Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, MTV staged its annual Video Music Awards (VMAs) last night. And overall, it was an odd affair: there was no audience, acceptance speeches were made in nearly empty rooms, and the show’s musical performances were pre-taped.
Still, the broadcast felt like a balm for the soul! It’s been too long since we last covered a celebrity event. And, honestly, we’ve missed sizing up the creative ensembles famous people—and their style teams—whip up for high-profile nights out.
The VMAs are typically the “craziest” awards show of the year in terms of fashion. And Lady Gaga, who wore a meat dress to the show in 2010, made it even more bananas (and more fun) by cycling through several costume changes during the evening, all of which included bespoke face masks that were completely bonkers.
Jewelry on the quietest red carpet in history (no screaming superfans! no E! News hosts!) was refreshingly gender-free. The trend of men wearing pearls—a look Harry Styles popularized last year that’s since been embraced by several musical men, including Usher, Shawn Mendes, and the Jonas Brothers—marches on.
Here are our five favorite jewelry looks from the event:
Jaden Smith, a style icon in the making, always wears jewelry well. Last night, he layered pearl necklaces, chic bracelets, and a glossy gold watch to achieve his signature thrift-meets-Balmain look (image via @vmas).
Machine Gun Kelly, who nabbed the award for Best Alternative Video for “Bloody Valentine,” also embraced the “mearl” trend by rocking a single strand of pearls over his sleeveless mock turtleneck, worn with matching slacks. Weirdly, those elements worked out well for him (image via @satellitemedia5150).
Lady Gaga did several costume changes, and all of them included a bananas face mask. Above, she is picking up one of her awards for “Rain on Me” wearing an intricate, incredible House of Emmanuele pearl necklace that we’re madly in love with—see it in detail, below (image via @houseofemmanuele).
Image via @houseofemmanuele
Nicole Richie came to the VMAs as her alter ego, Nikki Fre$h, clad in a Statue of Liberty–inspired look that included the stunning Liberty crown from House of Emmanuele and Cathy Waterman Blue-Green Tourmaline Rocket Ship earrings (image via @houseofemmanuele).
Top and above: Best New Artist winner Doja Cat came covered in diamond, ruby, fire opal, pink sapphire, and rubellite jewels by Lorraine Schwartz (image via @lorraineschwartz).
A close-up of the Lorraine Schwartz happy face bracelets and rings worn by Doja Cat (image via @ofirajewels)
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