I love awards shows. I love the Oscars, the Emmys, the Tony Awards, even the Country Music Awards; however, don’t get it twisted. I don’t care who wins what, who got nominated for what— that’s child’s play.

I watch these events only for the carpeted events that precede the awards shows. These carpets are meant for me and me only— that’s right, just Anna Jordan— to build my opinion on celebrities for the following 30 days after the event.

If someone has an earth-shattering, gob-smacking look on a carpet, it doesn’t matter if I know why they’re famous or even like them. I will invariably defend their sense of style until their next carpet appearance. I know how much my approval means to these celebrities considering I’m currently laying in bed in a matching brown workout set from Target that’s never once been used for workouts.

There’s only one problem. I am by no means a fashionista within my everyday life. In order to compensate, I’ve enlisted the help of some of the most fashionable Royals I know to provide their favorite looks from the VMAs (but don’t worry, I’ll still give my opinion!). Despite the fact that we wear virtually the same thing every day, Rosary has its fashionistas just like every other school!

– Taylor Swift in Oscar de la Renta
This look is Emma Silva‘s ’23 favorite look of the night, and as Emma is someone that always likes to say that “yesterday’s mascara is today’s eyeliner,” I trust her judgement completely. After all, I’m personally a massive fan of this look, but let’s see what Emma had to say about Taylor’s bejeweled Oscar de la Renta masterpiece: “Taylor’s look was absolutely show-stopping. I liked how her look was super sophisticated; it reflected the fact that this is a three-time album winner, she’s 32 years old, and she’s a mature. It was gorgeous. To dumb it down… she slayed.”

– Lizzo in Jean Paul Couture and Jennifer Fisher jewelry
You’d think that because one of the most fashionable Royals is my twin, I’d have any inkling of fashion instinct; however, Charlotte Jordan ’23 received all the fashion genes and is therefore qualified to explain why Lizzo’s fabulous Jean Paul Couture gown with an ensemble of Jennifer Fisher jewelry ended up being her favorite look of the night: “First of all, I love the color: I think it’s really flattering, and inky blue is not a typical carpet color. Second of all, I think it was a super powerful ‘acknowledge my presence’ look at an event where people tend to go casual. Finally, I just think the outfit was curated well. The gown and her gloves were so elegant, and the entire look was so commanding and regal.”

– Lil Nas X in Harris Reed
Lil Nas X never fails to make a memorable appearance on every carpet he graces, and the always fashion-savvy Trista Verne ’23 seems to agree: “I’ve been obsessed with Harris Reed for a while so as soon as I saw Lil Nas X wearing that, I knew I’d be obsessed with his whole look.” I personally believe that Lil Nas X harbors the right amount of mystique about him to support his audacious looks; after all, the look can’t wear you!

– Ashley Graham in Katharine Polk
I couldn’t help it! I had to include a few of favorites that my fellow Royals didn’t mention, and I thought Ashley Graham killed it with fun cut-outs and an homage to her stretch marks. Her dress matched the playful vibe of the night while making an impact by including a celebration of curvy bodies into its silhouette (not to mention the natural hair and smoky makeup look great). Nothing beats a little black dress on a carpet!

– Becky G in Zuhair Murad Couture
This gorgeous bedazzled look deserved more love! Her semi-natural makeup with a nice red lip keep her image-heavy dress from being too much to look at. As a person that’s always wanted to wear a stained-glass window (in a good way), this dress is a dream come true and the cutouts along the side are endlessly flattering.

Do you agree with the assessments of some of Rosary’s fashion-forward students (and me)? There were several great looks from this year’s 2022 VMAs, but there were a few that fell short. What was your favorite look of the night? What was your least favorite?