Kim Kardashian is known as a fashion icon, but she had a serious faux pas over the weekend when she was seen wearing an outfit inspired by Janet Jackson, though fans branded it as a much “cheaper” version of the singer’s original look.
Kim was recently seen wearing an iconic waistcoat previously worn by Janet in a music video.
The mother-of-four unveiled her outfit on Tuesday via Instagram before attending Janet’s concert, accompanied by her mother Kris Jenner and sister Khloe Kardashian .
Her ensemble featured a black cropped waistcoat adorned with white plastic detailing along the front, paired with snug black flared pants laced along the waist.
The waistcoat, famously worn by Jackson in her 1993 video for the single “If,” garnered attention when it was auctioned off for $25,000 in May 2021 as part of the Iconic Treasures from the Legendary Career and Life of Janet Jackson auction. And it looks like Kim was the lucky buyer.
Janet Loved Kim’s Look Despite Backlash
However, Kim’s decision to wear the iconic ensemble sparked controversy among Reddit fans, who accused her of detracting from its legacy.
“Kim is not happy unless she’s ruining iconic outfits,” one person wrote, while another said she should be preserving iconic looks, not wearing them outside, “She has millions of dollars. She could easy buy cases for these outfits and have them displayed in her home.”
“Instead she’s wearing them and ruining them. Like why not get someone to replicate the outfits so the iconic ones don’t get destroyed. Not like she can’t afford it,” they continued.
“Why would she do this after the backlash with the Marilyn dress?” another person said.
Despite the backlash, Janet seemed to approve of Kim’s look by re-sharing an image of the reality star and thanking her for attending the concert. “Thank you so much Kim Kardashian,” she wrote alongside kissing emojis. “I Hope ‘If’ gives you as much pleasure as it gave me.”
Kim’s Clothing Has Stirred Controversy Before

This is hardly the first time Kim’s clothing choice has gotten backlash, including when she’s worn outfits from famous historical women. She stirred controversy when she appeared at the Met Gala in 2022 wearing Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “Happy Birthday Mr. President” dress. The dress, famously worn by Monroe during her serenade to President John F. Kennedy in 1962, holds immense historical significance.
However, the buzz surrounding Kardashian’s choice stemmed from concerns that she may have damaged the dress by wearing it.
Critics accused Kardashian of potentially stretching or altering the garment, as it was believed that Monroe and Kardashian were different sizes. This raised questions about the preservation of historical artifacts and the responsibility of celebrities when wearing such iconic pieces. The accusations led to widespread debate and scrutiny, with some arguing that Kardashian’s decision to wear the dress detracted from its historical value.
However, it was later revealed that the owner of the dress refuted these claims, stating that Kardashian had only briefly worn it on the red carpet and had not caused any damage. And it clearly hasn’t deterred Kim from making bold statements with her fashion looks since.