Paris Hilton's 2009 Grammys Dress Was Mocked But Its Y2K Vibe Is All The Rage Now
Paris Hilton is one of the 2000s' biggest fashion icons. The socialite emerged in the late 1990s as a model and influential figure in New York City's social scene, several years before she'd become a globally-known media personality. While many of the best outfits Paris Hilton rocked in the 2000s were picked apart by news outlets at the time, Y2K fashion has come back two decades later. One of Hilton's most under-appreciated looks comes from the 2009 Grammy Awards. Hilton walked the red carpet in a purple and green Versace minidress.
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The dress featured a strappy purple top and a skirt made of iridescent green fabric, which was trimmed with lace and another layer of green sparkles. The look landed Hilton on Marie Claire UK's worst-dressed list, with the outlet comparing the look to a pajama top. However, when judged by today's standards, her dress is actually incredibly trendy. Nighties emerged as one of the leading summer trends beginning in 2025, making the outlet's criticism of Hilton's 'fit quite ironic.
Paris Hilton noted that many of today's trends take inspiration from her 2000s looks
Paris Hilton is regarded as one of the queens of 2000s fashion, and she's happily accepted that title. Even though some of her outfits, like the green and purple Versace dress she rocked at the 2009 Grammy Awards, received criticism for being garish and tacky, the socialite stayed true to her own sense of style — and it paid off. Hilton expressed to People in May 2026 just how "happy" the return of early-mid 2000s fashion has made her. "It makes me so proud, because I am the one who really created Y2K fashion," Hilton told the outlet. "So it's just so much fun to see so many people wearing looks that I've worn, and just seeing on all the biggest designers' mood boards, pictures of me."
Just as we've watched Paris Hilton's stunning face transformation since the early aughts, the multi-hyphenate media personality's style evolution has been a sight to behold. Hilton always acknowledges her experimental roots as a Y2K fashion pioneer, having since taken her love for flash and sparkle and elevated it for photoshoots and public appearances (as evidenced by the stunning looks she regularly posts on Instagram). "Being in New York and being a socialite, everybody was always proper and kind of plain, and I always wore these fun outfits," Hilton recalled to W of her early aughts fashion. "Young people now see what people wore before and want to bring it back."