Stars Are Copying Old Red Carpet Looks

Memorable outfits from the past have been popping up again at premieres and events, so why are so many stars going vintage?

- ISABEL MOHAN

If you were offered the chance to wear a standout celebrity dress from the past, you'd be all over it, right? And that's the case for the many big names who are eagerly delving into the fashion archives to pay tribute to famous outfits — and often looking just as incredible as the star who wore it first.

Whether you like her or not, Kim Kardashian has to get some of the credit for this growing trend. She controversially wore Marilyn Monroe's infamous "Happy Birthday, Mr President" dress from 1962 to the 2022 Met Gala, even going on an insanely restrictive diet to fit into it. Unsurprisingly, it didn't go down well with everyone. "[Marilyn] was a goddess," said Bob Mackie, one of the original designers of the gown. "It was designed for her. Nobody else should be seen in that dress."

But this hasn't put off other stars from copying vintage looks. Since then, numerous actresses, singers and models have paid homage to memorable outfits — just in a slightly less extreme way. There was Blake Lively slipping into Britney Spears' 2002 Versace butterfly dress for the 2024 It Ends With Us premiere;