They say that fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life. But even after umpteen amount of preparation and styling, celebrities often fail to nail their red carpet looks. From missing unzipped dresses to the use of extreme padding – red carpet fashion faux pas have time and again left us with memorable celebrity mishaps and scandals that shocked the entertainment world. So read on and get ready to explore the most outrageous red carpet fashion faux pas of all time!
1. Stepping Out in Style: Red Carpet Shockers
Celebrities of all walks of life have been known to turn heads and drop jaws on the red carpet. Throughout the decades, these stars manage to wow us with their daring, edgy, and downright zany fashion choices.
The red carpet has seen some of the greatest looks of all time – styles so unique, it’s hard to recreate. From daring cutouts to outlandish colors, take a look back at some of our favorite fashion moments!
- It doesn’t take a genius to remember Cher’s iconic Bob Mackie feathered gown from the 1988 Academy Awards. Who can forget the asymmetrical cut, bare midriff, and thigh-high slit that shocked the crowd?
- Not long after, Demi Moore gave us a peek at her own midriff and set fashion trends for years in a daring red Versace dress on the Golden Globe Awards’ red carpet in 1991.
- Fast forward a few years, and Bjork made us all stand up and take notice in her infamous swan dress to the 2001 Academy Award show. A bold statement for sure – if you’re looking for a unique pick, this is it!
These days, it seems like more and more celebs are willing to take risks and have a little fun with their fashion choices. From head-turning prints to daring cut outs, there are no shortage of incredible fashion statements to look out for.
2. Fashion Faux Pas: When Good Intentions Go Wrong
When trying to make a great fashion statement, one usually hopes for the best; However, sometimes despite our good intentions, we can actually make a huge fashion disaster. Today, we will go over the top fashion faux pas that one should avoid at all costs:
- Wearing Outdated Trends: You should not be walking around with clothing trends that are outdated. For example, neon colors, frayed jeans, and patterns that are two decades old should be avoided. Trendy items can be great to express yourself, but you also have to watch out for what’s in and what’s not.
- Mixing Too Many Colors and Patterns: It is a huge faux pas to wear multiple colors and patterns without proper coordination. In order to look stylish, you should choose an outfit that has maximum two colors in it and you should alternate between patterns every other piece you choose. That way, you can pair patterns that complement each other without clashing.
- Over-Accessorizing: Accessorizing is a great way to express yourself and add some extra pizazz to your look. Beware, however, of going too far and wearing too many accessories that overpower the rest of the outfit. A great rule of thumb is to try to stick to a maximum of five accessories. A little bit of moderation goes a long way!
These are just a few of the fashion faux pas that can trip us up when it comes to fashion. If you avoid them, you will be sure to look your best no matter what the occasion. So keep these mistakes in mind and make sure to stay fashionably correct!
3. No Dressing the Part: High-Profile Missteps
As the saying goes, the clothes make the man, and for high-profile public figures, gaffes in dress can have significant repercussions. It’s not just politicians who find themselves feeling the heat when their clothing choices raise eyebrows; some celebrities and CEO businessmen have also faced head-on the consequences of their wardrobe malfunction.
- Melania Trump in Colonial-Inspired Outfit
In 2019, when US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited the Taj Mahal in India, the First Lady caused a kerfuffle in her colonial-inspired ensemble, which was seen by many as a distasteful tribute to British exploitation in India.
- Janet Jackson’s Controversial Costume
Janet Jackson was criticized for her questionable wardrobe choice in 2002, when she wore an outfit mimicking Nazi military uniforms at a performance hosted by MTV. Fans were miffed at her failure to recognize and reject the infamous emblem of Aryan dominance. Fueled by the outrage, MTV’s president released an official statement apologizing for the incident.
- Ad-lib Disaster for Britney Spears
Britney Spears performed at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony wearing a skimpy bodysuit that bared her midriff – an artistic choice which was widely condemned. While the singer pulled off the abbreviated outfit, the ad-lib dance that followed it evoked embarrassment from both the audience and network.
4. Strikingly Unsuitable: Celebrities Who Missed the Fashion Mark
We’ve all had an outfit fail at least once in our lives where we thought we looked really great only to realize later we completely missed the mark. But, such fashion miscues are more entertaining when it comes to celebrities who grace the red carpet in their flawlessly styled looks. We’ve rounded up 5 celebs who got it wrong complete with a style analysis of what went down below.
- Tilda Swinton’s Gacchi Uniform
Actor Tilda Swinton made quite a statement with her boxy white gacchi uniform complete with a mangled up side knot. Accompanied with sports sandals, she seemed to be embracing a utilitarian theme with her look.
- Selena Gomez’s Semi-Sheer Green Dress
Selena Gomez’s mint green Saint Laurent dress was a fail on so many levels- fabric, fit and style. The semi-sheer and boxy fabric gave her a rather gothic vibe, and read more costumey than chic on the singer.
- Dakota Johnson’s All Black Ensemble
Dakota Johnson’s wardrobe choice on an event was more Halloween-esque than haute couture. The wide-legged velvet pants and off-shoulder sheer top were a tad too overwhelming and her styling of the ensemble too dark and vampish.
- Megan Fox’s Denim Flares
Megan Fox went full denim at an awards show, however, the actress’ outfit simultaneously appeared dated and overly traditional. With a denim suit and statement corset it seems like the Transformers star should have opted for something more modern.
- Victoria Beckham’s Long Sleeved Mini-Dress
Victoria Beckham’s style is usually right on the spot, but her latest red carpet look was an epic fail. A long-sleeved mini dress and black strappy heels created a contrasting effect and did nothing to flaunt the former Spice Girl’s signature style.
5. Flawed, But Memorable: Notable Red Carpet Faux Pas
When it comes to awards season, red carpets glimmer with the style and grace of beautiful celebrities in their glittering designer gowns. But not all fashion looks hit the mark, and often times these extravagant affairs can provide us with some of the more memorable comedic relief. Here are five of the most legendary red carpet fails that have forever left their mark in pop culture:
- Jesse Williams in Bottega Veneta – 2016 Emmy Awards – Instead of wearing something dazzling, actor Jesse Williams chose a rather questionable tailored tracksuit, complete with drop crotch trousers and mismatched zip-up top. Although it certainly wasn’t on-trend, his effortless swagger pulled it off – sort of.
- Heidi Klum and Seal – 2006 Emmys – This eccentric couple left jaws dropped with their unique interpretation of formal attire. Klum showed up in a stunning black gown with an oversized pair of crocheted wings, while Seal opted for a shiny red unitard, complete with a giant train of red fabric billowing behind him. Definitely avant-garde, but it takes a brave pair to pull off such an outrageous look.
- Dane Cook – 2009 Aziz Ansari Comedy Central Roast – Ah, the irony. The last thing you want to do when attending a show centered around comedy is be the one in the crowd that isn’t laughing. But that was the case for Dane Cook on the red carpet before the Aziz Ansari roast, as he showed up with a somber face that was quite opposite of his usual goofy one. Twitter had a field day with the moment, and it quickly became a fail so big that it was impossible to ignore.
- Cher in Bob Mackie – 1988 Academy Awards – A truly iconic fashion disaster, the goddess of outrageous fashion, Cher, made it clear what she thought of conventional red carpet looks with her daring ensemble. The sheer, feather trimmed dress was said to have taken 1,000 hours to make, but it didn’t take Twitter users half as long to call her out for her many, many fashion crimes.
- Kathy Bates – 2001 Oscars – Bates’ Versace look left the red carpet divided, as many felt it was an unflattering choice for Bates to make. The dress was adorned with a mass of intricate beading and Swarovski crystals, but it was the the bordering on clownish femme fatale feathered hat that really took it too far in the wrong direction.
Fashion critics often cringe at these ensembles, citing that they are too far out there and won’t last the test of time. But regardless of their flaws, these star-studded fails will always be remembered, and revered for their audacity. And hey, it just goes to show that even Hollywood’s brightest stars can unintentionally give us a good laugh.
We hope we’ve reminded you that it’s not just about the dress or the suit; it’s about the moments that are made in them. We wish all celebrities from now on the very best of luck as they confidently take these first steps in front of the cameras. After all, they’re human too, so don’t forget to give them a break!
