Miley Cyrus arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards in style. Photo / AP
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, promising multiple costume changes as host.
PHOTOS: Best and worst dressed at VMAs
Nipples barely covered, Cyrus wore tight, over-the-thigh silver boots and shorty loops of baubles open at the sides and a hint of her bare behind.
The outfit divided social media with some loving it, and others tearing it to shreds.
"Why @MileyCyrus gotta dress so ugly? Like, she has money! Get yourself something nice #VMAs," Valeria wrote on Twitter.
"FAR OUT BRUSSEL SPROUT cant get enough of ur crystal ball-curtain-nipple-strap-get up??@MTVAUSTRALIA #VMAs," Kate Peck wrote.
But Cyrus may have run out of shock factor in 2015.
"Wouldn't call it causing a stir if call it normal now. No one should be shocked at this its Miley," @JackieWarner13 wrote.
Despite her controversial persona, Miley Cyrus' opening speech turned out to be surprisingly tame.
Most of her opening segment was taken up by a comedy sketch about the process behind Cyrus' Instagram photography.
"I actually took the year off from music to focus on my true love - Instagram," she jibed, having earlier posted a naked snap on the popular social media site.
She went on to take a recreation of Ellen DeGeneres' Oscar selfie with a group of Bollywood dancers, inciting the crowd to shout "Marijuana".
However, the edgiest moment of her opening speech was when she mouthed "bitch" as Britney Spears took a jab at her about being a better friend to pop queen Taylor Swift.
Multiple nominee Taylor Swift showed up on the arrivals carpet 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.
Multiple nominee Taylor Swift showed up on the arrivals carpet 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.
As "fun" as Swift and Cyrus were at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, Amber Rose was more "political" with a posse of her own. All were adorned in slogans that included "gold digger," "whore," "stripper" and stronger, unprintable slurs for women and gay men.
It fashion designer Jeremy Scott, who redesigned the Moonman statuette for the awards night, walked in 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 went for jeans and a jeans jacket, scaling back on the hat to a much lower topper.
The VMAs are known for outrageous fashion of both the couture and casual variety. FKA Twigs was in a black, spiderweb look and Nicki 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 over-long sleeves that didn't stop him from cradling her belly.
Justin Bieber, his hair looking shaggy over one eye, had a good time on the carpet, mugging for cameras in ripped jeans.
Britney Spears smiled for the cameras in a short sparkly dress and high Barbie ponytail colored purple at the ends before she rushed off just moments before the awards show began.
Cyrus's barely there outfit suggests this be the most controversial MTV Video Music Awards ever.
Two years ago she stole the show with a risque, but memorable performance with Robin Thicke, and a year after winning the top prize for Wrecking Ball.
Earlier today she kicked off her hosting gig by posting a naked, but carefully censored, photo of herself on Instagram, captioning the image, "When yiew da host so you gotta get to the vmas early AF!!!!!"
Cyrus has been a vocal supporter of the "Free the Nipple" campaign, which seeks to remove the stigma around exposing female nipples in public and on social media.
She is currently believed to be in a relationship with Kiwi Victoria's Secret model Stella Maxwell and has founded a non-profit organisation for homeless LGBTQ youth.
She will be in good company at the VMAs: Justin Bieber will perform his new single, What Do You Mean, and Taylor Swift, the leader with 10 nominations, will attend the show. Nicki Minaj will open the show at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles - just like she did last year.
Kanye West will receive the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award for his illustrious video career, and Pharrell, the Weeknd, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Demi Lovato will hit the stage during the two-hour show, which kicks off at 1 PM NZ time.
Presenters include Britney Spears, Rebel Wilson, Kylie Jenner, John Legend, Ice Cube and his son, O'Shea Jackson, Jr., one of the stars of Straight Outta Compton. Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Nick Jonas and Fifth Harmony will attend the show.
Kiwi songstress Lorde is also rumoured to be attending the VMAs - mum Sonja Yelich has been posting pictures from Los Angeles on Instagram in the last few days.
Swift will debut her music video for her next single, Wildest Dreams, during the VMA pre-show. Her hit songs Bad Blood and Blank Space earned her a whopping 10 nominations, including video of the year, best female video, pop video, song of summer and more.
Bad Blood will compete with Beyonce's 7/11, Kendrick Lamar's Alright, Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud and Ronson's Uptown Funk for video of the year.
Minaj, who had one of the most viewed videos of the year with Anaconda, is not up for the top prize, and she expressed her anger with the snub when the nominees were announced in July. She tweeted that slim women easily earn top nominations and later said black female entertainers don't get enough credit for their influence on pop culture.
Swift thought the rapper was referring to her and they traded words online. Swift later apologised.
That means so much Taylor, thank you. @taylorswift13 ❤️❤️❤️
— Mrs. Petty (@NICKIMINAJ) July 23, 2015
Minaj is nominated for three awards, including best female video and hip-hop video for Anaconda. Beyonce, Sia and Ellie Goulding will battle Minaj and Swift for best female video.
Best male video nominees include the Weeknd, Lamar, Sheeran, Ronson and Jonas.
A$AP Rocky, Tori Kelly and Twenty One Pilots will also perform during the live show.
- AP, nzherald.co.nz
Dolly Parton will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for her charity work.