The Best Dressed Celebrities at the 2022 MTV VMAs

Is it an Easter egg for Reputation (Taylor’s Version)...or just a really good dress? Either way, Taylor Swift got fans so heated in her glittering jeweled Oscar de la Renta mini dress they were, once again, ready to fight her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn. The look perfectly complemented Swift’s swept-aside bangs and strappy silver heels. Another win from an icon with a long history of VMAs red-carpet stunners.

This stunning, voluminous midnight-blue Jean Paul Gaultier gown on Lizzo would have been successful on its own. But add in immaculate styling—a matching blue lip, “wet hair,” and stacks of gold hoops—and the look is elevated to one of the best of the evening.

Such bright florals could easily veer childish. But sensual cut-outs, smoky makeup, and a blowout accented with a Jennifer Behr headband rescue Sabrina Carpenter’s Moschino look from any accusations of immaturity. The look marries the elegance of black with the whimsy of flowers for a gown that feels appropriately 2022.

When red carpets grow tedious, trust Lil Nas X to inject a little drama. His Harris Reed headdress and coordinating feathered skirt were instant eye-catchers—even on a matching carpet. Opting to go entirely shirtless was another effective choice from an artist always hungry for the spotlight he deserves.

It’s tough to make such a simple dress stand out. But sometimes subtlety is exactly what a memorable red-carpet design needs. Effortlessly merging classic Catholic imagery—that hood!—with a dynamic, modern neckline, Sofia Carson’s Carolina Herrera gown is practically divine.

Speaking of church...Becky G’s tarot-inspired Zuhair Murad gown looked like panels of stained glass, stitched together with an eyebrow-raising side panel. Paired with an easy red lip and blowout, the look achieved exactly what it set out to do: prompt us to zoom in.

We love a man eager to experiment with gender norms in fashion, so to see Conan Gray strut down the black carpet in platforms and lace was a sheer delight—no pun intended.

It’s the texture play that makes Shenseea’s Marc Jacobs really pop. The loose-fitting skirt and baggy shawl, paired with vinyl gloves and platforms, finished off with dotted ropes of glitter? A feast for the eyes indeed.

Not every actor can rock a tank top on the red carpet and get away with it, but thankfully Dylan O’Brien makes pulling off an open-front floral suit look easy. Sprinkle in a few styling selections—sunglasses and chain necklaces—and the look goes from choice to statement.