Jaclyn Smith defended her decision to re-wear a gown on the Emmys 2026 red carpet by pointing straight to British royalty.
The “Charlie’s Angels” star, 80, arrived at Monday night’s ceremony in a light green Monique Lhuillier dress completely covered in white feathers and sequins. Speaking to Variety on the red carpet, she revealed the piece came straight from her own closet. “I like the color … And to be very honest, I’ve worn this gown before,” she said.
The dress first debuted at her son’s wedding in July 2023.
Smith’s comfort with the repeat appearance was immediate. “This feels like I’m in my nightgown,” she shared of the ultra-glam look.
Not everyone in her circle initially embraced the choice. “Everybody said, ‘How can you do that?'” she recounted. Her response drew a direct parallel across the Atlantic: “Well, if Princess Kate can re-wear something, I can re-wear something,” she added, referring to Kate Middleton’s well-documented habit of recycling dresses for public and black-tie events.
The Emmys marked a significant reunion for Smith beyond her fashion statement. She joined former co-stars Kate Jackson and Cheryl Ladd to honor the 50th anniversary of “Charlie’s Angels” and their late colleague Farrah Fawcett. The trio took the stage together to present the award for Outstanding Drama Series to “The Pitt.”
Smith’s appearance continues a broader Hollywood shift toward sustainable and sentimental red-carpet choices. Her son’s wedding in July 2023 had first given the Lhuillier gown its outing, transforming a mother-of-the-groom moment into a statement about longevity and personal meaning in celebrity fashion.
The actress has built a decades-long reputation for elegance since her breakthrough as Kelly Garrett on “Charlie’s Angels,” which premiered in 1976 and ran for five seasons. Her partnership with Kmart on a clothing and home collection beginning in the 1980s further cemented her influence on American style.
Monday’s ceremony brought her full circle to the franchise that made her famous, with the reunion serving as both tribute and television history lesson for a new generation of viewers.
Middleton’s re-wearing practices have been widely documented throughout her public life, from casual daytime engagements to major royal events. Smith’s explicit reference to the Princess of Wales positioned her own choice within a growing movement that challenges the expectation of single-use couture on high-profile occasions.
The “Charlie’s Angels” reunion at the Emmys came fifty years after the show’s debut and followed years of speculation about whether the surviving cast members would commemorate the milestone together.