Katy Perry's Naked Awards Show Look Is Actually Summer Styling Inspiration

The singer wore nothing but a bikini, fishnet dress, and leather boots to present at last night's iHeartRadio Music Awards.

Katy Perry and Beyonce backstage at the iHeartRadio music awards
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Katy Perry has come a long way from "Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top." The singer wore a glammed-up version of that iconic line from "California Girls" last night at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Hollywood. Instead of denim cut-offs, Perry opted for a sparkling black fish-net cover-up dress, tied together on each side by a series of red ribbon bows.

Underneath the net, she wore a basic black bikini with a triangle top and cheeky low-rise bottoms. Perry completed the look with Khaite black, thigh-high slouchy leather heeled boots and a pair of nearly opaque Acne Studios sunglasses.

Katy Perry stands onstage wearing a fishnet dress and black leather boots

Katy Perry bared it all at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, presenting in nothing but a beachy bikini and sparkly fishnet cover-up dress.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Tatiana Waterford, Perry's longtime stylist, assembled the look, fit for the red carpet or a very specific kind of pool party where nobody actually gets in the water. (We'd recommend swapping the boots for sandals in the latter case—her deployment of the "wrong shoe theory" is more suited to the red carpet.) Her relaxed, beachy waves drove the vacation-ready point home.

Katy Perry on the iheartradio music awards red carpet

Perry's look combined classic beachy elements with nighttime flourishes, like leather boots and velvet bows.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2024 is all about naked dressing, and Perry is far from the first to try the trend. Translucent get-ups ruled the Vanity Fair Oscars After Party, where stars like Florence Pugh and Anitta freed the nipple in a semi-sheer Simone Rocha set and a netted see-through Fendi gown, respectively.

Perry is known for her out-there style, and has been experimenting with exposing more of herself, literally. Last month, she wore a red corset and skirt set, loosely laced down the back to expose a black thong.

Away from the red carpet, Perry's look might just inspire a bachelorette packing list or a look for a weekend at the beach—maybe without the heavy-duty leather boots. Shop cover-ups inspired by Perry's unconventional red carpet look below.

Julia Gray
Contributor

Julia Gray is a contributing fashion writer at Marie Claire, where she covers runway trends, celebrity style, and shopping. In her six years as a journalist, Julia’s reporting has ranged across style, music, Internet culture, art, retail, tech, and more. In addition to Marie Claire, Julia writes for outlets like the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Ringer, New York Magazine, Pitchfork, Nylon, and Vice, among others. Julia's fashion reporting is led by curiosity. Julia is not only interested in critiquing and covering pop culture, but in understanding what our pop culture says about how we live and modern values. When she’s not writing, Julia hosts a podcast called Girls Room, where she and her co-host revisit shows like Girls and Gossip Girl from the beginning with guests like comedian Cat Cohen and writer Hunter Harris. Girls Room was recently cited in the New York Times.