Britney Spears Does ‘Gangnam Style’ in Iconic 5-Inch YSL Tribtoo Pumps

When K-pop sensation Psy took the world by storm with “Gangnam Style,” even the biggest names in Hollywood wanted to learn his signature moves.

On September 11, 2012, Britney Spears appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to do just that, resulting in one of the most memorable viral crossovers in television history.

The singer of “Hold It Against Me” had previously tweeted her interest in the dance, prompting Ellen DeGeneres to surprise her with a live lesson from Psy himself. While the “invisible horse” dance usually calls for comfortable footwear, Spears proved her status as a seasoned performer by mastering the choreography in towering designer heels.

Ellen initially suggested that Britney remove her shoes for the lesson, but the pop icon declined.

Psy demonstrates the “Gangnam Style” dance alongside Britney Spears and Ellen DeGeneres during Spears’ appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on September 11, 2012

As Psy noted during the segment, the spirit of the dance is to “dress classy, dance cheesy”—a mantra Britney embodied perfectly while keeping her footwear firmly on.

Britney Spears joins Psy and Ellen DeGeneres onstage as they perform the viral “Gangnam Style” choreography together during the lively daytime talk show segment

Britney tackled the choreography in a pair of nude Yves Saint Laurent “Tribtoo” pumps, a towering platform style with a 5½-inch stiletto heel designed by then–creative director Stefano Pilati.

The skin-tone shade created a seamless line from leg to floor, visually elongating her frame—a favorite styling trick on red carpets during the late 2000s and early 2010s. With its rounded almond toe and cleverly concealed platform that softened the heel’s steep pitch, the Tribtoo became one of the era’s defining “It” shoes, worn by countless celebrities between 2008 and 2013.

Nude Yves Saint Laurent “Tribtoo” platform pumps featuring a rounded almond toe, a concealed platform, and a towering 5½-inch stiletto heel—an iconic Stefano Pilati design that dominated celebrity red carpets in the late 2000s and early 2010s

Yves Saint Laurent “Tribtoo” Pumps Became a Red-Carpet Staple for Celebrities

Pop stars and actresses alike embraced the dramatic silhouette. Christina Aguilera famously relied on Yves Saint Laurent Tribtoo pumps to amplify her petite frame, using the towering platform to create a striking leg-lengthening effect during public appearances and performances.

The style also appeared on red carpets across Hollywood. When promoting her memoir, Jennifer Hudson stepped out in bold cap-toe Tribtoo pumps, pairing the statement heels with a sleek black ensemble that highlighted the shoe’s sculpted silhouette.

Younger stars embraced the same trend during the early-2010s platform-heel boom. At the Journey 2: The Mysterious Island premiere, Ashley Tisdale styled beige suede Tribtoo pumps with a delicate lace dress, demonstrating how the hidden-platform design could add height while maintaining a polished red-carpet finish.

Nude Yves Saint Laurent ‘Tribtoo’ Platform Pumps

Britney Spears’ Heel-First Style Legacy Still Defines Her Most Memorable Fashion Moments

From mastering Psy’s viral choreography in sky-high Yves Saint Laurent “Tribtoo” pumps to turning designer heels into a signature part of her red-carpet identity, Britney Spears has long understood the power of statement footwear.

Her playful Gangnam Style cameo is just one chapter in a broader fashion story filled with leg-lengthening platforms, bold performance shoes, and standout designer moments—making it easy to trace how her footwear choices have helped shape her pop star image over the years.