At last year's MTV Video Music Awards, Lady Gaga’s infamous meat dress left many eager and, well, nervous to see what this year’s award show would bring.  

Selena Gomez at the VMA's (courtesy of MTV.com)

The 2011 MTV VMAs held on Sunday at the Nokia Theatre LA Live in Los Angeles had its fair share of quirky costumes, ranging from Katy Perry’s cube-shaped yellow hat to Niki Minaj’s ice-cream cone necklace.  While such outfits were eye catching, the women who truly stole the show were dressed in something much more familiar, a staple item in nearly every woman’s closet; a little black dress.

Selena Gomez looked stunning in a Julien Macdonald black dress, paired with Brian Atwood heels and a Judith Leiber clutch.  The lacy, high-necked design looked elegant and sophisticated, making the 19-year-old entertainer look well beyond her years.

Zoe Saldana also chose to wear a little black dress with a plunging neckline, accessorizing with a Lanvin clutch and Ofira jewelry, a similarly classic look.  Britney Spears, another VMA fashion favorite, also kept it simple, wearing a Moschino black dress paired with boots by Gina.  All three looks were elegant, yet fun, the perfect VMA style.

Others opted for longer dress styles such as newly wed Kim Kardashian in a plunging v-neck silver Kaufman Franco gown, a mix between glitzy and Grecian.  Miley Cyrus wore a long dress designed by Roberto Cavalli. The dress was long-sleeved, with a patterned design, and an open back. The dress that stole the show, however, was Beyonce’s bright orange Lanvin gown, a flowy pick just tight enough to reveal her baby bump, which was big news on the VMA red carpet.

While Niki Minaj’s pink and yellow hair, printed face mask and cone-shaped bra may have looked like the remnants of a daycare-toy-closet walking down the red carpet, other stars have clearly proven that classy red carpet looks do still exist.  As for Lady Gaga, after choosing to dress like a man, her transgender look definitely turned heads, though nothing grabs red carpet attention quite like a dress made of meat.

Reach writer Paige Garrett here.