KATY Perry is as famous for her iconic statement looks and brightly colored styles as her chart-topping music.
Now, a stylist has claimed the Roar hitmaker's "contrived" outfits on American Idol do not show her personality and hint at a "loss of control" ahead of her departure.
American Idol viewers have been watching Katy, 39, navigate her final season in the singing competition.
The Grammy Award winner brought out several outfits as contestants battled through the rounds.
From her judge's seat, Katy has also faced criticism over her demeanor.
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Setting the tone, Katy has dressed in dusky pink, off-white, brown, and cream dresses cut to the knee.
“She is so ready to leave,” commented one fan.
Stylist Amanda Sanders agrees, saying that Katy looks dowdy in the unflattering outfits.
"These dresses look lumpy, and some are not properly tailored," Sanders told The U.S. Sun.
"These clothes are not natural to Katy, which would frustrate her.
"We also see her body language changing on set because of it.
Describing a yellow dress with flowers Katy wore earlier this year, Sanders said it "does not suit her because it is dowdy."
"Here is something an aunty would wear at a wedding," she added.
"This new style on set does not match her personality.
"Katy is gorgeous and fun, and all her clothes are usually so flattering, whereas this is contrived.
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Katy probably has less creative control now she is finishing her time there.
Amander Sanders
"The Idol team might be dressing Katy a certain way just for the last series.
"Katy looks how they want her to before she leaves and is a little more what the producers want.
"Katy probably has less creative control now she is finishing her time there."
Without warning, Katy announced she was leaving Idol on Jimmy Kimmel Live in February.
"I love the show so much but I wanna go and see the world and maybe bring new music," she gushed.
As reported by The U.S. Sun, it was not long before ABC may have started scouting for a replacement.
For Katy, it would feel like she is wearing a costume rather than clothes on American Idol.
Amanda Sanders
“They are looking at several options for replacing Katy," a consultant said.
“Names like Jennifer Lopez and Shania Twain… are in the frame because they have worked on the show before and are ‘safe’ faces, but there is a push for Miley," the source claimed.
Sanders said Katy's new outfits channeled nineties fashion and pop stars like Christina Aguilera.
“The outfits are not right for Katy's body type or shape," she said.
"I do not think the colors or the patterns are correct."
She called a pink outfit and another brown one "so awful."
"The others that are pale and white, or the cream dress with the black section, are all wrong," she went on.
A pale yellow number, she added, is "something Christina Aguilera would have worn in the '90s."
"Katy is so beautiful, so this is a shame," she said.
"For Katy, it would feel like she is wearing a costume rather than clothes on American Idol."
Katy is no stranger to throwing on daring dresses and keeping everyone on their toes with her fashion.
Her famous looks include dressing up for the Met Gala as a hamburger.
There have been plenty of style switch-ups in between.
Katy's Billboard's Women in Music red carpet look was daring.
Her black string thong was showing above the waistband of her red skirt and revealed butt cleavage.
Katy went for this red, criss-cross slinky outfit, which was very cheeky.
Amanda Sanders
Sanders said this was more like what Katy usually opted to wear.
"Katy went for this red, criss-cross slinky outfit, which was very cheeky," she said.
"This was a little controversial, but closer to her stage presence than what she has to wear now on Idol."
The megastar has brought out her own fashion and shoe lines.
Outside of Idol, the pop star has worked with various top stylists.
"We go through phases," her stylist, Johnny Wujeck, told InStyle in 2012.
"It's an evolution. We've done the young, playful, candy, cupcake thing, and now she's growing into a woman. We're shaking it up," he said.
Creative artists express themselves through their clothing.
Amanda Sanders
Katy also teamed up with a new stylist in 2021, Aussie Tatiana Waterford.
“She has had so many major fashion moments, and at times, it feels hard to top them," Tatiana told Australian Vogue in 2023.
"I constantly have to push myself to dig deeper with references and brainstorm new places we can go together.”
Sanders said that the Firework singer's body language had changed on Idol.
"Creative artists express themselves through their clothing," she said.
"When you stifle that and ask somebody to wear something unsuitable for them, their body language is off.
"Last season, Katy looked glamorous on set.
She might not be jovial because they have made her wear these clothes.
Amanda Sanders
"The show stylist might be getting told what to put Katy in.
"In this type of TV show, many people are involved.
"Sometimes, her behavior shows that she is annoyed on set, which comes out that way.
"The celebrity could crush the footage just by being moody or unhappy.
"Katy is probably just sitting this out until she has finished.
"She might not be jovial because they have made her wear these clothes."
