Nothing was ever the same after JT stepped out in a custom chainmail mini dress dripping in MAC lipsticks. Yes, actual tubes of the brand’s cult-favorite bullets, designed by none other than Chris Habana. Worn to celebrate the launch of her now sold-out MAC Cosmetics lip kit collaboration, the look took camp to new heights.
It was unapologetically over-the-top, and just overall beyond. She turned lipstick tubes into physical armor, merging high fashion and cosmetics in a way that felt tongue-in-cheek, and totally true to her daring aesthetic. With nearly half a million likes, her Instagram post, soundtracked by Lil Mama’s “Lip Gloss,” locked in the moment as a viral beauty culture flex.
Naturally, when something that fresh hits the timeline, it tends to spark a little creative echo.
Two weeks later, at Madison Square Garden, e.l.f. Cosmetics and Kesha unveiled a look that felt… familiar. Kesha was styled in a custom miniskirt and bracelet made entirely of e.l.f.’s Jelly Pop primer tubes and lip oil respectively, designed by conceptual artist Gab Bois. Like JT’s, the pieces played with the absurdity of beauty packaging as clothing. Sure, JT didn’t originate the idea, but she more than likely is indeed the push that brought it back into the spotlight.
Let’s be clear: fashion and beauty have always thrived on reinvention and remix. There’s no accusation of copying here, but, in a space where references fly fast and ideas go viral even faster, it’s hard not to clock the synchronicity. JT’s lipstick dress reframed beauty as wearable, collectible art. And while Kesha’s look was for a different brand and a different audience, the overlap is sharp enough to spark conversation about how fast trends travel and who sets them in motion.
With JT’s fresh, fearless approach to beauty and style, this collaboration was no exception. From glossy campaigns to her lipstick dress moment, she didn’t just sell products, she cemented a vibe. That’s the difference between a marketing push and a culture-shifting drop: one sells out; the other sells out and sets a tone. Whether consciously or not, it wouldn’t be shocking if JT’s MAC moment found its way onto someone’s moodboard, group chat, or creative meeting.
In a beauty space increasingly shaped by virality, crossover, and cultural nods, these two moments can coexist without controversy. But it’s worth giving JT her flowers, not just for the sold-out collaboration, but for reminding us that the line between fashion and beauty is blurrier (and glossier) than ever.