Paris Hilton brought back one of her most memorable fashion moments at the 2026 VMAs on September 27. The socialite and reality star appeared on the red carpet with her sister Nicky Hilton Rothschild, wearing a sparkling outfit that paid tribute to the iconic dress she wore for her 21st birthday in 2002.
For her latest appearance, Hilton wore a tiny rhinestone covered minidress that took inspiration from her famous Y2K look. She also changed her hairstyle for the occasion, replacing her signature long platinum blonde hair with a blunt bob. The new hairstyle helped highlight a large crystal embellished choker that covered her neck and became one of the main details of the outfit.
Paris Hilton poses at the #VMAs pic.twitter.com/DihXRIgSha
— Variety (@Variety) September 27, 2026
The shimmering cowl neck dress featured several updated elements. The design included padded shoulders inspired by ‘80s fashion, a keyhole cutout at the chest and cutouts around the hips. The sides opened further towards the lower midriff, while the back of the dress was completely open. The look was designed as a modern version of the outfit that became closely associated with Hilton’s early 2000s style.
Hilton continued the sparkling theme with her accessories. She wore sheer mesh opera gloves covered in crystals along with thigh high boots featuring a pointed toe and gladiator inspired details. The boots included large cutouts at the front, adding another revealing element to the outfit. She also carried futuristic silver sunglasses as an accessory.
Paris and Nicky Hilton pose together at the #VMAs. pic.twitter.com/4tCpQvdIJz
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) September 27, 2026
Her beauty look included matte mauve smoky eyeshadow, sculpted cheekbones and rose pink lipstick. Together with the blunt bob and crystal details, the styling gave the outfit a clear connection to her earlier fashion era while keeping the overall look updated for the 2026 VMAs.
Hilton first made the original fashion statement in February 2002 when she attended her 21st birthday celebration at the Stork Rooms in London. At the time, she wore a glittering cowl neck minidress with a plunging neckline and designs that revealed her sides and back. She completed that look with strappy baby pink stiletto sandals, a pink boxy purse and a sparkling crown over her icy blonde bob.
More than two decades later, Hilton has revisited that famous Y2K fashion moment at the 2026 VMAs. Her latest outfit keeps several elements of the original while adding new details, turning a well known piece of her fashion history into a contemporary red carpet look.
