We love Lady Gaga. Like, Goddess worship, crazy fan-boy, girl crush love her. And part of that love comes from a fascination with and delight in almost everything she wears. We thought she had long passed the point of shocking the world with her fashion choices, but last night we were shocked, and no, not by the meat dress. Actually, raw meat was the least surprising thing she wore.

This Sunday evening, the Gaga did not steal the show at the MTV Video Music Awards. Any show she attends is always hers already, so at the VMAs she merely took her usual place in the brightest spotlight, capturing eight Moonmen, including the award for Video of the Year with “Bad Romance.” She also revealed the name of her upcoming new album, Born This Way, and belted a few lines from the title song. {New York Daily News}

In addition to all of that, Lady Gaga changed outfits three times. One of those outfits was an entire ensemble made of raw meat, reminiscent of the bikini she recently sported on the cover of Vogue Hommes Japan. {Styleite}

For those wondering what that was all about, Gaga explained her meat garments to Ellen DeGeneres in an interview taped last night for the season premier of her talk show, which airs today. {USA Today}

“It is certainly no disrespect to anyone that is vegan or vegetarian,” Gaga said. “As you know, I am the most judgment-free human being on the earth. However, it has many interpretations, but for me this evening, if we don’t stand up for what we believe in and if we don’t fight for our rights, pretty soon we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on our own bones. And I am not a piece of meat.”

A vegetable or fruit creation from Fulvio Bonavia would have balanced the nutritional content, but there’s always another awards show.

Okay, now forget the meat dress. Look at the other two outfits Gaga wore last night. Now take away both hats. Without the spike-y head pieces, these two dresses are almost …. tame. Normal. Gaga and normal. Same sentence. And there you have the shock factor.

Since everyone from Kristen McMenamy to Kelly Osbourne has been spotted showing off gray hair recently, the aged hair color Gaga chose for the occasion does not make these ensembles outlandish. Plus, we already saw her with grey hair on the cover of Vanity Fairâ€s September issue. So, in stark contrast to her shocking performance of Paparazzi at last yearâ€s VMAs, Gaga has gone regular this year.

And you know what else – weâ€re not mad at it. For quite some time now it has seemed the only way for Gaga to continue her habit of wowing the world would be to wear something totally un-noteworthy. The McQueen dress she wore down last nightâ€s red carpet (the same one she wore in the September issue of Vanity Fair) and the black dress she wore later in the night were the perfect choice – just quirky enough to maintain the Gaga essence, but sane enough to make us sit bolt upright in our seats.

Genius. Go Gaga.

Septemberâ€s cover girls

Though she is a French actress, Cotillard appeared on the cover of U.S. Vogue before her current Paris cover shot, which fashionologie suggests may be because Editor in Chief Carine Roitfeld was saving her for the top cover spot of the year in the September issue.

A deviation from the norm is a smart way to draw attention to the magazine for September, when all fashion magazines put out their biggest and best issues in the hopes of edging out the competition.

The last time Vogue Parisâ€s September issue featured an actress was in 2005 when Nicole Kidman received the coveted spot. Last yearâ€s Vogue Paris September cover went to Lara Stone. {fashionologie}

Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott photographed Cotillardâ€s stunning cover photo, in which she sports bleached eyebrows, dramatic plum-maroon lips and a vintage-y hair style. Love it!

First up, Lady Gagaâ€s Vanity Fair cover photo is part 60s rock ‘n roll mother earth (a la Janice Joplin) and part futuristic essence that is Gagaâ€s signature. The peace sign she wields along with her hooded-eye expression provide the classic rocker element, while the long grey hair covering her naked, pale body adorned with a diamond choker and pastel makeup add in the futuristic quality.

The Gaga story that starts on page 280 is far from the most comprehensive or intriguing portrait of the megastarâ€s life that has ever been written. What makes the feature noteworthy are the photos, shot by Nick Knight. The photograph of Gaga in a custom-made Armani Prive metal corset and transparent dress, worn with lace-adorned platform boots and her grey hair in disarray over her face, is particularly spectacular.

Gaga’s last magazine cover was overshadowed not by her own story or machine gun bra cover story, but by off the cuff comments made by General Stanley McChrystal. Those comments forced his resignation, so any controversy this time should safely belong to the Lady.

Also noteworthy for September is Jennifer Aniston on the cover of Harperâ€s Bazaar. Like the Gaga feature, the photos overshadow the story, though this time just a bit. Aniston channels her own personal idol, Barbra Streisand, in stunning photos in which she captures the singer/actress†personality and mannerisms beautifully.

Aniston channels Streisand in this issue

On what she thinks the reaction to the feature will be, Aniston told Harperâ€s Bazaar, “”I have no idea what people are going to think about it. Everybody has an opinion; it’s just what people love to have. But that’s okay. Art is so subjective, and people can react however they want.”

Streisand’s reaction? “I was very flattered that Jennifer Aniston chose to interpret my style with the photos in Harper’s Bazaar. She’s a delightful person, and I think she did a wonderful job. If only she had a bump on her nose.”

Read more of the cover story and see the photos at Harper’s Bazaar.

Although most are optimistic about the move, not everyone sees Lincoln Center as quite the right fit for such a massive showcase. Businesses surrounding the center are voicing concerns about what this means for the future. Fashion week alone has estimated revenues upwards of 1/4 of a million dollars annually, entertaining thousands of people.  Hotel owners note that during fashion week they do peak business, leaving little to no available vacancies. Will the influx of people be too chaotic for surrounding businesses?

Fashion week doesn’t last forever, and we think that this move could open up opportunities for other companies to profit. More exposure can lead to more business, which would be a win/win for everyone.