Leave it to the MTV Video Music Awards to remind us that it’s music videos that link the concert stage with the runway. The rise of MTV and its round-the-clock videos gave way to musicians directing sartorial choices from high- to low-end, as Jonathan Wells, curator of “Spectacle: The Music Video” tells The Post. “Music videos are designed for repeat viewing,” he says, which makes it easier for them to spark a trend than a walk down the red carpet. Michelle Handelman, filmmaker and professor at Fashion Institute of Technology, and Stephen Pitalo, music-media historian, help The Post weigh in on the most stylish music videos featured on the awards show since the first VMAs in 1984.
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Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’ (1984)
It’s easy to see why Madonna has the most VMA wins: This video, with its jazzercise leggings, baggy tees, layers of tulle and feathered hair, is simultaneously ’80s and timeless. As Pitalo says, her Madgesty’s style made clear that “fashion, sex and dance [were her] tools of empowerment and world domination.” -
David Bowie’s ‘China Girl’ (1983)
Even back then, Bowie was ahead of his time. With that drag-inspired, lipstick-smearing kiss, the Starman not only tries to subvert racist assumptions but blur the gender divide. It still stands up today as a protest against impossible beauty standards. -
Robert Palmer’s ‘Addicted to Love’ (1986)
Palmer had a crisp style, but his dancers stole the show. Wearing formfitting colorblock dresses, with powdered faces and superhigh-gloss lips, their look became a staple of music videos for decades — and the inspiration, 30 years later, for Saint Laurent’s fall 2016 collection. -
George Michael’s ‘Freedom! ’90’ (1990)
Before #FreeTheNipple, there was “Freedom! ’90,” where the supermodels of the day — Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington and Tatjana Patitz — found freedom from their clothing. After spotting the fivesome on the cover of British Vogue, Michael and video legend David Fincher produced the stripped-down reel to remind us that clothes don’t always make the man. -
Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ (1991)
“Grimy jeans, holey sweaters, Chuck Taylors — grunge [has] always been a part of the music scene,” Handelman says, “but it wasn’t until Nirvana that it entered into the lexicon of cool.” Even so, Marc Jacobs was axed for trying to bring a little grunge to Perry Ellis — all from a song named after deodorant. -
Tupac’s ‘California Love’ (1995)
Spiked leather armor to your friend’s post-apocalyptic bonfire? Make like Tupac, and let a do-rag soak up the sweat. Beyond the futuristic “Mad Max” imagery and signaling of a new wave of hip-hop, the styles seen in this video became iconic: Not only was this the hometown antihero’s first video after prison, it was one of the last videos fans had to remember him by after his death. -
No Doubt’s ‘Hey Baby’ (2001)
Bikini tops over mesh crops? If you say so, Gwen. Always a style pioneer, Stefani earned more than enough fashion cred as the larger-than-life frontwoman of No Doubt. It’s easy to see why the video earned the group two Moonmen in 2002: It stayed true to the song’s story of sex-crazed groupies while highlighting early 2000s trends, like houndstooth patterns and puffy newsboy caps. -
Missy Elliott’s ‘Work It’ (2002)
Rocking her signature tracksuit, Missy confuses the gender divide with a distinct Misdemeanor flavor. Masculine athletic gear, a fur coat and body gestures are paired with personalized oversize hoop earrings and calls for male objectification and female empowerment. As Missy shows, being ahead of the game is always in style. -
Lady Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ (2009)
The song debuted at Alexander McQueen’s runway show in fall 2009, replete with his lobster-claw “Armadillo” shoes. With its tough-girl razor-blade glasses and vision-blocking latex bodysuits, the video’s off-the-wall style-as-survival tactic is embedded in the song’s DNA. And who could forget the meat dress Gaga wore to accept her award for best video of the year in 2010? -
Rihanna’s ‘S&M’ (2011)
The original Badgal showed us who’s on top long before receiving this year’s Video Vanguard award. Studded bras, pink harnesses, leather corsets, multicolored fur stoles and a ball-gagged Perez Hilton being walked on a leash are outdone only by RiRi, as she dazzles in a variety of high-shine latex. “For a clip that doesn’t leave much to the imagination, it’s very imaginative,” says Pitalo. -
Taylor Swift’s ‘Bad Blood’ (2015)
We’ve only just retired the word “squad” after using it so much to describe T-Swift and her girls in this blowout music video. The celeb-studded cast includes reliable BFFs like Gigi and Selena, with cameos by Lena Dunham and Cindy Crawford, all decked out in crime-fighting latex, leather and Lucite fighting gear. Stepping away from Taylor’s typical girly frocks, this time she’s making all the good girls bad for a weekend. -
Beyoncé’s ‘Formation’ (2016)
Gucci everywhere! Beyoncé simultaneously manages to make a political statement, pay homage to her interwoven heritages, and display a stunning range of fashion, both new and old — all with a brand of personal style so impeccable, there’s only one word for it: Queen.