The Best Hairstyles at the 2014 MTV VMAs

Image via Complex Original

Name: Nicki Minaj

Hair color: Black

Style: Coiffed curls

Swag status: Classy and cool

We love Nicki’s new look. The Harajuku Barbie phase was alright, but this toned down, natural phase? What a striking improvement. Nicki takes the red carpet by storm, juxtaposing a python print with some thick, classy curls. Damn.

Name: Katy Perry

Hair color: Black

Style: Blunt bangs

Swag status: Hipster pixie

Katy channels a young Britney Spears with her all-denim ensemble. Her blunt bangs are a signature by this point, and they give Katy a ‘hipster meets girl-next-door’ vibe that is wholesome and titillating all at once.

Name: Jason Derulo

Hair color: Black

Style: Bald fade w/ designs

Swag status: Metro macho

Jason was all smiles on the red carpet, and why not? He’s sold 30 million singles, he’s only 24, and he’s dating Jordin Sparks (are you putting a ring on it or not?). His fade, which has designs shaved into the side, is fun, young, and appropriately individualistic.

Name: Alexandra Shipp

Hair color: Black

Style: Updo

Swag status: Prom queen

If you haven’t already, you’re going to hear about this girl real soon. Alexandra’s set to play Aaliyah in the upcoming biopic, and how appropriate; she has BabyGirl’s understated swag. Alexandra’s loose updo makes her the belle of the ball.

Name: Darren Criss

Hair color: Brown

Style: Messy curls

Swag status: Beach burned

As the veteran star on Glee, Darren is a triple threat. He can act, dance, and sing, and he has the looks to make teens swoon. His naturally curly hair is the sort of thing that a hundred hair stylists couldn’t pull off; Darren claims that he doesn’t even comb it. The guy’s got it all.

Name: Ashley Rickards

Hair color: Dark brunette

Style: Updo w/ asymmetric bangs

Swag status: Faux-casual

The breakout star of MTV’s Awkward, Ashley has made a career out of getting teen girls to identify with her. Her hairstyle was both elegant and casually youthful—pinned up hair with long, wind-swept bangs.

Name: RiFF RAFF

Hair color: Neon orange

Style: Patterned cornrows

Swag status: Dirty south

RiFF RAFF had a rough night. It started off well with an eye-popping debut on the red carpet. But then, the actual show knocked him down a few pegs. Ariana left him hanging. And Katy denied his thirsty advances. One thing is for sure, however; his cornrows and zig-zag beard come correct.

Name: Gwen Stefani

Hair color: Blonde

Style: Victory roll

Swag status: West Coast chic

Gwen’s got nothing to prove, but she keeps bowling us over. The singer sported a victory roll and perfectly done hair—it’s incredible that someone who rocks so hard can look so put together. Gwen Stefani is living proof that women can get hotter with age.

Name: Sam Smith

Hair color: Brown

Style: Pompadour w/ shaved sides

Swag Status: ’50s throwback

The Brits are incredible at reinventing American music. If you’re in the mood to cry, look no further than Sam’s “Stay With Me,” which is sad, desperate, and painfully true. Sam’s got style to go with his soulful voice, and he pays obvious tribute to Elvis with his high, gelled hair.

Name: Ariana Grande

Hair color: Brunette w/ highlights

Style: High ponytail

Swag status: Girl next door

Sexy, talented, and barely legal looking—that’s Ariana Grande in a nutshell. She’s riding an incredible wave of success, and her long-awaited album dropped late Sunday night. Ariana’s high ponytail is both iconic and practical. It keeps her long hair up and out of the way, so she can dance and bat those big eyes with no obstructions.

Name: Kesha

Hair color: Rainbow

Style: Center part w/ waves

Swag status: Mermaid allure

Kesha’s had a crazy year. She guested on one of the biggest party tracks of the past year, but she wasn’t around to enjoy it. Now out of rehab with a new outlook on life, Kesha rocks rainbow locks that draw attention wherever she goes. Kesha’s look is soft and natural; she’s a Woodstock flower child living in the modern age.

Name: Nina Dobrev

Hair color: Brunette w/ highlights

Style: High ponytail

Swag status: Sexy glamour

The star of The Vampire Diaries, Nina dresses dangerously in a striking red, orange, and black number. Her plunging neckline makes her alluring, and her high ponytail elongates her face and makes her regal. Tempt, but don’t touch—what a combination.

Name: Adam Levine

Hair color: Brown

Style: Undercut w/ 5 o’clock shadow

Swag status: Scruffy retro

Adam caused a stir earlier this year when he dyed his hair platinum blonde. Thankfully, he’s gone back to his natural color. Adam has a trendy undercut, but he’s grown out the sides and sports a little stubble. It makes him look rugged, and there are thousands of women who would love to fix him up.

Name: Kelly Rowland

Hair color: Black w/ highlights

Style: Updo w/ wraparound braid

Swag status: Earthy elegance

Motherhood suits Kelly well. She’s all-smiles and she’s got that pregnant glow about her. Cradling her baby bump, Kelly grabs everyone’s attention on the red carpet. Her wraparound braid is perfect—a casual, easy hairstyle that suggests contentment and natural beauty.

Name: Demi Lovato

Hair color: Brunette w/ highlights

Style: Side shave

Swag status: Edgy alternative

As a Disney star-turned-wild-child-turned-activist, Demi is idolized by teen girls everywhere. Her side shave is unconventional—a small slap in the face to traditional beauty norms. It takes confidence to rock a look like this, and Demi has the guts to pull it off.

Name: Iggy Azalea

Hair color: Blonde

Style: Slicked back

Swag status: Futuristic fab

Love her or hate her, Iggy’s on top of the world. The Australian sensation’s got hot curves that make men sweat. But then you look at her fashion. Her dress is cool and glittering. Her slicked back hair is sculpted. Controlled. Futuristic. It’s an alluring tension, and ‘fancy’ doesn’t even begin to cover it.