Is This Ke$ha’s Most Shocking Look Yet?

Ke$ha isn't exactly known for her classy, understated red-carpet style. From hot-mess hair to studded everything, she tends to err on the side of throwing caution to the wind. But there comes a time in every woman's life when she realizes she no longer needs to wear outfits with multiple cutouts and several pounds of eye makeup in order to get noticed. For many of us, it happens somewhere around the 10th grade, but for Ke$ha, it happened this weekend at the 40th Anniversary American Music Awards.

Of course, we didn't expect her to go au naturale. What's great about this outfit is that she kept her signature edge while simultaneously elevating things to a new level that's chic and easy on the eyes. Her hair, while slightly more neon in color than what usually occurs in nature, is smooth and lovely — and the retro wave is perfectly balanced by her understated smoky eye and barely there lipstick. Her platforms are wild, yes, but tempered by the sweet lace of the dress (which is short and sexy but still appropriate and not too shocking).

Just so her fans could still recognize her, the one Ke$ha-ism she retained was her hardcore, full-ear jewelry, lining her entire lobe/cartilage. Without it, we even might've missed the "Ke - dollar sign - ha" we have come to appreciate.