Wow, running around the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards red carpet was an adrenaline-packed affair. The frisson in the late-summer Brooklyn air was unmistakable as fans lined the block to scream adoringly at their favorite award-show attendees and performers. The fashion was diverse and as on-point as ever with trends running from zany to glamorous.
Our favorite looks of the night tended to rove across all silhouettes and trends but one of the most memorable of the evening had to be Rita Ora’s robin’s egg blue Alexandre Vauthier. The bodice was classic Rita — a plunging V, strong shoulder and encrusted with gems but the train stole the show. It was stunning, featured thousands of marabou feathers and was so long and luxurious that it had to be carried by her stylist. A pristine, angular, blonde “lob” (long bob) complemented the ensemble.
Katy Perry’s Ungaro dress similarly mixed more than one motif and texture. It featured a leopard print, skin-tight, long-sleeved, knee-length base textile but also featured enormous golden butterflies jutting out from various points on her shoulders. A clean, pulled back, high ponytail completed the look with a Céline sandal and Anita Ko jewelry.
If you want to talk about intricate embellishment, you’d be remiss not to mention Iggy Azalea’s golden Pucci dress. While she changed from the iridescent gown to the black, feathered frock for the main show, we loved seeing the Pucci in person. As you well know, the alabaster-skinned, platinum-haired Australian native has a ridiculously bodacious body, and it was as if she was sewn into the metallic beaded mesh. It’s a miracle there wasn’t a wardrobe mishap, considering she had to do away with underwear in order to avoid all those unsavory visible lines and bumps.
Another example of skintight done well, is of course, Miley Cyrus. She rocked her thoroughly ’90s devotion to baby björk raver buns, along with her leggings and long-sleeved belly top courtesy of the Dolce & Gabbana vintage vault. The all-black spandex outfit never once threatened to be boring since it was spangled in multicolored, quarter-sized jewels. The perfect accoutrement to all of this was, of course, her stuck-out tongue.
We can’t very well talk about sparkly panache without discussing the helmets and gloves of two of the universe’s most talented robots, Daft Punk. Nothing tops off a tailored black suit and crisp white shirt quite like a shot of heavy metal. And while we’re on the subject of menswear, A$AP Rocky’s, tie-free, black, all Dior ensemble was breathtaking. It helps that Pretty Ricky had model Chanel Iman on his arm.
And speaking of looking good together, we love how the boys of One Direction know how to adhere to a theme without devolving into costumey, overly boy-band territory wearing black jeans and varying shirts and jackets from tees to varsity jackets and blazers. Similarly, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis know how to look handsome in stereo, both wearing matching pale grey (with a chinchilla collar for Macklemore) from the designer Logan Neitzel.
It’s a rare and glorious moment when you can introduce a dose of humor into the fashion equation and one of the more hilarious and delightful scenes of the evening had to be when 2 Chainz showed up in a printed Versace denim jean and jacket only to face our Red Carpet host Grimes in the same, damn, pants. #2PANTZ.
With that in mind, it bears mentioning that the medusa face was everywhere tonight. Showing up on Austin Mahone’s belt buckle and by our count there were three separate Medusa-head Versace necklaces — on Grimes, 2 Chainz and our own House of Style host Joan Smalls, who injected a refreshing, bright-white palate cleanser in a leather, drop-waist Viktor & Rolf dress. And lest we forget (how could we) Versace looked incredible on Selena Gomez who was wearing a long Atelier Versace dress with a highly structured peek-a-boo bodice bustier showing through the cut-out.
And on a final note, our favorite family-fashion moment had to go to the ever-stylish Smith siblings Willow and Jaden. I don’t know what it is exactly (a rare combination of nature and nurture?) but these two consistently show up STUNTIN’ like their daddy (and mommy, let’s be fair). We loved the oversized, drop-crotch overalls on Willow with a blunt bang and Jaden’s murdered-out ‘fit with Lennons made me so happy.
All told, an exemplary sartorial showing. As Gaga — who showed up in black custom Prabal Gurung — would say, Applause! (plause!).
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