She arrived on the red carpet in a pastel pink corseted lace dress by Dolce & Gabbana, complete with a veil and a mermaid silhouette. With Nicki, there’s no denying her nails matched to perfection and kept long, blingy, and unmissable — helped pull the whole look together. Her purple-pink eyeshadow and silver accessories might’ve been ancillary additions but were a quiet nod to Barbiecore.

13. Sofia Carson
For the Purple Hearts actress, blue was the state of mind for the VMAs 2023 red carpet. To pick up her award, Sofia opted for head-to-toe sparkle in a cobalt ensemble from Alexandre Vauthier’s Fall 2022 couture collection.
The shimmery outfit took the form of a long-sleeved dress with exaggerated shoulders, embellished with increasingly larger paillettes, and intentionally matching her pair of pointy sock boots. For the hair and makeup, the singer kept her short bob side swept and punched it in with dark, kohl-lined eyes for a riveting, on-camera gaze.

14. Sabrina Carpenter
If Doja Cat brought the webs to the red carpet, then Sabrina Carpenter put a spin on it. The 24-year-old singer impressed with a corseted Vera Wang dress that draped her waistline but also brought in a much-needed train moment.
While we loved the minimal styling, the interplay of sheer and rhinestones, and the voluminous astray locks, we did wish her strappy heels matched her silvery undertones, rather than the muted gold that she finally went for.

10. Saweetie
Saweetie had a bone to pick (or two) at the VMAs this year with her Stone Age-cum-Flintsones-inspired gown. Mixing cavewoman with Barbiecore, the rapper arrived in a bejeweled dress with two prominent bony installations, designed by AREA for their Fall-Winter 2023 collection.
Saweetie even gave bystanders something to remember when she caressed the bone mid-red carpet. Her monolithic nails, perfectly gelled ponytail, and cherry blossom makeup ensured the world was watching… and taking notes!

Content courtesy of Harpers Bazaar, & NFH