Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift all grown up, Miley Cyrus battles with Gaga

Mile Cyrus made Lady Gaga look surprisingly tame as the pop star attend the MTV Video Music Awards.

Some of the biggest names in the music industry fight it out to be the most outrageously dressed on the MTV VMAs red carpet.

What was former Disney star Miley Cyrus thinking? Sporting two top-knots on her head and a bedazzled crop top and matching pants.

 Cyrus was a big draw on the carpet sporting a pair of high waist black leggings embellished with colourful beading and a cropped top showing off the star's toned stomach.

Gaga changed her costumes four times Sunday night during her performance as she returns to the stage since hip surgery as she performed her new single "Applause."

At the red carpet Gaga opting for a surprisingly non-eccentric PVC evening gown with ample cleavage show.

Katy Perry opted for a leopard print slinky dress complete with gold dragonfly embellishments and thigh-high slit; all was fine until she flashed her teeth.

The star bared her teeth in a jewelled grill while posing for photographers.

On the other hand Selena Gomez seems to be in a hurry to be more lady-like. 

Gomez opted for a more glamorous look in a dark blue floor length gown with a sheer cut out bustier detail. She let her shiny hair loose and the navy blue embellished floor length dress with cut out bustier grab the eyeballs.

Good friend Taylor Swift also opted for navy blue, looking stunning in her plunging gown, with her blonde hair curled in a vintage Hollywood style.

Swift - all grown-up channeling old glamour - looked very vintage Hollywood with curled blonde hair.

Timberlake took over the awards Sunday night, wrestling the spotlight away from a rehabilitated Lady Gaga, an X-rated Miley Cyrus and a vengeful Taylor Swift with a medley of hits and the rumored reunion with former boy band mates 'N Sync.

Timberlake — the night's top nominee with early leader Macklemore & Ryan Lewis — also was given the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award by Jimmy Fallon.

"I don't deserve the award, but I'm not going to give it back," Timberlake said. "I'm taking this home."

Timberlake, dressed in a black suit and black hat with a red feather, powered through a breathless series of solo hits before the other four members of 'N Sync — JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, and Lance Bass — joined him on stage, opening with "Bye Bye Bye."

A reunited 'N Sync including Justin Timberlake (C), JC Chasez (L), Lance Bass (2nd L), Joey Fatone (2nd R), and Chris Kirkpatrick (R) at the MTV Video Music Awards August 25, 2013 at the Barclays Center in New York. (AFP)

"Half of the moonmen I've ever won, I won with those four guys right there," Timberlake said pointing at his former band mates while holding the Vanguard trophy. "So above all else, I'm going to share this — we can keep it my house — but I'm going to share this award with them."

Up till then, the ladies of pop music dominated as Cyrus became the rare artist to upstage Lady Gaga. But Swift managed to take the spotlight from both after appearing to utter an expletive when One Direction and rumored former love interest Harry Styles appeared at Sunday night's award show — a moment that lit up Twitter and was memorialized immediately in a GIF online.

She also thanked a former beau for helping her win another moonman trophy for "I Knew You Were Trouble" in the best female video category. 

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