It was 1999, the height of popularity for World Wrestling Entertainment (then known as the WWF). Driven by big personalities like The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, pro-wrestling’s TV ratings were regularly surpassing mainstream sports, including even the NBA playoffs. The Simpsons had already aired an episode featuring Hall of Famer Bret “Hitman” Hart, and a year later the first video game in a major franchise — WWF SmackDown! — would have its inception.
In a sea of more traditionally glitzy looks, Laurer arrived at the Emmys in a leather rhinestone-studded dress cut in all the right places to show off her extraordinary muscular frame.
It was a red carpet variation of the costumes Laurer often wore in the ring. In particular, another studded two-piece she had performed in a month earlier at the 1999 SummerSlam — though this time she swapped out her wrestling gloves for a little black purse and her fighting boots for square-toed, heeled mules. With her hair coiled into soft bouncy waves, smoky eyeshadow and diamond studded earrings, Laurer was the picture of unconventional femininity.