Taylor Swift may have skipped this year’s show, but there were still plenty of #squadgoals at the 2016 MTV VMAs at NYC’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday, August 28.
From Beyoncé’s Lemonade costars to the Final Five gymnasts, here are the four girl squads that took over the VMAs.
Beyoncé and Her Lemonade Ladies
Since Lemonade was nominated for 11 awards, Beyoncé brought some of her collaborators from her visual album. Model Winnie Harlow, actress Quvenzhané Wallis, up-and-coming singers Chloe and Halle Bailey and Ingrid joined her, as did the Mothers of the Movement. The mothers, whose sons Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin and Oscar Grant were all victims of high-profile police-related shootings, walked the red carpet with the pop superstar. And of course, her 4-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy, was part of the squad — even wearing an $11,000 Mischka Aoki dress.
Final Five Gymnasts
The gold medalists ditched the leotards and got glammed up for the event. While the Final Five were down to four for the night (Gabby Douglas was having health issues and couldn’t make it), Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Laurie Hernandez and Madison Kocian were the belles of the ball. The foursome presented Best Female Video to Beyoncé, and they could barely contain their excitement as they hugged Queen Bey. They also scored selfies with pretty much every A-lister, from Chrissy Teigen to Kanye West to Ariana Grande.
Fifth Harmony
A+ for the coordinating outfits. Fifth Harmony slayed in all-black cutout dresses and accepted two awards: for Song of Summer and for Best Collaboration. The girl group later continued the celebration at the Epic Records afterparty at NYC’s Marquee nightclub.
Pasquale’s Gals
Quite the pizza party. Post-VMAs, Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Cassie and Lauren Branche went to Italian restaurant Pasquale Jones and caught up, while their respective men, Kanye West, Jay Z, Swizz Beatz, Puff Daddy and hip-hop mogul Steve Stoute, shared some laughs.
