The 26 Wildest VMAs Outfits Ever (PHOTOS)

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Noam Galai/Getty

Noam Galai/Getty

01of 26MadonnaDavid McGough/getty IMAGESThe Year:1984The Look:The “Like a Virgin” singer made a splash at the very first VMAs, wearing a bridal-white dress with a Boy Toy belt that Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera later emulated for that infamous 2003 performance.

01of 26

Madonna

David McGough/getty IMAGES

The Year:1984

The Look:The “Like a Virgin” singer made a splash at the very first VMAs, wearing a bridal-white dress with a Boy Toy belt that Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera later emulated for that infamous 2003 performance.

02of 26Lady GagaPA Photos/LandovThe Year:2010The Look:Made out of meat (yes, meat), this “outfit” was extremely appealing – to the nation’s dog population. We’re still wondering ifshehired someone to wave away flies all night.

02of 26

Lady Gaga

PA Photos/Landov

The Year:2010

The Look:Made out of meat (yes, meat), this “outfit” was extremely appealing – to the nation’s dog population. We’re still wondering ifshehired someone to wave away flies all night.

03of 26Britney SpearsKevin Mazur/WireImageThe Year:2002The Look:Have the Fashion Police arrived? If anyone could pull this off it’s Britney (bitch).

03of 26

Britney Spears

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

The Year:2002

The Look:Have the Fashion Police arrived? If anyone could pull this off it’s Britney (bitch).

04of 26Missy ElliottRJ Capak/WireImageThe Year:2003The Look:It’s hard to ever say a bad word about the queen, so we’ll say it about her outfit instead: triple bogey.

04of 26

Missy Elliott

RJ Capak/WireImage

The Year:2003

The Look:It’s hard to ever say a bad word about the queen, so we’ll say it about her outfit instead: triple bogey.

05of 26Christina AguileraEvan Agostini/Getty ImagesThe Year:2003The Look:Mid-Dirrtyera, the singer cleaned up a bit, going a little Vegas in her feathered fashion.

05of 26

Christina Aguilera

Evan Agostini/Getty Images

The Look:Mid-Dirrtyera, the singer cleaned up a bit, going a little Vegas in her feathered fashion.

06of 26Drew BarrymoreRon Galella/Getty ImagesThe Year:1995The Look:So, so Goth. Then 20 years old, Barrymore wanted fans to know she wasn’t the little girl fromE.T.anymore.

06of 26

Drew Barrymore

Ron Galella/Getty Images

The Year:1995

The Look:So, so Goth. Then 20 years old, Barrymore wanted fans to know she wasn’t the little girl fromE.T.anymore.

07of 26Sheryl CrowJim Spellman/WireImageThe Year:2001The Look:Tube tops, turquoise and three-inch thick belts? We were all trying something in the early ’00s.

07of 26

Sheryl Crow

Jim Spellman/WireImage

The Year:2001

The Look:Tube tops, turquoise and three-inch thick belts? We were all trying something in the early ’00s.

08of 26Cindy CrawfordRon Galella/Getty ImagesThe Year:1992The Look:The 26-year-old model looked partBarbarella,part dominatrix in her now-iconic leather ensemble.

08of 26

Cindy Crawford

The Year:1992

The Look:The 26-year-old model looked partBarbarella,part dominatrix in her now-iconic leather ensemble.

09of 26Miley CyrusFrank Trapper/Getty ImagesThe Year:2015The Look:Her show, her rules. The year she hosted the VMAs, Cyrus decided to skip wearing clothes on the red carpet.

09of 26

Miley Cyrus

Frank Trapper/Getty Images

The Year:2015

The Look:Her show, her rules. The year she hosted the VMAs, Cyrus decided to skip wearing clothes on the red carpet.

10of 26TLCRon Galella/Getty ImagesThe Year:1995The Look:Before Destiny’s Child entered the scene, these ladies were doing the matching thing, to varied levels of success.

10of 26

TLC

The Look:Before Destiny’s Child entered the scene, these ladies were doing the matching thing, to varied levels of success.

11of 26Tommy Lee & Pamela AndersonEvan Agostini/LiaisonThe Year:1999The Look:We just feel bad for the person who sat behind her.

11of 26

Tommy Lee & Pamela Anderson

Evan Agostini/Liaison

The Year:1999

The Look:We just feel bad for the person who sat behind her.

12of 26Alicia KeysVinnie Zuffante/Getty ImagesThe Year:2001The Look:The year of her breakout album, Keys was still finding her way on the red carpet — but that blue eye shadow really made her pop.

12of 26

Alicia Keys

Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images

The Look:The year of her breakout album, Keys was still finding her way on the red carpet — but that blue eye shadow really made her pop.

13of 26Christina ApplegateJeff Kravitz/FilmMagicThe Year:1989The Look:VMAs, or a scene fromCasablanca?

13of 26

Christina Applegate

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

The Year:1989

The Look:VMAs, or a scene fromCasablanca?

14of 26Gwen StefaniRon Galella/Getty ImagesThe Year:1998The Look:The No Doubt frontwoman’s combo of blue hair, a furry bra top, a skirt over pants and platform sandals was nothing if not memorable.

14of 26

Gwen Stefani

The Year:1998

The Look:The No Doubt frontwoman’s combo of blue hair, a furry bra top, a skirt over pants and platform sandals was nothing if not memorable.

15of 26PinkRobin Platzer/Getty ImagesThe Year:2000The Look:Embellished dusters, crazy jeans, wild hair: pretty much a sign of the times.

15of 26

Pink

Robin Platzer/Getty Images

The Year:2000

The Look:Embellished dusters, crazy jeans, wild hair: pretty much a sign of the times.

16of 26Nicki MinajSteve Granitz/WireImageThe Year:2011The Look:If Bane fromThe Dark Knight Riseswent on a rampage through Nordstrom Rack, he still wouldn’t end up with this memorable ensemble.

16of 26

Nicki Minaj

Steve Granitz/WireImage

The Year:2011

The Look:If Bane fromThe Dark Knight Riseswent on a rampage through Nordstrom Rack, he still wouldn’t end up with this memorable ensemble.

17of 26Destiny’s ChildDave Hogan/GettyThe Year:2001The Look:Beyoncé(with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams) would like everybody to be on mute about this matching look from her Destiny’s Child days.

17of 26

Destiny’s Child

Dave Hogan/Getty

The Look:Beyoncé(with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams) would like everybody to be on mute about this matching look from her Destiny’s Child days.

18of 26Katy PerryMark Davis/PictureGroupThe Year:2011The Look:One of several looksshesported during the show that year, we call this one “Green Bay Packers Fan Goes Haute Couture.”

18of 26

Katy Perry

Mark Davis/PictureGroup

The Look:One of several looksshesported during the show that year, we call this one “Green Bay Packers Fan Goes Haute Couture.”

19of 26Lil' KimNancy Kaszerman/ZumaThe Year:1999The Look:The rapper famously exposed one of her “Lil' Kims” in this one-sleeve creation and paved the way forincreasingly naked attire on the red carpet.

19of 26

Lil' Kim

Nancy Kaszerman/Zuma

The Look:The rapper famously exposed one of her “Lil' Kims” in this one-sleeve creation and paved the way forincreasingly naked attire on the red carpet.

20of 26Justin BieberJeff Kravitz/FilmMagicThe Year:2011The Look:How does theyoung manwho has everything accessorize? With a live varmint, apparently.

20of 26

Justin Bieber

The Look:How does theyoung manwho has everything accessorize? With a live varmint, apparently.

21of 26

Chris Evans & Jessica Alba

Koichi kamoshida/Getty

The Year:2005

22of 26Marilyn Manson & Rose McGowanJeff Kravitz/FilmMagicThe Year:1998The Look:Though this was just another night out for him, Rose McGowan was certainly making a statement that night — and in case you don’t remember, that’s a G-string she has on.

22of 26

Marilyn Manson & Rose McGowan

The Look:Though this was just another night out for him, Rose McGowan was certainly making a statement that night — and in case you don’t remember, that’s a G-string she has on.

23of 26MadonnaKevin Mazur/WireImageThe Year:1998The Look:Ohmmy god. Thequeen of reinventiontransformed herself into the queen of henna over two decades ago.

23of 26

The Look:Ohmmy god. Thequeen of reinventiontransformed herself into the queen of henna over two decades ago.

24of 26FergieKevin Mazur/WireImageThe Year:2006The Look:Honey, I shrunk the tie! And the shirt, and the shorts. Hey, at leastFergiecoordinated her teeny-tiny Burberry bottoms with her boots.

24of 26

Fergie

The Year:2006

The Look:Honey, I shrunk the tie! And the shirt, and the shorts. Hey, at leastFergiecoordinated her teeny-tiny Burberry bottoms with her boots.

25of 26Riff Raff & Katy PerryJason Merritt/GettyThe Year:2014The Look:The pair did their own play on Britney Spears' andJustin Timberlake’s iconiccoordinating denim looks, and it was a moment then and now.

25of 26

Riff Raff & Katy Perry

Jason Merritt/Getty

The Year:2014

The Look:The pair did their own play on Britney Spears' andJustin Timberlake’s iconiccoordinating denim looks, and it was a moment then and now.

26of 26

Chappell Roan

ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty

The Year:2024

source: people.com