Whether she's wearing a meat dress[1] , a bubble dress[2] or a Kermit the Frog dress[3] , Lady Gaga's outfits never fail to garner attention. Now we know why.


"It's how I deal with my insanity," Gaga said Monday during an appearance on "The Graham Norton Show," referring to the motley assortment of outfits she selects for events big and small. "From when I was young I had voices in my head, and for the longest time I was drinking and doing a lot of drugs and it was the clothing and the artistry that saved me."


Gaga's become synonymous with that "artistry," which she called a "psychedelic experience."


"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 bones," Gaga told Ellen DeGeneres in 2010[4] when asked to explain the infamous meat dress she wore to that year's MTV Video Music Awards.


At times, it seems she's taken a step back in conjunction with "ARTPOP"[5] -- if she's wearing anything at all. Her recent performance at the YouTube Music Awards, for example, saw Gaga performing her new song "Dope" while wearing a flannel shirt and trucker hat. Still, she hasn't completely abandoned her flair for the outlandish, as evidenced by the moss outfit she wore on the artwork for "Do What U Want."[6] She's also a big fan of her seashell bra, which she wore during her performance at the iTunes Festival[7] and again on "Graham Norton."


"I get sheer joy out of creativity," Gaga said on "Norton."




Loading Slideshow...



  • MTV Europe Music Awards 2011 - Show


    BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - NOVEMBER 06: Singer Lady Gaga performs onstage during the MTV Europe Music Awards 2011 live show at the Odyssey Arena on November 6, 2011 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)




  • New Year's Eve 2012 In Times Square


    NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Singer Lady Gaga and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg share a dance as they celebrate the beginning of the new year at New Year's Eve 2012 in Times Square on January 1, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)




  • New Year's Eve 2012 In Times Square


    NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Singer Lady Gaga performs at New Year's Eve 2012 in Times Square on December 31, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)




  • New Year's Eve 2012 In Times Square


    NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Singer Lady Gaga performs at New Year's Eve 2012 in Times Square on December 31, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)




  • New Year's Eve 2012 In Times Square


    NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31: Singer Lady Gaga performs at New Year's Eve 2012 in Times Square on December 31, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)




  • US pop singer Lady Gaga reacts to Japane


    US pop singer Lady Gaga reacts to Japanese fans upon her arrival at the Narita International Airport, suburdan Tokyo on December 20, 2011. Gaga is now here to perform at a Japanese television's music program. AFP PHOTO / JIJI PRESS (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)




  • KIIS FM's Jingle Ball 2011 - Show


    LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 03: Singer Lady Gaga performs at KIIS FM's Jingle Ball at L.A. Live's Nokia Theatre on December 3, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for U Music)




  • KIIS FM's Jingle Ball 2011 - Show


    LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 03: Singer Lady Gaga performs at KIIS FM's Jingle Ball at L.A. Live's Nokia Theatre on December 3, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for U Music)




  • 39th International Emmy Awards - Press Room


    NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 21: Lady Gaga attends the 39th International Emmy Awards at the Mercury Ballroom at the New York Hilton on November 21, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)




  • Gaga's Workshop Ribbon Cutting At Barneys New York With Lady Gaga


    NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 21: Lady Gaga attends Gaga's Workshop Ribbon Cutting at Barneys New York on November 21, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Barneys New York)




  • Gaga's Workshop Ribbon Cutting At Barneys New York With Lady Gaga


    NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 21: Lady Gaga attends Gaga's Workshop Ribbon Cutting at Barneys New York on November 21, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Barneys New York)




  • Children In Need Rocks Manchester - Backstage Portraits


    MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 17: Lady Gaga poses backstage at Children In Need Rocks Manchester 2011 at The Manchester Evening News Arena on November 17, 2011 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)




  • US


    US




  • Bambi Award 2011


    WIESBADEN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 10: Lady Gaga performs during the Bambi Award 2011 show at the Rhein-Main-Hallen on November 10, 2011 in Wiesbaden, Germany. (Photo by Christian Augustin/Getty Images)




  • US pop star Lady Gaga poses with her fou


    US pop star Lady Gaga poses with her four awards for Best Video, Best Song, Best Female and Biggest Fans, at the MTV European Music Awards (EMA) at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on November 6, 2011. AFP PHOTO / PETER MUHLY (Photo credit should read PETER MUHLY/AFP/Getty Images)




  • US pop star Lady Gaga performs on stage


    US pop star Lady Gaga performs on stage at the MTV European Music Awards (EMA) at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on November 6, 2011. Lady Gaga won Best Video, Best Song and Best female awards. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images)