This Jennifer Lopez Grammys outfit is the reason Google image search exists

Yes, really.

Jennifer Lopez attends the Grammy Awards in 2000

The 2024 Grammy Awards are officially here, with the 66th annual ceremony taking place this weekend, celebrating the past year in music. 

Yes, from the night's predicted big winners, to some star-studded performances (Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus and Billie Eilish to name a few), the Grammy Awards are all anyone can talk about. 

It was a resurfaced anecdote that got the world talking about the Grammys this morning, with the story behind Jennifer Lopez's 2000 Grammys dress - a look that actually prompted the invention of Google Image search, emerging as the most memorable of all time.

Getty Images

Yes, really, Jennifer Lopez’s red carpet look (the green sheer Versace scarf dress with the belly button plunging neckline) quite literally broke the internet, and is actually responsible for the existence of Google image search.

Let’s not forget, this was a whopping 24 years ago, long before the days of Lady Gaga’s meat dress or Rose McGowan’s topless chainmail outfit. At this point, the most avant-garde red carpet looks to happen were when Justin and Britney wore quadruple denim or when Christina Aguilera showed her midriff.

Needless to say, everyone was talking about J-Lo’s revealing green dress and wanted to see the pictures for themselves.

"At the time, it was the most popular search query we had ever seen, but we had no surefire way of getting users exactly what they wanted: J-Lo wearing that dress", explained Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google. For that reason, he explained "Google image search was born."

When asked about her role in Google image search’s existence by E! News, J-Lo replied, "I heard that, who knew?!", before joking about not being compensated. "I'm a little bit upset about it. I'm sure Versace's in on it as well."

When asked what she would have liked to have got from it, Jennifer Lopez replied light-heartedly, "Just a small part of it…a truck full of money."

The 2024 Grammys are set to take place on Sunday 4 February.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.