Great Outfits in Fashion History: Lana Del Rey's 2012 'Saturday Night Live' Performance Dress

There are perfectly good celebrity style moments, and then there are the looks that really stick with you, the ones you try desperately to recreate at home. In 'Great Outfits in Fashion History,' Fashionista editors are revisiting their all-time favorite lewks.

Some moments in entertainment are so memorable, they become canonized in pop culture history, for better or for worse — like Lana Del Rey's infamous 2012 "Saturday Night Live" performance. Many considered it a "for worse" in its immediate aftermath, but for some fans, it's now a culturally significant, fond memory.

That night, Del Rey sang her beloved single "Video Games" wearing a white lace, skin-tight maxi from Moschino's Spring 2012 collection. Critics made some unsavory comments about her stage presence, but it's clear looking back at it that the performance really...wasn't that bad. Sure, her vocals were slightly shaky (likely from nerves), but, ultimately, Del Rey gave the world a moment: To this day, fans recreate the singer's chantilly lace dress and long strawberry brunette hair for everything from costume parties to their everyday looks.

Del Rey looks back on that evening with little regret, telling Elton John in a 2019 interview with Rolling Stone: "There was a more eccentric performative approach to it. I was thinking about Maria Callas or someone darker coming through [...] It wasn't terrible." When John theorized about a potential agenda being pushed against Del Rey at the time, she responded, "You said it, not me!"

Below, find pieces to embrace your own unapologetic, lacy, summer-ready energy.

Aya Muse Semi-Sheer Lace Maxi Dress, $761 $532, available here (sizes XXS-XL)

Diotima Rie Crystal Maxi Dress, $1,795, available here (sizes 1-4)

Lulus Flynn White Lace Maxi Dress, $148, available here (sizes XXS-3X)

Retrofete Landy Lace Dress, $2,000 $748, available here (sizes XS-XL)

Rumored Fools Rush In Mini Dress, $128 $64, available here (sizes XS-L)

Rabanne Long Tulip Sleeve Lace Dress, $890, available here (sizes US 2-10)

Please note: Occasionally, we use affiliate links on our site. This in no way affects our editorial decision-making.

Want the latest fashion industry news first? Sign up for our daily newsletter.