By the time Madonna stirred up this year's MTV Music Video Awards with her mehndi-marked hands, No Doubt's frontwoman, Gwen Stefani, had already been there and done that. EW recently caught up with Stefani to dish about the now ubiquitous Indian adornment she helped popularize, along with her latest fashion look.

EW: What's with Madonna cribbing your style?

Stefani: I was a little bit shocked by that. But whatever, I'm sure there are things I nicked off her from the eighties.

EW: Is it flattering?

Stefani: There's a billion people in India doing it; it's not like I thought it up. The reason I have the Indian influence is because my old boyfriend is Indian. And I've always been fascinated with their attention to detail.

EW: You showed up with an entirely different look that same night, where did it come from?

Stefani: I was just laying in bed thinking that I wanted to dye my hair blue, and later I found that bikini top in my drawer. It turned into a space-agey Judy Jetson thing.

EW: How do you come up with new fashion ideas?

Stefani: I think about it all the time. I was in London recently, and I saw this random girl walking down the street and she looked so bitchin' and really street that I'll probably try to be her for our next video. And I don't even know who she is.

EW: Do you make your own clothes?

Stefani: When I was in high school I started making my own clothes because I didn't want to have what everyone else had. But I don't know how to sew very well, so Deborah Verick [designer and owner of Taint] helps me.

EW: Ever think of going into the fashion biz?

Stefani: Some day, when I'm a fat lady, I'm going to do my own line of clothes. I'll do it for all of the skinny girls.

EW: What's your latest fashion obsession?

Stefani: I'm really into skirts and pants [worn together] like I wore to MTV. And I'm always a sucker for anything that sparkles. I'm also influenced by my niece because she has braids right now. So I've got braids all over my head.

EW: Who's your fashion guru?

Stefani: In high school I was the thrift-store queen. I was rebelling against spending money on clothes. I don't really have anybody that I follow.

EW: But you went to the spring shows in New York this year.

Stefani: It's amazing because it's really art. It's about a whole vibe, and it was really interesting and exciting to see that. And now I can afford it!