The VMAs Naked Dresses Everyone *Still* Talks About

I was already planning a retrospective on the most talked-about naked dresses in VMAs history—as I’ve done for the Met Gala and the Oscars—but now, the timing feels particularly poignant. Just last week, the fashion industry lost Bob Mackie, whose scandalous designs for Cher started the sheer trend that continues to this day. Naturally, I included one of their collaborations in this story: the see-through, sequined black frock Cher wore to the MTV Video Music Awards in 1987.

Since then, tons of celebrities have decided to show copious amounts of skin on the famously rebellious red carpet. Rose McGowan’s 1998 look, for instance, barely contained enough fabric to qualify as a dress. Taylor Swift—who will receive the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors this weekend—participated in a more subtle version of the trend back in 2022. Scroll down to revisit the best naked dresses in VMAs history as we await this year’s show on Sunday, September 27, 2026.