The 98th Academy Awards are taking place on Sunday, March 15 at the Dolby Theatre, which means it is time for stars to show off their best naked dresses, thigh-baring slits and plunging necklines on the red carpet.
Stars let their fashion freak flag fly at the Grammys, but the Oscars tend to be a more understated affair.
However, that is not always true, and plenty of celebrities have stunned over the years in sheer outfits… some accidentally, like Barbra Streisand in 1969, while others purposefully opt for see-through bodices.
To celebrate the end of awards season, the Daily Mail is rounding up the most shocking Academy Awards dresses of all time, including Bjork’s unforgettable swan dress and Billy Porter‘s fashion rules-defying velvet gown.
Barbra Streisand starts off the list in an outfit that made many a worst dressed roundup. It has been called ‘wacky’ and ‘outrageous,’ but has become iconic for kicking off the naked dressing trend.
Streisand did not realize how sheer her Arnold Scaasi bell bottom jumpsuit was when accepting her Best Actress award in 1969.
The Funny Girl actress accidentally gave viewers a peek at her thong while taking home an Oscar statuette for lead actress. It is rumored that Streisand, now 83, is in talks to perform at this year’s ceremony to honor her late friend Robert Redford. In 2026, the Yentl actress will most certainly opt for a more covered-up ensemble (although she could still pull off a pantsuit).
Scassi, who also designed for Sophia Loren, Barbara Bush, Hilary Clinton and Laura Bush, became infamous for creating one of the most controversial Oscar looks of all time. Now, plenty of stars hit the carpet in far more see-through ensembles.
Barbra Streisand didn’t realize quite how sheer her Arnold Scaasi jumpsuit was when accepting her Best Actress award in 1969, accidentally giving the audience an eyeful
Streisand inadvertently showed off her bottom in thong and the outfit also tore making for a fashion disaster for the ages
In 1986, singer Cher stepped out at the event in a belly-baring skimpy sequin ensemble, complete with a huge feather headdress
In 1986, Cher stepped out in one of the most memorable Oscars outfits ever, wearing a belly-baring skimpy sequined ensemble, complete with a huge feather headdress courtesy of designer-to-the-stars Bob Mackie.
In recent years, young starlets have opted for Mackie’s glittering ensembles, with Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift rocking his glittering gowns.
In October, Mackie reminisced about dressing the Believe singer and told the Daily Mail that dressing Cher was ‘easy’ because she ‘loved to get dressed up’ and was ‘never intimidated by anything.’
Cher later told the New York Times that she opted to wear the eye-popping revenge dress because she was angry that she hadn’t been nominated for her role in The Mask.
‘I wasn’t going to go at all. And then they asked me to present, these people who had just said, “No, you can’t be one of us.” Then I decided, “I’m going to remind them of what they don’t like about me.”‘
Cher later seemed to regret the decision, however, calling the outfit ‘stupid’ during an interview with Film Comment.
In 1991, Cindy Crawford stunned in a plunging fire engine red Versace number alongside her date, marking her first official appearance with Richard Gere.
The plunging dress has become so famous it now merits its own Wikipedia page.
Plunging dresses are de rigueur in Hollywood these days, but back in the 90s they were not until Cindy Crawford kicked them off in her now-iconic Versace gown
Halle Berry collected her Best Actress Oscar for Monster’s Ball in 2002 wearing an iconic Elie Saab creation, which featured a completely sheer bodice embroidered with flowers
Björk shocked viewers at the 2001 Oscars when she wore her now-iconic swan dress, which featured a lifelike version of the animal wrapped around her neck alongside sheer paneling
Halle Berry made headlines in 2002 when she hit the red carpet in a stunning sheer gown with strategically placed flowers to protect her modesty. Berry made history that night as the first Black woman to win the best actress Oscar for Monster’s Ball.
In 2024, Berry wore the same glitzy Elie Saab design on the catwalk and paid tribute to the famous dress on Instagram.
‘There are some moments in life that just happen and they change our lives forever! Winning an Academy Award in my Elie Saab gown was one of those moments for me,’ Berry wrote, before thanking the designer ‘for being a part of the tapestry of my life as we have been inextricably connected for 22 years now.’
Björk shocked viewers at the 2001 Oscars when she wore her now-iconic swan dress, which featured a lifelike version of the animal wrapped around her neck alongside sheer paneling.
The Icelandic musician left a trail of eggs that she pretended to lay as she walked the red carpet.
The nude illusion dress was incredibly eccentric and kicked off a career of wacky ensembles.
In 2019, Billy Porter put on a jaw-dropping display on the Oscars red carpet in a black velvet gown paired with a tux top
Billy Porter is best known for his role as the flamboyant ball emcee Pray Tell in the FX series Pose and for his ensemble at the 2019 Oscars.
The Pose superstar put on a jaw-dropping display on the red carpet in a tuxedo gown designed by Christian Siriano.
The unmissable outfit included a black velvet ballgown bottom paired with a classic tuxedo top.
While the glamorous custom designer gown was divisive, fans praised him for breaking traditional red carpet rules.
