Daring Outfits That Turned Heads At The MTV Video Music Awards

Coco Chanel once famously gave the following advice to help women obtain her effortless, classy style. “Before you leave the house,” the legendary designer said, “look in the mirror and take one thing off.” We assume that Pamela Anderson didn’t know of that quote before attending the 1999 VMAs in sequined pants, a corset, and a fluffy, oversized top hat. Either way, Pam, you rocked it!

Busta Rhymes is no stranger to colorful clothes, but the outfit he wore to the 1997 VMAs is in a league of its own. The hip-hop star made waves with his cherry-colored, intricately patterned kimono, paired with matching pants and shoes. And 20 years on, Cosmopolitan named the ensemble as one of the most outrageous outfits ever to be seen on the red carpet, although the magazine also felt that the “kimono… should have never seen the light of day.” We totally beg to differ.

There’s an otherworldly vibe to Lenny Kravitz’s outfit from the 1993 VMAs. The jumpsuit-esque silhouette and shiny silver fabric make him look like an explorer from out of space. And the fact that he’s holding the iconic MTV Moonman just adds to the extraterrestrial chic. He might need to switch the platform heels for a more practical boot, but other than that, the star is space ready. Lenny, is there something you’re not telling us?

Lady Gaga’s not really one to dress subtly at the VMAs – or anywhere else, for that matter. And this look from the 2020 ceremony is a case in point. After winning the award for Best Collaboration – an honor she shared with Ariana Grande for their tune “Rain on Me” – Gaga collected her statuette in a bright pink gas mask and psychedelic frock with spikes that resembled those on a lionfish. As you do.

Katy Perry in a leopard-print gown with a slicked-back high ponytail? At first glance, there’s not much that’s ground-breaking about that. But take a closer look... The songstress makes the list because of what’s happening within her mouth. Yep, the “Firework” singer showed up to the 2013 VMAs with a full grill on her pearly whites. Talk about fierce!

Jessica Simpson’s 2005 VMAs look combined everything that we loved to wear at the turn of the millennium. Over shorts, she wore a flouncy lace blouse, a waist-cinching belt, an exposed bra, and, of course, dramatic smokey eye makeup. Personally, we’re okay with it taking a few more decades for this kind of fashion to come back into style.

Who says MTV doesn’t respect real music? At the 1991 VMAs, famed guitarist Steven Van Zandt and funk legend Bootsy Collins were both in attendance. And the icons dressed to impress — or at least stun — if their colorful, bright, and bedazzled outfits are any indication. We predict that their eye-catching outfits from the Los Angeles event will be a firm favorite in VMA fashion history for years to come. Watch this space.

Some say Fergie wore this strange outfit to the 2006 VMAs as a reference to The Dutchess, the album she’d dropped that year. But that collection was inspired by London, and we’re seeing much more of an Irish vibe in her getup. Maybe it’s the tiny green tie or the cute hat? Neither would be out of place on a leprechaun.

By now, you’re realizing that there’s no dress code on the VMAs red carpet. Fringe-covered, sunset-hued and turquoise-accented gowns? Perfect! And Destiny’s Child dared to go matchy-matchy in this very combination to the 2001 VMAs in New York City. It beats us how Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé, and Michelle Williams managed to make even this garish color palette look good. 

See a cone-shaped bra, and you probably think of Madonna. And nearly 30 years after the singer dared to sport Jean-Paul Gaultier’s iconic creation on stage, the style is still inspiring others. Like Cardi B, for example! On the 2017 VMAs red carpet, she memorably appeared in a dress that seemed to pay tribute to the Queen of Pop with its bodice.

Sofia Coppola’s purple nightie was clearly too pretty to keep hidden in a bedroom. So, she slipped the sheer garment on top of some underwear and headed to the 1995 VMAs. Or maybe she just overslept for the ceremony? In any case, the director’s daring outfit secured her a spot in the award ceremony fashion history books.

Talk about abs-olutely stealing the show! That’s what Bella Hadid did in the midriff-bearing dress she wore to the 2019 VMAs. Calling it a dress is a stretch, really, as it looks more like a form-fitting skirt and bandeau attached together with suspenders. But while we get to the bottom of this conundrum, one thing’s for sure: the model pulled her look off with ease.

Cut-outs aren’t exactly a new thing on the VMAs red carpet. Back in 1990, MC Hammer turned heads with his shimmering gold blazer complete with strategically placed rips. If that wasn’t enough, the rapper wore glitzy, matching pants to bring the whole look together. And, yes, those pants were baggy...

Beyoncé had a good night at the 2016 VMAs, and we’re not just talking about the stunning outfit she wore. The electrifying singer brought home eight gongs from the ceremony, you see. And she raked in all of those awards in a seafoam-and-sheer gown with dramatic, butterfly-wing-style shoulders. Let’s just hope she kept away from any fans — those feathers would have certainly caused a makeup malfunction.

Miley Cyrus isn’t known for her subtlety, and that applies both to her memorable performances and her fashion choices. So when she showed up at the 2015 VMAs in this daring, silver, space-y getup from Atelier Versace, we doubt anyone was really surprised. Her daring controversial outfits weren’t the only thing that got tongues wagging, though. An argument with Nicki Minaj live on air and a backstage mishap broadcast to the nation were almost enough to distract people from her lack of clothes!

The 2001 VMAs took place in New York City on September 6. The average temperature in the Big Apple at that time of year is about 75° F. But despite the heat, songstress Alicia Keys showed up in a head-to-toe leather outfit. And she probably didn’t care about the discomfort when she brought home a Moonman of her own.

It wasn’t just Taylor Swift’s record-breaking multiple wins that turned heads at the 2022 VMAs. Her dazzling Oscar de la Renta chandelier minidress covered just enough with its barely-there design, but it wasn’t the revealing style that got her loyal legion of Swifties all of a fluster. Eagle-eyed fans have pieced together a set of theories about the dress’ hidden meanings. Supposedly, her latest bead and jewel outfit was a nod to a similar metallic dress she wore at the ’09 VMAs. She also wore a bejeweled dress in the music video for, ‘Look What You Made Me Do.’ The fact that both the video and 2009 looks have links to her infamous feud with Kanye West, well... you do the math.

It looks like Jessie J’s bedazzled crutches, gem-colored tights, and boot were part of some avant-garde fashion statement. But they’re not just for show. Before the 2011 VMAs, the singer fractured her foot, meaning she had to update her red-carpet look. And prior to the ceremony, she told MTV that she was going to “pimp out [her] crutches” – a promise she seems to have kept.

Rita Ora turned up the heat at the 2014 VMA awards when she arrived in this head-turning red gown. It made such an impression that we remember it like it was yesterday. In a post-event interview with British radio station Capital FM, Ora revealed that red is, in fact, her favorite color. And of that infamously high slit, she said, “It just kept getting shorter and shorter, and the thigh just kept getting higher and higher! Until I thought ‘OK, we have to stop now!’”

Lil Nas X’s song “Old Town Road” topped the Billboard charts for a record-breaking 19 straight weeks. It also made country-rap an actual thing. So someone had to give the guy a Moonman. And the up-and-coming star showed up to accept his award in an outfit worthy of all his accomplishments: a bright red cowboy getup. Well, obviously...

Remember when Jennifer Lopez and Diddy dated at the tail-end of the ’90s? If you don’t, then you surely recall the famous V-neck Versace gown J.Lo wore to the 2001 Grammys – the green, jungle-print one that seemed to be holding on with a little bit of tape and a lot of hope. And this all-white ensemble for the 2000 VMAs is a close second in the ostentatious stakes.

Leave it to a supermodel to make an impression on the red carpet. Cindy Crawford turned heads – and probably dropped some jaws — when she showed up at the 1992 VMAs in a rough-edged Versace look. And if the multiple buckles and straps weren’t risqué enough, the sheer panels definitely got the message across.

Cher fans will know that when she and Bob Mackie get together, sparks fly. The designer has dressed the songstress for decades, draping her in sequins and sheers that stun every single time. And when she showed up at the 2010 VMAs in the Mackie-made getup she’d sported in the video for “If I Could Turn Back Time,” it was perfect – just like everything else Cher does.

Taylor Swift tends to change her style with every new album she releases. So, when Lover came out in 2019, she ditched her Reputation-era serpents and dark hues for a lighter, softer style. Brighter, too, if the sequin-covered Versace look she sported at the 2019 VMAs is anything to go by. Tay couldn’t just sit back and look pretty, though — she had to open the whole show by performing some of her hits.

Only at the MTV VMAs would an attendee think, “I should pair my bralette top with my hair.” But that’s precisely what appears to have crossed Gwen Stefani’s mind before attending the 1998 ceremony. And if that wasn’t outlandish enough, the singer chose to wear a skirt over her jeans and plaster her body in henna tattoos, too.

Can you guess the inspiration behind TLC’s outfits from the 1999 VMAs? Well, as you can see, the group’s members – Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, and Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes – wore head-to-toe leather. Billboard claims, though, that the trio got the idea for their look from mermaids, of all things. How did we not think of it?!

Crop tops today generally tend to skim the navel and show off just a bit of belly. But the 2000s were a different beast, and wearing a midriff-baring top meant flashing, well, your entire stomach. Christina Aguilera embodied that trend at the 2002 VMAs in her barely-there halterneck and very low-rise skirt. Hopefully, she packed a warm jacket for the walk home.

Even Lizzo herself joked about the sheer amount of fabric in her statement Jean Paul Gaultier gown at the ’22 VMAs. The ‘About Damn Time’ singer has faced ongoing backlash about how she looks, but she still managed to look fierce right in the middle of all that navy silk. The body-positive star was nominated in the categories of Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop, Video for Good, and Song of the Summer. And along with winning Video for Good, she undoubtedly took the crown for most material used for a single dress!

Jared Leto attended the 2017 VMAs with his 30 Seconds to Mars bandmates. But the musician and actor made sure he stood out from the pack — and could be seen from space — in his completely sequined, knee-length cape in shades of blue, green, and red. The internet was filled with praise for the eccentric getup, especially when footage aired of Leto bopping along to Ed Sheeran’s performance later in the show.

Rolling Stone deemed Nicki Minaj’s outfit the “most confusing” getup seen at the 2011 VMAs. The rapper seemed to have been influenced by Japan, but beyond that? The magazine pondered, “Is her get-up a tribute to Metropolis, the stuffed animal aisle at Toys ‘R’ Us, or something else entirely? She even taped her mouth shut – rendering her literally speechless. Well, so were we.” Us, too.

On the 1995 VMAs red carpet, Dennis Rodman slipped into a shimmering camisole and juxtaposed the delicate top with bulky, baggy jeans. Yes, really! And while some naturally hated the look, V magazine named the outfit one of its favorites in VMAs history and lauded Rodman for his “coolness off the court.” Which side of the divide do you fall on?

Neither of Lil Nas X’s VMA outfits flew under the radar at the New Jersey event in 2022. After ditching his outlandish feather headdress, the rapper slipped into something a little more, er... holey. It’s as if he knew he’d take home a few Moonmen of his very own, with his second outfit of the event seeming to coordinate perfectly with the VMA’s distinctive trophy. Silver award, silver cut-out embellishments — genius. Of course, it did help that he actually picked up three of them on the night.

We have to be blunt: Pink’s fluorescent locks at the 2000 VMAs really made her head look like a sea anemone. And things didn’t get much better from the neck down, as the singer paired her rose-colored strands with a floor-length fur coat, gold halter and shockingly low-rise jeans. We’d rather watch from the couch in our sweatpants.

Shiny, skin-tight blue fabric from head to toe? Matching hair ties? A thick layer of eyeshadow and a huge hoop earring? There’s only one person who could put all of this together and look amazing: Prince. He blue it out of the water at the VMAs in 1999. For those wondering whether he performed his hit of the same name, the answer is no. He seemingly snubbed the network’s offer and introduced TLC instead, “MTV originally asked me to perform a song. Of course, I’m talking about ‘1999.’ I decided I’d rather come introduce my favorite group.”

Once upon a time, boy-bander Justin Timberlake dated the princess of pop, Britney Spears. And, without doubt, the duo’s greatest coupley moment was at the 2001 American Music Awards, when their matching denim outfits went down in fashion infamy. So, perhaps Katy Perry tried to prove that such greatness could, indeed, be repeated. At the 2004 VMAs, she and her date, hip-hop star Riff Raff, donned head-to-toe denim in honor of the 00s’ favorite pop pair.

If you watched the VMAs in 1999, there’s no way you don’t remember Lil’ Kim’s outfit. Never one to be overdressed, the hip-hop queen strode the red carpet with a tiny shell appliqué over one half of her chest. It gave her just enough coverage for a cable TV award show. Fingers crossed, it was strong glue.

Mariah Carey was fresh from her divorce from Tommy Mottola when she attended the 1997 VMAs. With her simple, sultry fashion choice, though, the conversation changed, leaving everyone talking about her revenge outfit instead. And while it’s hard to believe after seeing some of the other entries on this list, Carey’s two-piece was actually regarded as being among the most controversial gowns of the decade.

Monét X Change was Ru Paul Drag Race’s first-ever double crown winner, so it’s little wonder she slayed the 2022 VMAs with this flower-power-inspired look. The drag star served eager-eyed fans with a showstopping two-piece outfit and volumized hair à la Minnie Mouse. One of the more modest outfits of the night, the born and bred New Yorker still packed a punch with matching orange and green accessories.

It’s no secret that Britney Spears is a VMAs icon. She’s danced with snakes, kissed Madonna, and taken home Moonman after Moonman. That’s why we love her muted look from the 1999 ceremony. The sheer fabrics, feathered cuffs, and sequined skirt make a statement, for sure. But on the person who’s going to smooch the Queen of Pop on a public stage? Well, it’s actually fairly demure.

When she walked the red carpet at the 2001 VMAs, Macy Gray had something to tell the world: she had a new album coming out. But rather than speaking those words to the press and to the public, she decided to just… wear them. Yep, as you can see, her dress straight up told everyone to expect a new album and when. We guess that’s what you had to do before social media...

It’s hard to believe, but this was the first time Madonna wore something that really got people talking. Yes, the famous “Boy Toy” belt wrapped around her white, sheer frock created even more buzz around the pop star, who was making her VMAs debut that night in 1984.

On the list of most iconic VMAs looks ever, you’ll always find Rose McGowan and Marilyn Manson walking into the 1998 event. The actress’ dress – if you can even call it that – left her completely exposed at the front and, well, more or less the same from behind. Her then-beau, on the other hand, chose to pair his cherry-red locks with a matching leopard-print jacket. Me-ow.

At first glance, Paris Hilton’s 2004 VMAs dress seems like a frilly, sparkly number fit for a ritzy socialite. However, on your second look — perhaps a spit-take — you realize that a whole lot of this dress is totally sheer. Still, thanks to those strategically placed embellishments, Paris kept everything just about covered enough. Any particular favorites from that bunch? Well, maybe you’ll love some of the looks that have appeared at the Academy Awards over the decades. While the event should be all about movies, the fabulous fashion on display is almost as big a part of every Oscars night.

After the 1969 Academy Awards, there were two things everyone was talking about with regards to Barbra Streisand. Firstly, she tied for Best Actress with Katharine Hepburn. Secondly, the actress and singer’s zany outfit – created by Arnold Scaasi – was somewhat transparent. But to be fair to Streisand, she apparently had no idea just how see-through it would prove as the flashes fired and the camera shutters clicked.

Empire star Taraji P. Henson rocked up to the 2018 Oscars wearing a black Vera Wang dress with a very daring slit and necklace. But one month later the star told Entertainment Tonight that the gown could have been even more scandalous. She said, “I’m not afraid. Vera was like, ‘Let’s take it there!’ Wangy bangy, baby.”

Jennifer Lawrence wore a Dior Couture dress while accepting a Best Actress award at the 2013 Oscars. But it famously caused her a problem. You see, the star fell over as she walked to the stage to collect her gong for Silver Linings Playbook. It turned out, Lawrence later revealed to British newspaper The Independent, that dreams of cake meant that she had momentarily forgotten her stylist’s prescient advice that she should kick the fabric away from her legs as she moved.

Crazy Rich Asians actress Gemma Chan chose an eye-catching Valentino gown for the 2019 Oscars. It was unique in many ways: it was large, it had a high collar, it was bright pink and it had pockets. Chan admitted later that she’d used the pockets to hide snacks she could eat during the long ceremony.

The fashion rules in 1956 were, of course, more conservative than they are now – but that didn’t stop Jayne Mansfield. That year, you see, the blonde bombshell posed in a daring dress in front of an Oscar statue with Cleo Moore. The look created one of the most fabulous Academy Award photographs of all time.

For the 2004 Academy Awards, Uma Thurman decided to wear a white lacy Christian Lacroix dress that billowed out everywhere. And according to the subsequent press, the gown didn’t flatter her in the slightest. The media actually dubbed the look “Swiss Miss,” and Thurman herself later expressed dissatisfaction with it. But no matter what else, the look certainly wasn’t boring.

Penélope Cruz dazzled audiences in 2007 when she showed up to the Academy Awards in a pink Atelier Versace dress with a feathered train. Everyone was impressed. In fact, in February 2019 – over a decade after the fact – The Daily Telegraph declared that the gown was “everything and more than you could ever want from an Oscars dress.”

Batman actress Kim Basinger tried something new and very unusual for the 1990 Oscars. In fact, she wore a white gown/tuxedo hybrid, complete with just one glove. The star even designed it herself! And while many contemporary fashion critics mocked the look, the outfit is still being talked about even today. So clearly Basinger had the last laugh.

Charlize Theron had three things to show off at the 2019 Academy Awards: brown hair, shoulder blades and a dress that complemented both. So Theron’s chosen gown was a light blue design from the Haute Couture Christian Dior collection. The stunning creation was wide open at the back and certainly got the job done.

When Kate Hudson attended the 2001 ceremony, her dress didn’t meet with much approval. In 2014, though, the actress told the Evening Standard, “I was 21 years old when I was nominated for an Oscar for Almost Famous and to have Stella McCartney dressing me for the ceremony I felt like the hippest, coolest girl in the world. I woke up the next morning and turned on the television to find out I was on every worst-dressed list. So I called Stella, and we just laughed our *sses off.”

Diane Keaton decided not to wear a dress for the 2004 Academy Awards and opted instead for a Ralph Lauren suit and bowler hat. Yet it wasn’t the first time that she’d done such a thing, as she’d worn a white suit in 1978 when the star won her Oscar for Annie Hall. And while some loved the look, some hated it. But either way, it was extremely memorable.

When Gwyneth Paltrow arrived for the 2002 Oscars, people noticed that her sheer Alexander McQueen dress was maybe a little too revealing. Paltrow thought so, too, and wrote on her website in 2013, “I still love the dress itself, but I should have worn a bra, and I should have just had simple beachy hair and less make-up.”

Costume designer Lizzy Gardiner wished to feature a dress made out of American Express cards for The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, but the company wouldn’t let her. They did, however, let her wear said dress to the 1995 Oscars – where it gained plenty of attention. In 1999, in fact, the gown was auctioned off, with the money going to an AIDS research foundation.

Model Shanina Shaik wore a stunning Maison Yeya dress to a 2019 Oscars afterparty. She might not be wearing it again, though, because she suffered not one but two wardrobe malfunctions while walking the red carpet. First, the front part came out and exposed too much. And then the slit on the leg revealed her underwear. Oops!

Cate Blanchett, nominated as Best Actress for Carol, rocked something both beautiful and unusual on the 2016 Oscars red carpet. Indeed, she wore a seafoam-green gown decorated with fabric flowers, a creation of Armani Privé. Vanity Fair declared at the time, “Scientists have proven it is impossible to look at this dress and not gasp and then remain speechless for at least ten seconds.”

Edy Williams was one of the most scandalous actresses of her era. During the 1974 Academy Awards, for instance, she pulled her fur coat off to reveal nothing but a leopard-skin bikini underneath. She would probably have shown the most skin of the whole ceremony if a streaker called Robert Opel hadn’t later run across the stage.

Over the years, Cher has made a habit of wearing weird, wacky outfits to the Oscars. For sheer daring, though, her 1974 ensemble takes the cake. After all, that’s the year she wore a colorful sarong-like skirt and a bikini-like top designed by Bob Mackie. It’s a style that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a sunny beach somewhere.

In 2008 Marion Cotillard channeled her inner mermaid and wore a beautiful Jean Paul Gaultier dress designed to look like fish scales. It turned out to be an extremely good night for Cotillard, too. Not only did her gown win acclaim, but the star also picked up the Best Actress Oscar for playing Édith Piaf in La Vie en Rose.

Whoopi Goldberg might just take home the award for the most colorful Oscars outfit of all time. Back in 1993, you see, Goldberg was hosting the ceremony and wore a purple satin coat that opened up to reveal a cascade of bright green. Apparently, the actress had simply bought the dress in a boutique.

People might have mistaken Angelina Jolie for Morticia Addams when she picked up her Oscar for Girl, Interrupted in 2000. After all, the star wore a gothy black Versace gown and even had black hair extensions put in. Yet it wasn’t the outfit that grabbed all the headlines – for that was the year Jolie kissed her brother on the Oscars red carpet.

Sharon Stone decided to wear something a bit different for the 1998 Oscars. In fact, she paired an attractive lavender Vera Wang skirt with an ordinary white Gap shirt that belonged to her spouse, Phil Bronstein. The media were totally shocked – but the look went down in Academy Awards history.

Cher and her fashion collaborator Bob Mackie created a sheer black dress for the 1988 Academy Awards – a very sheer black dress. In fact, when Cher went up on stage to accept her Best Actress award for Moonstruck, the outfit left nothing to the imagination. It was all completely outrageous – and made for an iconic Oscars moment.

Lupita Nyong’o wore a showstopper for the 2015 Oscars, in which she served as one of the presenters. The dress was a Calvin Klein creation featuring 6,000 white Akoya pearls, and it was worth at least $150,000. It actually caught the attention of criminals, too. A week after the ceremony, in fact, the outfit was stolen from Nyong’o’s hotel room. Fortunately, though, the gown was located in the end.

Pink seemed to be the color of choice at the 2019 Academy Awards. Yet Bridemaids actress Maya Rudolph put a slightly different spin on things and wore pink florals instead with her Giambattista Valli gown. Alas, Rudolph was slammed as one of the worst-dressed stars of the night by users of Twitter. The dress was, however, seriously on-trend.

Geena Davis was nominated for Thelma & Louise in 1992, but for the Oscars ceremony she wore a dress she probably wouldn’t even have been able to drive a car in. It was a short, ruffled affair created by Ruth Meyers and Bill Hargate. Davis topped off the look with some long satin gloves and black tights. It was, if nothing else, very ’90s.

Actress Michelle Williams attended the 2006 Academy Awards with her boyfriend Heath Ledger, with whom she’d had a baby daughter just three months previously. Her chosen yellow Vera Wang dress delivered – and then some – on the red carpet. In fact, the gown was so acclaimed by the fashion industry that it even has its own Wikipedia page.

Céline Dion stunned onlookers when she wore a Christian Dior tuxedo backward at the 1999 Academy Awards. Her song “The Prayer” from Quest for Camelot was nominated for an award, but it was the suit – specifically designed to be worn back-to-front – that drew attention. Dion also wore diamond-encrusted Ray-Bans in exchange for a charitable donation from the company.

Speaking of space, Amber Rose had very little wiggle room in the daring number that she wore to the 2014 VMAs. Those very strategically gathered and strung chains covered her just enough to spare her blushes – but still kept plenty of skin on display. We’d be holding our breath with every step...

Jennifer Lopez arrived at the 2012 Academy Awards wearing a sparkling, silk Zuhair Murad gown decorated with crystal beads. It was beautiful – but the neckline may have been a little too low. As she presented the Oscar for Best Costume Design, in fact, people thought they saw a wardrobe malfunction take place.

For the 2016 Oscars, Charlize Theron wore a bright red Dior Haute Couture dress. She hadn’t actually seen it until two weeks before the event took place, because she had been off filming in Germany. But it’s probably safe to say that she was happy with it. After all, the plunging neckline showed off a 48.8-carat Harry Winston necklace.

Not many men wear dresses on the red carpet, but Billy Porter is one who did. Yes, in 2019 he wore a spectacular Christian Siriano tux-gown to the Academy Awards. He told Vogue magazine that same year, “We wanted to play between the masculine and the feminine. This look was interesting because it’s not drag. I’m not a drag queen; I’m a man in a dress.”

Angelina Jolie wore a black Versace dress to the Oscars in 2012 and virtually created a whole movement. The sight of her leg sticking out of the elegant slit caused internet-fuelled chaos, in fact. And before too long someone had set up a Twitter account devoted exclusively to Jolie’s leg – and it quickly gained 28,000 followers.

The year 2014 was a very good one for Lupita Nyong’o. After being nominated for her performance in 12 Years a Slave, the actress took to the Oscars red carpet in a blue Grecian-style Prada dress that established her as a fashion icon. The gown was, she said, inspired by her hometown of Nairobi. Nyong’o also won the Best Supporting Actress award that night.

Singer Mariah Carey went to the 2017 Vanity Fair Oscars Party wearing a green chiffon dress created by Philipp Plein. Some people raised eyebrows about how much cleavage and leg it showed, but when Plein posted a picture of Carey in the dress on Instagram, everyone seemed to voice their approval.

Cate Blanchett’s dress for the 2011 Oscars won her lots of praise. It was a creation by Versace, and the actress utterly loved it. As she told InStyle that April, “It was so architectural, and the breast piece is made all out of elastic. The color combination, I couldn’t believe it when I saw it in real life.”

In 1991 supermodel Cindy Crawford stepped out on the Oscars carpet, with Richard Gere on her arm, in a plunging red Versace dress. It became mega-famous, boosting the profiles of both Crawford and Gere. And such was its influence that multiple copies were quickly produced. To this day, in fact, it regularly ranks highly in polls of the greatest dresses ever worn.

Famous musician Björk wore a curious creation for the 2001 Oscars ceremony: a gown that would become known as the “swan dress.” The dress was designed by Marjan Pejoski to look like a giant swan, and on her walk down the red carpet Björk dropped golden eggs. It was all very weird – but it’s still remembered as an interesting piece of fashion history.

Halle Berry’s dress for the 2002 Academy Awards became known as “the Elie Saab net dress,” so-called because of its mesh design. It was beautiful, form-fitting and a massive success. It’s even considered one of the best Oscar dresses ever made. Plus, Berry won Best Actress that night, becoming the first black woman to accomplish the feat.

After losing out on a Best Actress nomination for the 1986 Oscars, Cher decided to show up anyway and blow everybody away with a show-stopping outfit. She asked Bob Mackie to create a black showgirl-style outfit with a massive headpiece – and the resulting dress immediately found a place in the annals of fashion history.