So Nostalgic
13 Years Ago, Angelina Jolie Practically Invented The Thigh-High Slit
It was the Oscars moment heard ’round the world.
Slits have steadily been inching their way up in recent years. Recent red carpet gowns of your favorite risqué dressers like Dakota Johnson and Jennifer Lopez prove just that. In fact, if the peekaboo detail isn’t vertiginous enough (aka not flaunting one’s entire thigh and then some), it somehow registers as conservative.
This, however, wasn’t always the case, and today’s spiciest style stars have one person to thank for normalizing the thigh-flaunting detail: Angelina Jolie.
Angelina’s Velvet Number
Back in 2012, the Maleficent star attended the 84th Academy Awards with her then-husband, Brad Pitt. After decades in the business, Jolie was already a certified fashion icon. It was customary for her to top best-dressed red carpet lists and start a trend or two. No red carpet look, however, would become more intertwined with the Maria actor than this Oscars outing.
That night, Jolie was set to present the award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Since her dress would have extra on-stage airtime, she dressed to the nines. Styled by Jen Rade, she entered the event in a black custom-made Atelier Versace gown that popped against the scarlet floor. Crafted in luxe velvet, it featured an asymmetrical sweetheart neckline, a cinched waist, and a voluminous floor-length skirt.
The Leg Pop That Broke The Internet
Sure, little black dresses can get dreary on the red carpet. One detail, however, made her ensemble stand out: the pelvis-high slit. Jolie capitalized on the skin-baring detail by posing on the carpet with her left hand on her hip and her right leg exaggeratedly popped. The pose fully exposed her whole limb and the peep-toe shoes she accessorized with.
The moment instantly set the internet ablaze. Twitter users quickly memed the leg pop endlessly, while another started a dedicated meme account called @AngiesRightLeg, which gained over 14,000 followers in a single day.
Her Classic Glam
She completed her look with diamond earrings, smokey brown eyeshadow, and a bold swipe of red lipstick. As for her hair, she styled it in loose, glamorous waves.
Recalling the viral moment to Extra, Jolie shared the “larger” story behind the moment. “I had a more complicated dress,” she said, but in the end, she chose the “more comfortable” Versace option. “I think when you feel comfortable, when you feel yourself ... sometimes, maybe it appears to be a thing,” she said.
No leg pop nor slit has ever been the same.
