logo
The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time
Fashion

The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

Naked dresses, meat dresses and so much more

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

By Annabelle Fernandez - published

From Madonna to Bella Thorne, we chart history's most controversial dresses.

From: Harper's BAZAAR UK

Related Articles: 

Katy Perry’s 15 Most Outrageous Looks

The Best Red Carpet Looks From The Critics’ Choice Awards

All The Best Looks From Billboard Women In Music 2016

Bella Thorne officially shed her Disney roots after wearing this extremely sexy Alexander McQueen gown, featuring daring sheer panelling.
1 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

Emily Ratajkowski's gravity-defying Julien Macdonald dress understandably attracted interest at the US Harper's Bazaar Icons party this September.
2 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

The Alexandre Vauthier red satin dress that Bella Hadid wore for the 2016 Cannes Film Festival will go down in history. The ensemble featured a built-in bodysuit to ensure that nothing slipped out.
3 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

Kim Kardashian is a long-term fan of the barely there dress, as demonstrated this year when she wore a vintage John Galliano sheer mini to the MTV VMAs.
4 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

Beyoncé proudly asserted her sexuality in a sequined sheer dress by Givenchy at the 2015 Met Ball. However, the gown reportedly wasn't her first choice – on the way to the event, she apparently saw what other guests were wearing and decided to scrap the red dress she had chosen and made her driver turn back so she could wear the Givenchy number instead.
5 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

Miley Cyrus, never one to shy away from an attention-grabbing outfit, dressed as a sexy Buzz Lightyear for the 2015 MTV VMAs.
6 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

Rihanna always surprises with her original approach to style, but the sheer bejewelled dress she wore to the 2014 CFDAs shocked more than most. Part Josephine Baker, part sphinx, the pop star teamed the look with a glittering turban, a fur stole and a nude thong to hide her modesty. Rumour has it that she chose the dress to show ex-boyfriend Drake what he was missing.
7 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

Lady Gaga has worn a slew of bold looks over the years, but the meat dress she selected for the 2010 MTV VMAs still remains the most famous. Made using raw beef, the dress was worn as a protest against US governmental restrictions placed on the rights of gay soldiers.
8 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

It's unlikely that the Duchess of Cambridge would wear such a daring dress today (she prefers a full-skirted midi look now), but in 2002 she bravely took part in the St Andrews University fashion show wearing a sheer knit tube dress. It was, apparently, the outfit that wooed Prince William.
9 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

John Galliano's 2000 Dior collection caused controversy after he said that the offering was inspired by the homeless – cue ripped, dishevelled looking clothes and jewellery made from empty whisky bottles and bits of rubbish. Courtney Love naturally was one of the first to model the range at the 2000 Golden Globes.
10 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

The jungle-green Versace dress that Jennifer Lopez worn to the 2000 Grammys represented a turning point in Donatella Versace's career. It received international acclaim, especially after the singer revealed that she wore garment tape to ensure it stayed in position.
11 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

Elizabeth Hurley upstaged her then-boyfriend Hugh Grant at the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral wearing a daring Versace dress, held together by safety pins.
12 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

Back in 1992, Madonna made her catwalk debut for Jean Paul Gaultier at his amFAR extravaganza wearing nothing but a tube dress and the frame of the bra. "I was supposed to wear a top and jacket like Jean Paul's, but at the last minute I decided it was better to go out topless," she said on the night.
13 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

Paving the way for sheer dresses around the world was Cher with her 1988 Oscars dress. Designed by Bob Mackie, the ensemble broke red-carpet boundaries forever.
14 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

So technically not a dress, but Josephine Baker's banana girdle from her famed 'banana dance' caused her to become an overnight sensation when she moved to Paris in the 1920s.
15 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

The Italian heiress Marchesa Casati was known for her wild parties, pet cheetahs and bold sense of style – which included occasionally slipping on live snakes as necklaces. For a 1922 party, she wore a dress that may have inspired Rihanna's CFDAs look: a net of diamonds by Worth, with a gold-feather sun headdress set against a diamond tiara. Even her fringe was covered in jewels and glitter.
16 of 16

A Definitive Timeline Of The Most Outrageous Celebrity Dresses Of All Time

Tags

Bella HadidBELLA THORNEBeyoncéCherCourtney LoveElizabeth HurleyEmily RatajkowskiJennifer LopezJOSEPHINE BAKERKim KardashianLady GagaMadonnaMARCHESA CASATIMiley CyrusRihannaTHE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE
Share this article