Megan C. Hills, CNN Photo Editor: Austin Steele, CNN
The 2022 MTV Video Music Awards kicked off on Sunday night, with stars including Lizzo and Blackpink hitting the red carpet for the big night.
Compared to Hollywood awards ceremonies, the VMAs often see attendees let loose and show their personalities, usually choosing fun, flashy or experimental outfits over formal suits and dresses. Fashion history has also been made here, like Lil’ Kim’s purple one-sleeve bodysuit and sea nipple paste in 1999 or Lady Gaga’s infamous meat dress in 2010.
This year’s event, held at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, saw performances from Bad Bunny and Nicki Minaj, with Jack Harlow and LL Cool J. Celebrity fashion watchers also had plenty to celebrate as style darlings, including Taylor Swift, Lil Nas X and Becky G, arrived in show-stopping ensembles.
Many stars wore dark shades to match this year’s ‘black carpet’ – although they livened up the outfits with accessories inspired by fetish wear, such as singer Dove Cameron’s chunky leather choker , or pops of color, like Sabrina Carpenter’s rainbow ornaments.
The stars also went bare, with celebs including Ashley Graham, Tate McRae and Blackpink’s Jennie all flashing their midriffs. Meanwhile, Maneskin’s Anitta and Victoria de Angelis paid homage to Lil’ Kim’s famous 1999 VMAs outfit with fashionable nipple covers.
Some of the men of the evening also bared their torsos. And gender-fluid fashion brought some levity to the menswear ensembles, with Maneskin’s Ethan Torchio donning a see-through corset, Conan Gray stepping into the past in a lace Harris Reed outfit and Bob the Drag Queen twirling in a white skirt, which he matched with a blazer and waistcoat.
Main image: Taylor Swift (Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images)
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