Great moments in celebrities wearing American flags

By Fusion Staff | July 4, 2016 | 11:00am

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Today is the Fourth of July, and though it may be her birthday, America doesn’t look a day over 200.

Before you pull on that flag T-shirt and roll out to barbecue, take a moment to consider the symbol’s controversial history as an article of clothing. In 1968, activist Abbie Hoffman was arrested during a Vietnam War protest for wearing a shirt that resembled the American flag. He had violated the Flag Protection Act, passed by Congress that same year, which made a criminal of anyone who “knowingly mutilates, defaces, physically defiles, burns, maintains on the floor or ground, or tramples upon any flag of the United States.” (The statue was ultimately struck down in 1990.)

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But over the course of just a few decades, wearing an American flag has transformed from an act of protest to an act of patriotism. If you go looking for photos of celebrities posing with, draped in, or otherwise dressed in clothing that is directly inspired by the stars and stripes, you won’t be disappointed. Flag ponchos, tops, bikinis, jeans—you name it, they’ve worn it. Celebrity flag fashion appears to have experienced a notable uptick in the year or two after 9/11, but it’s still going strong, particularly on inexplicably super-sexualized magazine covers featuring female stars (looking at you, GQ).

Betsy Ross would be proud. I think?

Britney Spears

Jennifer Aniston

Tina Fey

Lady Gaga and Beyoncé

Mariah Carey

Kid Rock

Busta Rhymes

Elton John

Nicki Minaj

Jessica Simpson

Courtney Love

Azealia Banks

Kacey Musgraves

Lil Wayne

Destiny’s Child

Mariah Carey

Kate Upton

Katy Perry

Evan Peters

Carrie Underwood

Dolly Parton

Kesha

Beyoncé (again)

Lana Del Rey

Rihanna

Molly Fitzpatrick is senior editor of Fusion’s Pop & Culture section. Her interests include movies about movies, TV shows about TV shows, and movies about TV shows, but not so much TV shows about movies.