What is a Wardrobe Malfunction?
During an infamous halftime show performance at 2004’s Super Bowl XXXVIII, singer Janet Jackson’s breast was inadvertently exposed on live television as a result of a wardrobe malfunction. Fellow performer Justin Timberlake was supposed to tear away a rigged portion of Jackson’s blouse to reveal the frilly lingerie underneath, but the entire costume came off instead. Although Jackson’s breast was partially concealed by a metallic piece of body jewelry, the ensuing controversy over the unintentional exposure put the term “wardrobe malfunction” on the cultural front burner.