LOS ANGELES -- This year's MTV Video Music Awards didn't include any outfits as crazy as Lady Gaga's 2010 meat outfit -- unless you count presenter Rebel Wilson's costume, which had a naked body drawn on it. But when it came to the red carpet for Thursday night's show, stars wore chic, elegant gowns and tuxedos. There was lots of black, but this crowd knew not to make it too basic.
"This is the MTV Video Music Awards," said Ne-Yo at the Los Angeles ceremony. "You don't have to stuff it up if you don't want to here. You know what I mean?"
"This is a Versace piece," said rapper 2 Chainz. "The pants are Versace wax gold pants, Versace. Love for Versace belt. Givenchy hat, with a Givenchy pendant. It's basically, it's my vintage meets, meets, meets, my vintage swag meets VMA."
Korean rapper Psy chose a black-and-green striped tuxedo jacket, black bowtie and black-and-white two-toned shoes.
"I want to dress classy because that's why I can dance cheesy," joked Psy.
Alicia Keys sported a new look with a short bob haircut and a one-shoulder metallic gown.
"Well, this is Alexander Vauthier who I love very, very much," said Keys. "Whenever I put on something of his, I feel really effortless and easy, but still elegant and beautiful. So I love his style. My hair. I am in love with my hair. I love it short. I have always wanted to do it. I have been wanting to do it for a couple of years and just now has felt like the right time. It is a new time for me, a new day for me, so everything is new, including no hair."
Pop star Miley Cyrus got a lot of attention for her new short hairdo. Why was everyone making such a fuss about it? "Because they are too scared to cut their hair off," replied Cyrus. "I am giving face, people. Giving face. That's all I want to do is to give this."
Cyrus wore a black gown with a plunging neckline and sheer sleeves from the house of Emilio Pucci.
"This is the only dress I tried on," she said. "I'm like, really like to get it done when I am in my fittings, because I don't like trying on a million things. I just saw this on the rack and it's Pucci, so obviously it is going to be amazing, and when I put it on, it felt really me and felt really good."
Pink rocked a one-of-a-kind metallic dress with long sleeves and a short, spikey silver mohawk hairdo.
"This is one-of-a-kind Stella McCartney," said Pink. "Thank you very much. And I got some spikes in here. I like weapons."
