An Ode to Vanessa Hudgens' VMAs Dress

Why her pretty, dreamy gown is such a refreshing surprise.

Hairstyle, Black hair, Long hair, Model, Fashion model, Chest, Body jewelry, Brown hair, Makeover, Hair accessory,
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Sometimes, on a night when the expected red carpet attire is a gold overall breast-bearing loin-cloth or a sequined houndstooth crop top sweat set, the way you shock and awe is by doing something plain-old pretty. 

Enter Vanessa Hudgens, who opted, at tonight's MTV VMAs, to don the most g*ddamn stunning dress ever—no gimmicks, no physics-defying cutouts, just a whole lot of dreamy, flattering, Naeem Khan-designed dusty-rose pink.

Celebrity

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Gorgeous, no? Gotta love a girl who bucks the trend. And one who doubles down by topping the whole thing off with unabashedly girly crown-braid waves and delicate little jewelry. 

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Here, for your ogling pleasure, the look from every angle:

Dress, Textile, Flooring, Formal wear, One-piece garment, Carpet, Gown, Day dress, Long hair, Headpiece,

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Dress, Flooring, Red, Carpet, One-piece garment, Gown, Youth, Peach, Long hair, Premiere,

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Flooring, Dress, Carpet, Premiere, Public event, Gown, Red carpet, Audience, Fashion design, Haute couture,

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Face, Trousers, Event, Dress, Shirt, Coat, Outerwear, Flooring, Style, Suit,

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And here, with sister Stella, the gorgeousness doubles:

Dress, One-piece garment, Formal wear, Gown, Fashion, Youth, Day dress, Waist, Strapless dress, Long hair,

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Thanks for understanding us, Vanessa—that while we appreciate nipple pasties as much as the next gal, we'll always have a soft spot for a pretty pink dress.

Jessica Pels

As the editor of Cosmopolitan, Jess oversees the editorial for all of Cosmo's efforts across print, digital, video, and emerging platforms. Previously she served as the digital director of Marie Claire, where she tripled the readership, and she's held print and hybrid posts at Glamour and Teen Vogue. In 2013 she launched an interactive e-commerce platform for a fashion-tech startup, and in a former life she was a ballet dancer and NYU film student. She lives in Manhattan with her scruffy dog George.