Jessica Simpson reacts to Catherine Zeta-Jones wearing dress she owned nearly 20 years ago

‘Sexy never goes out of style,’ Simpson says

Catherine Zeta-Jones was spotted out in Portofino, Italy, hand-in-hand with her husband, Michael Douglas, wearing an ethereal, deep purple Emmanuel Ungaro gown.

However, eagle-eyed fans noticed that pop star Jessica Simpson wore the exact same dress to VH1’s Big in ‘05 awards show, where coincidentally she was awarded for her sense of style.

Although Zeta-Jones, 53, wore the dress in July, Simpson recently reacted to the actor’s glamourous look, saying on her Instagram Story: “Sexy never goes out of style.”

It certainly wasn’t the first time two celebrities had a twinning moment.

In the height of the ‘00s magazine era, outlets famously printed both photos of stars wearing the same outfit alongside the question: “Who wore it better?” While tabloids often pitted two women against each other, it was a sign of the times that Simpson supported and complimented the Oscar winner’s look.

Glamour posted a side-by-side picture of both Simpson and Zeta-Jones’ looks to Instagram, sans comparison. Many users in the comments section were divided by the early aughts style of the dress. One commented that the dress looked “like a Gucci number,” while another wrote: “Could have stayed in 2005.”

When Simpson originally wore the gown, she had recently finalised her divorce from Love Is Blind host Nick Lachey. According to Us Weekly, fans considered the sultry look a “revenge dress” back in the day.

Since then, Simpson has become a mother of three and recently authored the best-selling memoir, Open Book, which has sold half a million copies worldwide.

In the book, Simpson confided in readers about her struggles with alcoholism, weight loss, and relationships in the public eye. The singer also spoke about her eponymous fashion line, which includes apparel, shoes, hair extensions, and at one point, edible body products.

Like Simpson, the Chicago star has also turned heads with her fashion looks. These days, she does so alongside her daughter - rising musician Carys Douglas, who goes by CZD professionally. The mother-daughter pair recently donned Elie Saab gowns to the Jeanne Du Barry premiere at the 76th annual Cannes Film Festival.

While Zeta-Jones wore a deep, plunging red gown with a matching cape attached to one sleeve, all eyes were on her mini-me. For her red carpet debut, her daughter wore a gown made of a sheer lace fabric, coupled with netting detail near the hem of the skirt. She paired the look with a soft, rosy-cheeked makeup look that emphasised her youthful ensemble.

Beside her mother, the budding singer watched as her father was awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Palme D’Or. She took to Instagram to post about the glamourous evening, writing: “Thank you Cannes for the most wonderful evening! It was an honor to celebrate my father as he received his lifetime achievement Palm D’Or. Bon festival!”