Remember waaaay back (read: circa 2001) when the 'whale tail' fashion trend was *the* biggest statement to hit the red carpet? Yeah, well Dua Lipa has just brought that very same look back (or is it now forward, seeing as we're in 2023?) with an exposed thong fashun declaration to trump all exposed thong fashun declarations. It doesn't get much better than this, folks.
As one does when it comes to the New Year festivities, Dua took to her main feed Instagram page to share all that she got up to. Spoiler: the cocktail in hand is nothing but expected when it comes to a celebration as monumental as NYE. "🏹🤍2023 ~ Happy New Year ~ wishing you peace, love, health and happiness for this year ahead x", she writes in the caption.
When it comes to the pics, in the singer's six-part carousel post, she is shown to be wearing a stunning iridescent pink and silver halterneck dress. But the star of the show has to be its cut, seeing as it features a draping backline exposing Dua's underwear. Take a look at said beauty below:
It seems Dua is starting the year as she means to go on... aka, by bringing back the golden oldies. I mean, it was an early 00s cult look, after all.
To accessorise, Dua is wearing a pair of matching star dangling glitter earrings and to finish off the look, she wore just below-the-knee hot pink healed boots. Such. A. Look.
As her friend and the icon herself, Paris Hilton wrote in the comments section of Dua's post: "That’s hot🔥😉". 'Nuff said, TBH.
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Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over four years of experience reporting across the brand's print, social, video and digital platforms. Lia covers everything from emerging trend analysis to viral celebrity hair and makeup moments, making her an expert at spotting the season’s next big beauty look (before it takes over social media feeds).
In 2025, she was named The Rising Media Star at the Love Perfume Awards with The Perfume Shop, recognised for her outstanding digital fragrance content and for building genuine authority within the space. She is passionate about challenging outdated beauty stereotypes, championing inclusive representation in beauty, and educating readers on the trends, products and conversations shaping the industry today. Follow her on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn.
