Sabrina Carpenter Held Her VMAs Reveal Until the Carpet Was Rolled Up

At the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, Sabrina Carpenter kept her new look off the red carpet and wore it only once the arrivals were done. It was a soft, sentimental dress, covered in beadwork and hung with tassels. A dress like that is made to move, and each tassel swings with every step and turn. For a desk that tracks exactly who wore what and exactly when, the timing is part of the look. Holding a dress back until after the cameras on the carpet had had their turn was a deliberate styling choice.

With reporting from Elle.