If the Grammys are music’s biggest night, the VMAs are undoubtedly its wildest, particularly when it comes to the fashion.
At MTV’s annual awards show, we’ve seen Rose McGowan shock viewers in a barely-there beaded dress, Lil’ Kim take the stage in a purple sequined jumpsuit and matching pasty, Britney Spears dance in a sparkling nude mesh set and Christina Aguilera style a scarf as a skimpy top — all within the span of just five years.
So, who stood out style-wise on 2025’s red carpet? Sabrina Carpenter brought the heat in red-hot Valentino, pairing her sparkling, see-through lace gown with a fluffy lavender feather boa — perhaps a sartorial nod to “The Life of a Showgirl,” her upcoming collaboration with fellow pop superstar Taylor Swift.
Camp fashion icon Doja Cat paired her harlequin-patterned Balmain dress with perilously high platforms and — the playful pièce de résistance — a $5,995 crystallized Judith Leiber Couture clutch shaped like an oversized tube of lipstick, from which she procured a tube of the actual makeup to apply (and, later, eat) in front of photographers.
Ariana Grande traded Glinda pink for Fendi polka dots, looking pretty and polished as ever in her strapless peplum gown with a matching spotted scarf tied around her signature ponytail.
And both Tyla and Ciara chose to leave their pants at home for the evening, with the former in a vintage Chanel corset top and the latter in a scarlet neoprene bomber by Schiaparelli.
Below, our best-dressed picks from the VMAs 2025 red carpet.
Wearing a Valentino dress and Tiffany & Co. jewelry
Wearing a Fendi dress, Jimmy Choo shoes and Swarovski jewelry
Wearing a Balmain dress, Pleaser shoes, Chopard jewelry and a Judith Leiber Couture bag
Wearing a vintage Chanel top, Christian Louboutin shoes and Pandora jewelry
Wearing a Schiaparelli jacket, Gianvito Rossi shoes and Alexis Bittar jewelry
Wearing a Saint Laurent jacket, pants and boots
Wearing a vintage Ralph Lauren top and skirt
Wearing an Erik Charlotte dress