Five Years Later, Kylie Jenner Finally Addresses That Viral Gold Dress Drama: “Hailey, Call Me If You Have An Issue”

It’s been nearly six years, but the fashion moment that broke the internet is finally getting its day in court. Kylie Jenner is breaking her silence on one of her most controversial looks ever and trust us when we say she’s not backing down. The reality mogul has officially addressed the jaw dropping gold gown she wore to Hailey and Justin Bieber’s 2019 wedding, and her response? Pure, unbothered confidence with just a hint of “oops, maybe I went a little too hard.”

In Vogue’s new “Life in Looks” video series released on October 22, 2025, the 28 year old makeup mogul finally opened up about the dress that launched a thousand think pieces, and let’s just say she’s still not apologizing for serving looks at someone else’s big day. Well, not exactly.

The Dress That Divided The Internet

Let’s rewind to September 30, 2019, when Justin and Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin) hosted their star studded religious ceremony at the luxurious Montage Palmetto Bluff resort in Bluffton, South Carolina. After legally tying the knot at a Manhattan courthouse a year earlier in September 2018, the couple was ready to celebrate with 154 of their closest family and friends in a lavish affair that cost them basically the entire hotel for 48 hours.

The wedding was everything you’d expect from a Bieber production: an enchanted forest themed reception with white twinkle lights, purple lavender flowers hanging from trees, crystallized Moët champagne bottles encrusted with gold Swarovski crystals, open bars stocked with Don Julio 1942, and enough celebrity power to light up the South Carolina sky. Hailey wore a custom Off White gown designed by Virgil Abloh, complete with a veil embroidered with “Until death do us part.” Justin fumbled through his vows (adorably, according to the bride). Stephen Baldwin walked his daughter down the aisle. Daniel Caesar performed. It was magical.

And then Kylie Jenner walked in wearing liquid gold.

The J’Aton Couture creation wasn’t just any wedding guest dress. This was a full moment. The floor length gown featured a daring cutout over her bust and a thigh high slit that went all the way to there. The metallic gold fabric looked like it had been poured directly onto her body, clinging to every curve and catching every light in the room. She accessorized with a crystal butterfly shaped hair pin from Elizabeth Stone Jewelry, a matching Judith Leiber clutch, gold Stuart Weitzman stiletto sandals, and dangling earrings. Her brunette hair was styled in a messy updo with a center part. She beat her face to the gods with filled in eyebrows, brown eyeshadow, sharp winged eyeliner, long lashes, and lined pink lips.

In short? Kylie Jenner looked like an actual golden statue come to life. She was serving. She was giving. She was… at someone else’s wedding.

The Backlash Was Swift And Brutal

Social media didn’t waste a second. The moment photos hit Instagram, the court of public opinion convened, and the verdict was split right down the middle. On one side, you had fans who were absolutely living for the drama of it all. On the other? Wedding etiquette police with their pitchforks out.

“Are you out of your mind? Why on earth would you wear that as a GUEST at a WEDDING,” one user wrote in the comments of Kylie’s Instagram post.

“I feel like you stole the show this night,” another added, not exactly as a compliment.

A third commenter really drove the point home: “Imagine someone [walked] up to your wedding dressed like this?”

The accusations flew fast and furious: She upstaged the bride. She made it about herself. She broke every unwritten rule of wedding guest etiquette. Some even called it “too extra” and “too revealing” for a religious ceremony. The dress became instant meme material, with people comparing it to everything from an Oscar statue to tin foil wrapped around a burrito.

But here’s the thing that made this controversy extra spicy: Kylie wasn’t just some random influencer trying to get attention. She was Kendall Jenner’s little sister, and Kendall happened to be one of Hailey’s best friends. This was a close knit group. Kylie was invited because she ran in their circle. Which meant this wasn’t a stranger trying to steal thunder, this was practically family going nuclear with their fashion choices.

The debate raged for weeks. Was it inappropriate? Was it fabulous? Could it be both? And most importantly: What did Hailey think?

Kylie’s Defense: “They Didn’t Care… I Don’t Think”

Fast forward to October 2025, and Kylie is finally ready to talk about it. Sitting down with Vogue in a fabulous pink Tom Ford for Gucci feather coat (because of course), she opened up about 21 of her most iconic looks throughout her life. And it didn’t even take five minutes before she turned the page to that dress.

“This was for Hailey and Justin’s wedding and I think people were a little upset that I went all out,” Kylie said with the kind of casual confidence only a Kardashian Jenner can pull off. “But they didn’t care, I don’t think.”

Then came the moment that’s already becoming a gif: “Hailey, call me if you have an issue,” she laughed, throwing up a playful challenge to her friend.

It’s vintage Kylie, really. Unbothered. A little cheeky. Standing by her choices while also acknowledging she hears the criticism. But she wasn’t done yet.

Kylie admitted that with the wisdom of hindsight and six more years of life experience under her designer belt, she probably wouldn’t make the same choice today. “Probably wouldn’t wear this now to someone’s wedding,” she said. “But I think I had the impression that people were gonna just be going all out.”

And there it is. The real tea. Kylie thought this was going to be one of those weddings where everyone showed up in their most extravagant lewks, competing for who could serve the hardest. She thought the dress code was “go big or go home,” so she went atomic.

“And I love this look!” she added, making it clear that while she might not repeat the moment, she has zero regrets about how good she looked that night.

The Best Night She (Almost) Ruined?

Here’s where the story gets even better: Despite all the controversy, despite the think pieces and the dragging and the endless debate about wedding guest etiquette, Kylie had an absolutely magical time.

“I had one of the best nights, actually,” she reminisced, her face lighting up at the memory. “I was like the last one to leave the wedding.”

Picture this: While everyone else called it a night, Kylie Jenner was still on that dance floor at the Montage Palmetto Bluff, living her best life in her controversial gold dress, probably dancing to DJ Tay James’ mix of 90s throwbacks and hip hop bangers, sipping on crystallized champagne, and absolutely refusing to let the party end.

The image is kind of iconic, actually. The most talked about wedding guest of the night being the last person standing, squeezing every possible moment of joy out of the celebration. Say what you want about the dress choice, but you can’t accuse her of not committing to the vibe.

The Kendall Connection

Of course, Kylie didn’t attend this wedding alone. Her big sister Kendall Jenner, one of Hailey’s closest friends and the person Hailey lovingly calls her “BFF 4eva,” was also in attendance. Photo booth pictures from the night show Kendall planting a kiss on Hailey’s cheek, the kind of sweet moment that reminded everyone why these friendships have lasted so long.

Interestingly, Kylie also posed in a mirror selfie that night with a squad that included Kendall, Jaden Smith, Justine Skye, Joan Smalls, photographer Renell Medrano, model Riley Montana, and others. Everyone looked gorgeous. But let’s be real: in that photo, all eyes went straight to the girl in gold.

This actually isn’t the first time a Jenner sister’s wedding guest outfit has caused a stir. Kendall herself drew comparisons for extreme cutout dresses she’s worn to weddings in the past. Maybe it’s a family thing? Maybe when you’re a Kardashian Jenner, the concept of “don’t upstage the bride” simply doesn’t compute because you’re always going to upstage everyone by virtue of being, well, you?

The Hailey and Justin Perspective: Radio Silence (Which Probably Means They’re Fine)

Here’s the million dollar question everyone’s been asking since 2019: What do Hailey and Justin actually think about the dress?

Based on Kylie’s account, they genuinely didn’t care. And the fact that Kylie and Hailey’s friendship has remained rock solid over the past six years seems to back that up. The two are still frequently spotted together, supporting each other at events, and generally being the kind of friends who don’t let a dress, no matter how attention grabbing, come between them.

Just recently, Hailey showed up to support Kylie at a Kylie Cosmetics event in West Hollywood, both of them showcasing their unique fashion styles and proving that whatever drama the internet created, these two are unbothered.

Justin hasn’t weighed in either, which tracks. The man fumbled through his own wedding vows multiple times and later admitted in a GQ interview that the first year of marriage was tough as he worked through trauma and trust issues. A guest’s dress choice probably wasn’t even on his radar that night. He was too busy trying not to mess up saying “I do.”

The Biebers have since renewed their vows in Hawaii in May 2024, where Hailey revealed her baby bump in a lace Saint Laurent dress. They welcomed their son, Jack Blues Bieber, in August 2024. They’ve built a life, started a family, and moved forward from that South Carolina wedding that everyone else is apparently still talking about.

The Fashion Lesson (Or Lack Thereof)

So what have we learned from Kylie’s gold dress drama? Honestly, not much. And maybe that’s the point.

In the world of celebrity fashion, Kylie Jenner’s appearance at the Bieber wedding serves as a reminder that the line between stylish and controversial is razor thin, constantly shifting, and completely subjective. What some people saw as a major fashion faux pas, others saw as a moment of sartorial brilliance. What the internet interpreted as upstaging the bride, Kylie experienced as showing up to support her friend in her interpretation of appropriate wedding attire.

The controversy also highlights the impossible standards placed on celebrities, particularly women, when it comes to fashion. Too plain? Boring. Too flashy? Attention seeking. Too sexy? Inappropriate. Too conservative? Playing it safe. There’s literally no way to win, so why not just wear what makes you feel fabulous?

Kylie’s approach seems to be exactly that: wear what you love, understand it might not be for everyone, learn from experience, and keep it moving. She loved the look. She had the best night. She was the last to leave. And six years later, she still loves the look, even if she acknowledges she probably wouldn’t do it again.

That’s growth, baby. That’s maturity. That’s a 28 year old woman looking back at her 22 year old self and saying, “I see you, I understand you, and I still think you looked fire.”

The Vogue Interview: More Than Just The Dress

While the gold dress moment is getting all the headlines (as it should), Kylie’s Vogue “Life in Looks” interview covered so much more of her fashion evolution. The 28 year old walked through 21 of her most iconic outfits, giving fans insight into the moments that shaped her style and the memories attached to each look.

She opened up about her 2019 Met Gala ensemble by Versace, calling it “one of my favorite looks of all time.” The sheer crystal embellished silhouette with a purple feathered train and matching lavender wig was a moment. But here’s the kicker: “This is actually the only dress of mine that I don’t own. So, if anyone out there has my dress, call me, because it’s precious to me and I need my dress.” Someone please help Kylie get her dress back!

She discussed her first runway walk in 2011 for Avril Lavigne’s fashion line, sporting a black dress with pink chalk tips in her long black hair. “They put chalk in my hair… I wasn’t nervous at all,” she explained, recounting the memory she says kickstarted her King Kylie era.

She named her skin tight silver Schiaparelli dress as her favorite look of all time, adding, “I definitely felt the most beautiful I’ve ever felt in my life… I think I need another moment in this dress.”

And she shared a close call story from the 2024 Annual Academy Museum Gala where something went wrong with her outfit. “I just smiled and I looked at [Kendall Jenner],” she said. “In that moment, I thought I messed up and that it looked crazy, but it didn’t; it turned out amazing.”

Throughout the interview, what comes across is Kylie’s genuine passion for fashion. “Everything has to be a vision,” she told Vogue, explaining that she currently spends hours doing glams and fittings to make sure every look is perfect. Fashion isn’t just something she does; it’s a core part of who she is.

The King Kylie Renaissance

The timing of this interview is particularly interesting because Kylie is currently in the middle of a full King Kylie revival. To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Kylie Cosmetics, she re launched some of her signature beauty products from the brand’s first launch, including those iconic lip kits that basically built her empire.

“This King Kylie Collection is truly for you!!!” she wrote on her October 12 Instagram post. “You’re the reason my biggest cosmetic dreams came true, and I wouldn’t be here 10 years later without your support.”

She even held a King Kylie pop up event, bringing back the aesthetic and energy of 2015, when a teenage Kylie was breaking the internet with her lips, her wigs, and her unapologetic attitude. That era of Kylie was all about taking risks, pushing boundaries, and not caring what anyone thought. Sound familiar?

Maybe that’s why she’s ready to finally address the gold dress now. She’s in a moment of looking back, celebrating her journey, and owning every choice she’s made along the way, controversial or not.

The Reality TV Angle: When Your Life Is Content

It’s worth noting that Kylie’s entire life has been documented on camera since she was 10 years old. Keeping Up with the Kardashians premiered in 2007, and she’s been followed by cameras through her awkward phase, her glow up, her business ventures, her relationships, her pregnancies, and now as a mother of two on The Kardashians on Hulu.

When you’ve grown up with every fashion choice, every haircut, every lipstick shade dissected by millions of people, you develop a thick skin. You also develop a very specific relationship with public opinion: you’re aware of it, you sometimes respond to it, but you can’t let it control your life.

The gold dress controversy is just one of many moments where Kylie has been at the center of internet discourse. Remember when people were obsessed with her lips? When everyone was convinced she had surgery on everything? When she was criticized for naming her daughter Stormi? When people came for her parenting? When the “self made billionaire” title caused an uproar? This girl has been through it all.

So when she looks back at that gold dress and basically says, “Yeah, it was a lot, but I looked good and had fun,” it comes from a place of experience. She’s learned what’s worth defending, what’s worth laughing off, and what’s worth re evaluating.

The Friendship That Survived The Gold

Perhaps the most important takeaway from this entire saga is that Kylie and Hailey’s friendship survived and thrived. In a world where the internet loves to create drama and pit women against each other, these two have shown that a dress, no matter how controversial, doesn’t have to define or damage a relationship.

Hailey, now 28 and a mother herself, seems to have always understood that Kylie wasn’t trying to sabotage her big day. She was just being Kylie, showing up in full glam, ready to celebrate and support her friend’s marriage. The fact that it became a whole thing? That was the internet’s doing, not Kylie’s intention.

And maybe that’s the real lesson here. Sometimes people wear bold outfits to weddings because they genuinely think that’s what’s expected. Sometimes they misread the room. Sometimes they make choices they’d do differently with hindsight. But if the bride and groom are happy, if the friendship remains intact, if everyone had a good time, does it really matter what strangers on the internet think?

Kylie ending her explanation with “Hailey, call me if you have an issue” is such a perfect encapsulation of their dynamic. It’s playful, it’s confident, and it’s rooted in the knowledge that Hailey isn’t calling because there is no issue. Never was. The only people who had a problem were people who weren’t even there.

The Final Word: Kylie Stands By Her Gold

As we close the book on this six year old controversy (or at least this chapter of it), Kylie Jenner has made her position clear: she loved the dress, she loved the night, and while she might not repeat the exact same choice, she wouldn’t change what happened.

In the grand scheme of Kylie’s fashion evolution, from the girl who walked her first runway at 13 to the woman who now spends hours perfecting every look, the gold dress at Hailey and Justin’s wedding represents a specific moment in time. She was 22, she was bold, she was feeling herself, and she showed up to support her friends the only way a Kardashian Jenner knows how: by going all out.

The internet can debate wedding etiquette until the end of time. Fashion critics can write essays about appropriate guest attire. But Kylie Jenner will be over here, looking at photos of herself in that J’Aton Couture gold gown, remembering dancing until she was the last one left at the Montage Palmetto Bluff, and thinking one thing: “I really did love that look.”

And honestly? In a world that’s constantly trying to dim everyone’s shine, there’s something kind of beautiful about a woman who refuses to apologize for glowing too bright, even if she happened to be standing next to a bride when she did it.

Hailey, the ball’s in your court. But something tells us you’re not making that call.