Why Katy Perry Was Drawing Comparisons To Britney Spears At The 2022 CMAs

The internet started freaking out when it saw Katy Perry's 2022 Country Music Association Awards look, and not just because she and Carrie Underwood were both queens wearing jeans, providing some of the night's best looks. Perry wore a jean outfit with a plunging neckline, a large bow in the front, and straight-leg jeans. The outfit looked like something out of the early 2000s, though the pop star's makeup and hair didn't leave many more clues as to whether she was referencing the aughts or embracing nostalgic trends.

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After all, Perry made a modern adjustment to the look by incorporating the puddle pants trend, aka too-long pant legs that pool around the ankle or drape over the heels. Could the all-jean look be trending again for 2023? Or was Perry paying tribute to past denim-on-denim looks that made their mark on the fashion world?

Fans have good reason to believe that the singer is paying tribute to the Y2K fashion queen herself, Britney Jean Spears — and yes, that's her real middle name. This also wouldn't be the first time Perry has referenced Spears' spot-on fashion sense.

At the 2001 American Music Awards, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake made a fashion choice that would prove to have more staying power than their complicated relationship. The look is one that Canadian tuxedo lovers would hope to emulate for decades to come. Of course, we're talking about their coordinated all-denim outfits for the AMAs red carpet — Spears in a tube dress, Timberlake in an oversized jean suit and cowboy hat.

And at the 2014 Video Music Awards, Katy Perry made an iconic tribute to Spears' 2001 look, accompanied by the rapper Riff Raff dressed like Timberlake. At the time, Perry tweeted, "I must admit my outfit is a result of my love for nostalgia and my tumblr addiction." And in 2022, the singer showed Variety the custom Versace dress, telling the outlet, "That moment Britney gave us was the moment, and I wanted to pay my respects."

So, could Perry's all-jean look at the 2022 CMAs just be a coincidental overlap with one of her favorite fashion moments of all time? Yes. But, considering the similarity of the stars' chunky diamond chokers, bare shoulders, and v-neck jean bodices, it looks like Perry has made another nod to Spears' legendary Y2k fashions.