J. Lo’s Versace Gown Aside, the 2000 Grammys Red Carpet Was Wonderfully Wild

Two decades ago, one the most famous red carpet dresses of all time hit the red carpet. At the 2000 Grammys, Jennifer Lopez went viral—before “going viral” was even a thing—in a jaw-dropping Versace dress that exposed her navel and cleavage. That sheer, jungle-print design made headlines across the globe; it was unabashedly sexy and truly bared it all. Last year, J. Lo told Vogue about her decision to wear that iconic gown, sharing that she actually chose it the day of the awards show and didn’t think much of it. “I didn’t think it was all that risqué, to be honest,” she said. (The singer also revived the look when she walked for Versace’s spring 2020 show last year, wearing an updated design.)

Looking back, however, it wasn’t the only bold fashion moment to hit the step-and-repeat that year. In honor of this Sunday’s Grammy Awards, Vogue is revisiting some of the other wonderfully wild style moments from the 2000 red carpet.

Jennifer Lopez in VersacePhoto: Getty Images

Given that designers love to reference the past, it’s not surprising that many of the looks feel current and fresh. Take the jazz singer Diana Krall, who won best jazz vocal performance that year; her chic look, including a long leather coat and snakeskin trousers, is in the vein of something that Kim Kardashian West would wear today. Equally as trendy are the outfits the *NSYNC boys wore; the leather blazers and oversized-suit fits fall in line with the sleazy-chic look that current musicians like Diplo and Post Malone have been channeling lately.

Other highlights from the carpet include an angelic Britney Spears in an all-white outfit, consisting of a Randolph Duke gown and an Oscar de la Renta fur stole—a fittingly regal look for the princess of pop. Or, there was a Destiny’s Child–era Beyoncé in an icy, sequined two-piece, flanked by her bandmates Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, and Farrah Franklin in complementary looks. (They were the masters of coordination at that time, with looks often designed by Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles.)

Below, more of the best red carpet looks from the 2000 Grammys.