By Wonderwall.com Editors
4:00am PST, Dec 1, 2023
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Happy birthday, Britney Spears! The superstar turns 42 on Dec. 2, 2023, and in honor of the occasion, we're taking a look back at Britney's most iconic fashion moments over the years. First up? One we recently learned more about!
In her memoir "The Woman in Me," Britney revealed her performance of "I'm a Slave 4 U" during the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards wasn't all it was cracked up to be…
Britney famously took the stage in a bralette, low-rise short shorts with scarves attached to her bedazzled belt and knee-high crystal-adorned boots. The real star of the show, however, was that other accessory: an albino Burmese python named Banana that she carried across her shoulders.
"The plan was for me to sing 'I'm a Slave 4 U,' and we decided I would use a snake as a prop. It's become an iconic moment in VMAs history, but it was even more terrifying than it appeared," she wrote. "All I knew was to look down, because I felt if I looked up and caught its eye, it would kill me."
"In my head I was saying, 'Just perform, just use your legs and perform.' But what nobody knows is that as I was singing, the snake brought its head right around to my face, right up to me, and started hissing," she continues. "I was thinking, 'Are you f******* serious right now? The f****** godd*** snake's tongue is flicking out at me. Right. Now. Finally, I got to the part where I handed it back, thank God."
Somehow, she managed to avoid broadcasting her terror to the millions of viewers watching from home, cementing this look as one of the all-time greatest performance ensembles in award show history.
Keep reading for more fabulous Britney fashion…
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Oops, Britney Spears did it again… and by "it" we mean she won us over with another iconic outfit choice. Who could forget this sheer, sparkling number from the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards? This iconic look is truly unforgettable!
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Britney Spears has always known how to work it on the dance floor, but she proved that she could also dip it low in this gray jumpsuit at the 2000 American Music Awards.
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Britney Spears showed off her vixen side in an all-black ensemble at the 2008 Bambi Awards in Germany. We especially loved those coordinating leather knee-high boots. Fierce!
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We can't get enough of old-school Britney Spears in pigtails. Those magenta kneepad accents are unforgettable!
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Can Britney Spears get any more smokin' hot than this? She donned this fiery red body-hugging dress for "The X Factor" auditions in Providence, Rhode Island, in 2012. Someone turn on the AC, please!
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While touring in 2001, Britney Spears took the stage in this fierce metallic bodysuit complete with studding and a plunging neckline.
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If we were referees, we'd rule this outfit a touchdown! Britney Spears let out her sporty side during a performance on "NFL Kickoff Live 2003."
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Move over, there's a sexy new Smurfette in town! Britney Spears stole the spotlight at the 2012 "Smurfs 2" premiere in a blue curve-hugging dress. And her adorable sons tagged along as her dates.
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Britney Spears really isn't that innocent! She put an edgy twist on Madonna's iconic "Like a Virgin" look at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. We'll never forget that kiss she shared with Madge on stage that night…
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Britney Spears took backless to a whole new level at the 2002 Grammy Awards in an otherwise simple red frock with a daringly low back.
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We just loved Britney Spears in this caped crusader stage getup she wore while performing in New York during her 2001 tour. Dark and mysterious done right!
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Britney Spears is definitely a fan of the body-con dress, which she's worn multiple times in different colors and styles — including this green look at a 2011 charity event. But hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? At least she knows what works for her body!
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How cute is Britney Spears the flapper girl? The "Toxic" singer gave 1920s fashion a modern twist with this fun frock she donned for the 2003 American Music Awards.
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Britney Spears' style has come a very long way over the years. In 2012, the mother of two looked classic and simply elegant in a white A-line dress for "The X Factor" auditions in Kansas City.
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Britney Spears out-sparkled her numerous trophies at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards in a one-shouldered silver dress to remember.
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We'd follow this ringleader anywhere! Britney Spears was on fire in a lacy red crop top during a 2008 "Good Morning America" performance of "Circus." Cue the tigers and elephants…
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It's no wonder why "you better work, b****" to look like Britney Spears! She turned heads in one of her sexiest little black dresses yet at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards. Britney's one-shouldered body-hugging LBD featured a diagonal cut-out across her chest and a thigh-high slit that showed off her legs for days.
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Britney Spears brought out her wild side for her 2015 "Pretty Girls" music video with Iggy Azalea. In the vid, she wore a cheetah-print crop top and jeans that give us a totally retro vibe.
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Britney Spears looked sexy in a sheer off-white dress with a high-low hemline and a daring neckline at the 2015 Teen Choice Awards. The green and purple tips in her hair made her look pop with pretty colors.
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Britney Spears wore one of her sheerest looks ever at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards. This see-through lacy navy blue dress showed off her toned body — and her underwear!
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Britney Spears' look at the 2015 ESPY Awards was chock-full of fun! That little black frill trimming her short silver-sequined dress made us want to go out dancing with her!
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Britney Spears was rosy at the 40th People's Choice Awards in 2014. Her minidress featured intricate metallic roses — a gorgeous look on her!
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Britney Spears makes beige look anything but boring! She wore this sparkling neutral long-sleeved dress to the 2015 Billboard Music Awards.
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Britney Spears wore a sparkling formal gown to the 2014 Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar Party. The pop star dazzled all night long in the black dress featuring sheer panels, beading and a low-cut bodice.
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No one does an LBD quite like Britney Spears! She wore this classic number with some sparkles on top while making an appearance at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas in 2013.
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All that glitters is gold! Britney Spears wowed at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards in this tight dress featuring side and midriff cut-outs.
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Britney Spears wasn't walking down the aisle, but she still had a bridal-worthy train when she attended the 2016 Billboard Music Awards. We loved the lace and drama of her whole sheer black look — especially those fishnet-inspired boots!
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Britney Spears looked sassy yet classy in a white pantsuit during a 2014 visit to Oberhausen, Germany.
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Her black halter top, bedazzled feather skirt, fishnet stockings and thigh-high boots weren't the only reason people were talking about Britney Spears' look at the 2016 iHeart Radio Music Festival. With her hair in pigtails, Britney seemed to be channeling herself circa 1998. She's ageless!
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Jaws dropped during Britney Spears' performance during the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, and it had a lot to do with this little yellow number. And those matching thigh-high boots?! Britney's still got it!
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Lady in red! Britney Spears rocked a vibrant cherry red minidress at the premiere of "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" in Los Angeles in July 2019. Her one-shouldered frock featured a tiny cut-out under the neckline and paired perfectly with black heels.
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Britney Spears loves a good sparkly moment! She rocked some signature sequins on the red carpet at the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles in April 2018. The Giannina Azar design featured cut-outs at the waist and a very intricately embellished neckline. She smartly paired it with equally sparkly Christian Louboutin pointy-toe pumps.
