Lisa Rinna knows how to make an entrance — and at 63, she clearly has no intention of playing it safe.
When the actress and former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star arrived at the 2026 MTV VMAs, she looked almost unrecognizable.
Her usual dark hair was gone, replaced by a short, spiky platinum-blonde style, while her white gown featured a sculpted bodice, a dramatic draped skirt and deliberately provocative details.
It was the kind of red-carpet look that was bound to get people talking.
And it did.
Some viewers praised Lisa Rinna for going all-in on the bold fashion statement, while others were far less impressed. But there was actually a very specific reason behind the dramatic transformation — and it had nothing to do with simply wanting to shock.
Rinna was there for Madonna.
A very different Lisa Rinna
Rinna arrived at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on September 27 for the VMAs, where Madonna was set to open the show with her first VMA performance in more than two decades.
And Rinna had clearly decided to embrace the occasion.
Accoding to InStyle, she wore a custom white Seks gown with a corseted bodice and sculptural breastplate featuring faux nipples, along with a flowing, draped skirt and a high slit. Her platinum-blonde, spiky hairstyle added another unmistakable Madonna-inspired element to the look.
Rinna later explained exactly what she was going for.
“I’m here for one reason and one reason only: Madonna. I love to create, I love to do this fashion thing. And this is what came out of Madonna VMAs Sunday. Here we are,” she told People.
The transformation was a clear nod to Madonna’s iconic image, particularly the provocative fashion and blonde looks associated with the pop star’s earlier career.
But once Rinna stepped onto the red carpet, the conversation quickly became about much more than the inspiration behind the outfit.
Then the internet had its say
The photos didn’t take long to spread online, and reactions were all over the place.
Some people were completely on board with Rinna’s dramatic appearance. One X user summed up their reaction simply:
“💓 LISA RINNA. THAT’S IT. THAT’S THE TWEET. #VMAS”
Another compared her look to a video-game character, writing:
“Lisa Rinna showing up to the VMAs looking like a fully customized, premium level 100 boss skin while the rest of the guest list is running around in default gear is wild. 💀”
There were also plenty of jokes about the unusual combination of the dress, blonde hair and overall styling.
One commenter wrote:
“Lisa Rinna arrived at the VMAS looking like if a Real Housewife wax figure and a 1987 Whitesnake video all got trapped in the same dressing room. #VMAS”
But not everyone was laughing.
One critic admitted that Rinna appeared to be in incredible shape while making it clear they disliked almost everything else about the outfit:
“I hate everything about this. the bleach blonde hair, Greek goddess energy, too high waist thing, the shoes are so wrong… you almost miss the fake nipples. I’ll give her one thing… girl’s in amazing shape. look at them thighs. 🤘 VMA awards worst dressed list.”
Over on X, one commenter wasn’t impressed, writing, “Her dress is not classy; it’s inappropriate.” Another called the look “very disrespectful.”
Others took issue specifically with the construction of the gown. Comments on Instagram questioned the fabric and the way the bodice looked in photographs, with one person writing:
“no no no and it’s wrinkled….”
Another asked:
“So many questions… but why is her dress so wrinkled?”
And one viewer made sure to distinguish between Rinna herself and the outfit:
“There’s something wrong with the way the top bit is moulded and how it moves – not her – the dress.”
She has never been afraid to experiment
Of course, Rinna has never exactly been known for blending into the background.
Whether people loved or hated the look, there was little doubt that Rinna had committed completely to the idea.
The platinum hair, sculpted white gown and exaggerated details created a dramatically different image from the one longtime fans are used to seeing.
And that willingness to experiment fits with the way Rinna has talked about getting older.
She recently celebrated her 63rd birthday and has repeatedly pushed back against the idea that women should become less daring as they age.
Speaking to InStyle, Rinna reflected on reaching her 60s and said:
“Number one, you got there. You’ve survived long enough in life…and you’re like, Oh, I did it. I made it.”
She continued:
“And it just feels like you can almost do anything at this point.”
Rinna has also criticized the cultural expectations surrounding women and aging, arguing that women in their 60s and 70s can still be “viable and still sexual and still beautiful.”
Her VMAs appearance certainly seemed to put that attitude into practice.
For Rinna, however, the night wasn’t really about creating controversy.
It was about celebrating someone she clearly admires.
Madonna returned to the VMAs for the first time since 2003 and opened the 2026 ceremony. She was also one of the night’s biggest winners, taking home several awards.
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