Long before memes were even a thing, MTV’s Video Music Awards red carpet was the place were memorable looks were debuted and subsequently immortalized. Lil Kim’s purple mermaid outfit, with coordinating pasty, might come to mind. Or you might think of that one time that Miley Cyrus used the awards show as a platform to launch a whole new look, sound and feel.
So it makes sense that the red carpet at this years VMAs was one unforgettable look after another. Diddy used this as an occasion to bust out a kimono, which surprisingly paired nicely with his pile of gold chains. Rita Ora did Marc Jacobs proud, bringing a look from his Fall 2016 runway show to life, alongside a glittering mass of Lorraine Schwartz jewels. Also memorable was Chloe and Halle Bailey’s printed, ruffled and laced Rodarte getups and Kim Kardashian West’s perfectly executed wet-look hair. We’d also like to give Naomi Campbell a shoutout for nailing one of Instagram’s favorite new beauty looks: Pat McGrath’s sparkling lip kit. The fact that the model paired her killer beauty look with not one, but two flowing Brandon Maxwell dresses, made the evening that much better.
Then there were the two reigning queens of the night: Beyoncé and Rihanna. Both performers donned a number of outfits that stunned, from an all-white Hood By Air t-shirt, skirt and boot combo on Rih to the feathered gown, by couture designer Francesco Scognamiglio, that Bey arrived in.
In your opinion, what was the most memorable looks of the 2016 VMAs?