Blake Lively turned heads at the premiere of her latest film, It Ends With Us, by stepping out in a dress short of legendary. Walking the red carpet in the iconic Versace dress Britney Spears wore during Milan Fashion Week 2002 created a rather nostalgic moment that engineered two eras of pop culture.
Blake Lively wears Britney Spears’ iconic Versace dress from 2002 at ‘It Ends With Us’ premiere:
“Britney Spears has meant so much to me forever. I’m a forever Britney stan.” PIC.TWITTER.COM/UPR37IRN3O
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) AUGUST 7, 2024
Blake didn’t stop there with the dress. She took it to Instagram and shared a genuine note in her memory of Britney Spears. Posting with a photo of Britney shining in the dress, Blake wrote,
“The ultimate queen who made us all want to sparkle and write and share our stories. Britney, we millennials all have a story of a moment or of years when you made us want to shine and inspire awe with strength, joy, and hard work. Thank you for your example and your contribution to women telling their stories. So excited about your biopic and all you have to come.”
The attention to detail in Lively’s homage was meticulous. She made soft waves in her hair, a nod to how Spears previously wore it back in 2002, while floral-themed outfits throughout the press tour for It Ends With Us nodded toward her character’s job as a florist in the film. This invariably thoughtful approach underlined how deep a tribute this was toward Spears. Britney undeniably influenced a generation—Blake Lively not exempted.
It’s much more than a dress—Lively pays homage to the pop legend Britney Spears who inspired her since childhood. Lively used to refer to herself as a “forever Britney stan.” She then posted admiration for Spears on Instagram with a side-by-side picture of them both in the dress.
“Britney represents love, beauty, youth, hard work, determination, and strength,” Lively wrote of how Spears has been such an inspiration to her throughout her life. Blake’s caption to her Instagram post hinted at Britney’s forthcoming biopic, building up fans’ expectations.
How Spears influenced her is traceable in how she showed so many, including Lively herself, “how to shine and share our stories.” Her public thank you and regard for Spears’ contribution toward the narratives only help seal the meaningful bond between the two stars.
Lively’s red carpet look has received almost infinitely positive feedback. Praise and nostalgia erupted immediately on social media, and rightly so, in celebration of the tribute as a sweet nod toward pop culture history. Users took to Instagram and Twitter to post side-by-side comparisons of Lively and Spears but marveled at how Lively seemed to channel the same energy and style Spears did over two decades ago.
Some fans argued that Lively is the one to play Spears in a biopic sometime in the future—depending on just how deep their connection is. While most of the reactions were filled with excited chatter, discourses also emerged around the timing of the tribute because it was almost time for Britney Spears’s biopic to hit the big screen.
Some fans were concerned that Lively‘s homage would overshadow Spears’ narrative just on its heels. However, the tactic that remained most forward was celebratory—the fans appreciated the sensitive acknowledgment of Spears’ influence on pop culture. Blake Lively donning Britney Spears’ iconic Versace dress was more than a fashion move; it paid tribute.
The heartfelt mentions by Lively regarding Spears being “the ultimate queen” were so relatable on the part of her fans that this moment just could not be forgotten in light of being a nice, touching tribute to the artists who contributed their share in entertaining people.
