Sabrina Carpenter channeled a classic Britney Spears costume during her VMAs 2025 performance, appearing onstage in a bedazzled fringe bra that recalled the pop star’s early-2000s stage looks. The 26-year-old performer also won three awards Sunday night: best pop artist, best album and best visual effects.
Styled by Jared Ellner, Carpenter’s performance outfit featured a halterneck, embellished bra with fringe that fell below her belly button, tiny black sequin hot pants layered over sparkly tights, shiny black Mary Jane pumps and bright purple eyeshadow. The set included manufactured rain, a staging choice that mirrored a famous Spears moment from the early 2000s.
Carpenter arrived on the red carpet in a red embellished Valentino gown and a light purple shawl, and she made several wardrobe changes during the broadcast. Onstage she also wore an off-the-shoulder rhinestone-covered top and later switched into a multicolor, bedazzled Bob Mackie piece from the designer’s spring 1986 collection.
The bedazzled bra evoked a look made famous by Britney Spears, who wore a diamond bra designed by Bob Mackie during her 2001 Dream Within a Dream Tour. Mackie — a designer whose stagewear dates back decades — originally created similar bejeweled pieces for the 1981 Las Vegas production "Jubilee!" In April, a set that included Spears’ diamond bra, matching armband and underwear sold at Julien’s Auctions for $78,000.
Carpenter’s VMAs evening combined visible nods to Spears-era stagecraft with contemporary pop staging and costume changes. Her wins for best pop artist, best album and best visual effects were announced during the ceremony, where she performed multiple times and was a focal point of the broadcast.
The comparisons between Carpenter’s costumes and earlier stage looks reflect the continued visibility of early-2000s pop aesthetics on award-show stages. Carpenter’s stylist and choice of vintage Mackie echoed that lineage while the VMAs broadcast highlighted both the performance and the night’s awards tally.