The Most Outdated Outfits Katy Perry Has Ever Worn

If you were to list the things that pop star Katy Perry is known for, item one would be her music, and item two would almost certainly be her unapologetically wild fashion sense. Perry regularly makes appearances on both best-dressed and worst-dressed lists, and it's tough to judge her on the basis of current fashions — after all, the "Firework" singer is basically always in costume. How do you argue that a chandelier outfit is or isn't in vogue? A hamburger? A carousel? Holding Perry to the standard of current trends is like expecting the ocean's tides to come in and out when you want them — she follows her own waves of fashion, and good luck stopping them. It's no wonder that Perry's most inappropriate outfits are so hard to forget.

However, even the most intentionally outrageous fashionistas sometimes hit a style note so out of key that it can't be written off as artistic expression or vintage-inspired. And it's only to be expected that, over her nearly two decades of life in the public eye, Perry has showcased some outfits that feel seriously outdated today.

In 2007, budding star Katy Perry wasn't widely recognized yet, and neither was her style. At an after-party for the subversive clothing line Imitation of Christ— an event that begged for standout fashion — Perry arrived in a dress that could have come off an early-noughties Old Navy rack. The tropical orange florals were uninspired, the silhouette felt sloppy and bulky in the back, and the black belt was too clunky for the rest of the look. While this casual ensemble may have passed for running errands, it was hardly red-carpet worthy.

There's one problem with setting a high bar for boundary-pushing fashion: Everything else starts to feel boring by comparison. Case in point, Katy Perry's 'fit for the 2009 Met Gala was, at best, fine. The combination of vivid blue and metallic accents felt like a '00s clubbing ensemble, which the choker-style halter neckline only worsened. Adding insult to injury, we don't see the gown's connection to that year's theme, "The Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion." A more editorial, traditionally Perry-like dress may have served the star better.

At the 2012 Grammy Awards, Katy Perry made an unusually tame choice with an ice-blue Elie Saab gown that could have and should have been elegant. The silhouette was timeless and the appliqués delicate, but contrasted against Perry's modern styling, this dress instead felt outdated, out of step, and, dare we say it, mother of the bride. The "Roar" singer may have fared better with an edgy, contemporary look that matched the energy of her vivid blue hair color and slicked-back updo.

As usual, Katy Perry went for outlandish style during her February 2018 appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" That year, 1980s fashions were booming, but Perry's take on the look seemed unnecessarily loud and busy — more like an outdated parody of the decade's icons than a revival of its signature styles. The wide-shouldered, yellow cheetah-print dress was strong enough on its own, but Perry distracted from this statement piece with the addition of snakeskin leggings. And we can't overlook glimpses of Perry pairing the look with slip-on Uggs.

Katy Perry doesn't mind vintage — after all, she's worn a lot of '40s and '50s-inspired fits. However, Perry's boho '70s vibe at a May 2018 taping of "American Idol" didn't reflect her usual style. The "Hot N Cold" singer wore a sequined maxi dress with a halter neck, belly button cutout, and thick stripes that evoked crochet. Paired with long, dark tresses and a middle part, the look looked less like a Perry original and more like a Cher cosplay. As Perry's "American Idol" predecessor Randy Jackson might say, it's a no from us.

Katy Perry's fame has been a platform for her varied fashion sense, with some hits and some misses. One notable miss came in an Instagram post from this February. Perry's heavily laced minidress looked tortured on its own. "Why [is] she dressed like a baseball glove?" one commenter questioned the photo. And while we know that layered dresses have been trendy in recent years, this one was a strange match for her pink and purple leggings. Altogether, it seemed more like an uninspired throwback than a contemporary layered style.

Katy Perry's ensemble at the Billboard Women in Music event this March gave us flashbacks to early noughties fashion traumas. This look was hardly the first time Perry broke the internet with revealing outfits, but it may be one of the worst. If her exposed rear wasn't bad enough, the strings of her thong arced above the waistline of her mermaid-cut maxi skirt à la 2002. And we don't care if peplum tops are back — the flippy hem of Perry's matching bustier didn't add any modernity to this outfit.

Katy Perry's Y2K-inspired outfit at the documentary premiere of "Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge" this June has us conflicted. On the one hand, we love the complex, voluminous shrug, and its silhouette balances nicely against the "Woman's World" singer's simple cropped bodice. But the outfit overbalances with the long skirt's busy cutouts and metal adornments, which distract from her interesting top and take the acid-washed look straight from a fashion-forward reinterpretation to an outdated throwback.