‘Absolutely haram’: Jennifer Lopez heads to Saudi Arabia to make a glittery return to the spotlight, leaving locals furious at her revealing outfits

Jennifer Lopez is back on stage and she did so in the most glittery way for one of her favorite designers. The singer and actress stepped on stage for the first time since her divorce and canceled tour, and proved she is as shiny and sparkly as ever. However, there were some downsides to her sexy performance that didn’t go unnoticed.

J.Lo returned to the spotlight on Nov. 13 at Elie Saab’s 45th-anniversary runway show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The star took the stage to celebrate the star-studded event, titled “The 1001 Seasons of Elie Saab.” She put on an epic show all while looking flawless, which, coincidentally, is the reason for some of the backlash.

Jennifer Lopez’s performance was a shiny affair that didn’t come without complaints

J.Lo emerged on the stage on a levitating platform surrounded by feathers. Sparklers shone around her, making her outfit shine in the glittery light. She wore a sequin bodysuit with a fringe cape, which combined white, silver, and gold in an explosion of sparkles, with a cleavage going almost down to her waist.

Her eight-minute performance started with a rendition of “I Will Survive,” a suitable opening track considering JLo’s difficult year. She put on quite a show as models strutted down the runway draped in the sequins and sparkles the fashion designer is known for.

The first act gave a modern twist to 1920s fashion with elegant black-and-white flapper-inspired gowns as Lopez switched to her iconic 1999 hit “Waiting for Tonight,” a performance that also included her jumping from the platform in the hands of her dancing without missing a beat. She later exchanged the fringe cape for an oversized feathery train cape as she switched to her hit “On the Top,” and dropped it completely as she finished her set with a remix of “Let’s Get Loud,” looking as shiny and ready to groove it as always, bringing the energy, charm, and style in one of her best recent performances.

After her performance, she switched the silvery glitter for a green sequin dress with a generous cleavage, a thigh gap, and feathers.

As happy as we are with all these iconic outfits, Lopez and the event itself received a lot of backlash. The fashion show took place in Saudi Arabia, where women’s rights are still overlooked. A heavily patriarchal society, Saudia Arabia doesn’t allow women to drive, they are often discriminated in many areas, and they have to follow an expected dress code that includes high necklines and covering knees. The latter goes directly against Lopez’s outfit, which showed a lot of cleavage, and her tight bodysuit didn’t include pants, and many locals slammed her for it.

However, many were excited about the fashion event. Several comments in Elie Saab’s post praised Lopez’s performance and the overall production, comparing it to 2024’s Victoria’s Secret fashion show. “This is what we expected from VS 2024,” reads one of the most-liked comments. “This was 100 times better!” a person replied to the comment, with many voicing their agreement.

Another commenter wrote, “What we wanted the VS fashion show to be,” wrote another.

Lopez wasn’t the only performer who took the stage. Celine Dion and Camila Cabello also took the stage, both sparkling in Elie Saab, but the noise around their outfits was quieter.

Earlier this year, Lopez attended Elie Saab’s show in Paris, France, donning a fairy-inspired green gown with a plunging necklace and a huge floral cape.

Just a few days ago, Lopez put her own spin on a nude dress from Zuhair Murad and turned heads at the Los Angeles premiere of Wicked, her best version of a revenge dress as she showed off her toned abs and legs.

Jennifer Lopez is known for a lot of things — she’s an actress, singer, producer, and dancer, as well as a bit of a diva, but what no one can take away from her is just how good she looks in a sparkly outfit, no matter the location.