Miley Cyrus shakes in barely there silver straps at VMAs
By LEANNE ITALIE, Associated Press
Aug 30, 2015 9:24 PM CDT
Rita Ora arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)   (Associated Press)

Miley Cyrus shook a long, rock goddess ponytail and strutted in barely there silver straps Sunday on the arrivals carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards, later delivering on a promise for multiple costume changes as host.

Nipples barely covered, Cyrus wore tight, over-the-thigh silver boots and shorty loops of baubles open at the sides and offering a hint of her bare behind.

Multiple nominee Taylor Swift showed up with a lady posse that included Selena Gomez and Cara Delevingne. She wore a sparkly, midriff-baring trouser set with an oversize houndstooth design in bronze and silver, later performing with Nicki Minaj in a short, showgirl red look.

As "fun" as Swift and Cyrus were at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Amber Rose was more "political" feminist with a posse of her own. All were adorned in stereotypical negative slurs on women that included "gold digger," ''whore," ''stripper" and stronger, unprintable words, including a derogatory terms used to bash gay men.

It fashion designer Jeremy Scott, who redesigned the Moonman statuette for the awards, wore tuxedo tails that matched the arrival carpet's stripes of red, yellow, green and pink. Gigi Hadid, a fellow "it" person who's had quite a year as a model, was in a yellow dress that opened at the front for a peak at matching shorty shorts.

Miguel chatted with Kelly Osbourne in a fawn-colored jacket while Usher and Nick Jonas wore black. Pharrell and his wife, Helen Lasichanh, went for denim, he scaling back on his usual high hat with a much lower topper.

The VMAs are known for outrageous fashion of both the couture and casual variety. FKA Twigs was in an elegant but still racy black, spiderweb dress and Minaj went for a sexy bronze illusion gown that made her look like a statuette herself.

Pregnant Kim Kardashian, fond of showing off her baby bump, walked with hubby Kanye West in a tight tan gown with open laces at the front. West was in bunched up and baggy gray sweats. His shirt had overlong sleeves that didn't stop him from cradling her belly.

Britney Spears smiled for the cameras in a short sparkly dress and high Barbie ponytail colored purple at the ends.

Justin Bieber, his hair looking shaggy over one eye, had a good time on the carpet, mugging for cameras in ripped jeans.

"I like your swoop," Cyrus complimented Bieber on his hair as she kicked off the show in a fresh look, a flower shrug worn with a wide-legged, multicolored sparkle jumpsuit cut low at the front.

Cyrus didn't disappoint, perpetuating her cultivated push-the-envelope image in an array of looks as the night progressed.

She went for more suspender-like straps in pink, again covering nipples only, and threw off a shaggy metallic coat to reveal a silver leotard after appearing in a tiny top adorned with large eyes paired with a bottom showing off billowy red lips.

At another point Cyrus wore a clear mini dress with strategically placed color circle embellishments, and a one-piece with cutouts so huge at the sides there was virtually nothing left to cover her down low.

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