If you’re hunting for a look that screams main-character energy—say, for your 10-year high school reunion—consider naked dresses on the red carpet. For the uninitiated, a naked dress is precisely what it sounds like: a gown designed to create the illusion of nudity using sheer fabric and clever construction. Celebrities absolutely love them, so much so that the Cannes Film Festival tried (and failed) to ban naked dresses on the red carpet this year.
The trend isn’t new—it’s been around forever. To celebrate, we’re showcasing the best of the best. Fair warning: there’s mild nudity ahead, so if a glimpse of nipples on the 2025 red carpet surprises you, proceed with caution. With highlights like Halle Berry’s iconic Oscars gown, Ciara’s fully sheer 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party dress, and Kendall Jenner’s daring Met Gala thong look, these 64 naked dresses on the red carpet are the boldest and most unforgettable of all time.
Halle Berry
It’s giving “one false move away from a major wardrobe malfunction.”
Karol Giraldo
Karol wore a see-through look to the 2021 Billboard Awards, opting for a sparkly Celia Kritharioti dress that was completely sheer, had a stomach cutout, and a daring slit.
Charli XCX
Charli’s take on the butter yellow trend is eve-ry-thing.
Chrissy Teigen
Christian Siriano paired with a f*ck ass bob? I approve.
Hari Nef
I was not aware of your game, Hari!
Dakota Johnson
Technically, Dakota saved this one for the after-party, so it didn’t break the new Cannes naked dress ban.
Florence Pugh
Found: a bridal gown that leaves little to the imagination.
Madison Beer
Best dressed at the 2025 Grammys? We’ve gotta give it to Madison.
Keke Palmer
Fun fact: This ab-baring gown (which is from Versace’s spring 2004 collection) was previously worn by Christina Aguilera in the early aughts.
Bella Hadid
Bella made QUITE the impression on her first Cannes red carpet.
Barbara Palvin
Barbara Palvin’s Versace dress for the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party had Swarovski crystal embellishments and sheer detailing.
Kylie Jenner
It’s slinky! It’s sculptural! And it’s very, very sheer!
Kendall Jenner
This is the first time Kendall has shown up on this list, but it definitely won’t be the last.
Tate McRae
Tate must have made Britney Spears proud with this one.
Olivia Wilde
Never have I ever seen a more ethereal naked dress.
Miley Cyrus
Honestly, I don’t know what generated more chatter: Miley’s naked dress or her impossibly voluminous hair.
Taylor Hill
Taylor Hill attends the 2017 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show After Party in Shanghai.
Emily Ratajkowski
This fall-winter 2001 archive Atelier Versace gown? Art.
Charli XCX
Sorry, Mom, I’m wearing this Ludovic de Saint-Sernin to my wedding and will not be accepting comments at this time, thank you.
Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts attends the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party wearing a sparkly Yanina Couture gown that had off-the-shoulder sleeves and a daring slit.
Devon Windsor
Devon Windsor attends the 2017 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show After Party in Shanghai.
Sabrina Carpenter
Important life update: Bejeweled built-in pasties are now a thing.
Anne Hathaway
Mia Thermopolis is SHAKING.
Gemma Chang
Gemma Chan’s high-neck Tom Ford dress for the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscars after-party was covered in sparkly tassels.
Irina Shayk
Just a supermodel supermodeling in Versace.
Ciara
Welcome to the most daring naked dress on this list.
Halle Berry
No one does it better than Halle Berry when it comes to most things in life—including, but not limited to, wearing naked dresses on the red carpet.
Jennifer Lopez
Considering wearing a recreation of this Versace to Thanksgiving this year to mess with my conservative relatives.
Janelle Monáe
Vera Wang, you’re a genius for this.
Dascha Polanco
Dascha Polanco attends the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards.
Megan Fox
“Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, never the same, unique, completely not ever been done before, unafraid to reference or not reference, put it in a blender, sh*t on it, vomit on it, eat it, give birth to it.” – Lady Gaga describing Ryan Murphy / me describing Thierry Mugler.
Lily James
People had a lot of opinions about this Oscar de la Renta gown on Lily, but she’s making it work!
Alessandra Ambrosio
I’m genuinely wondering if the VF party invites have a dress code requirement.
Izabel Goulart
Izabel Goulart attends the screening of the film Burning at the 69th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes.
Rita Ora
Just FYI, that sheer dresses are Rita’s thing.
Bella Hadid
Bella’s icy Ralph & Russo gown took 3,000 hours of hand embroidery and featured 150 meters of hand-appliquéd silver chain. Wowza!
Kendall Jenner
Weirdly, they didn’t give out an award for Nakedest Dress, but if they had, this would have won.
Adwoa Aboah
Adwoa Aboah attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscars Party.
Vanessa Hudgens
Naked dress, but make it goth.
Kendall Jenner
As Kendall put it in her Insta pic of this dress, “Oops.”
Kendall Jenner
Sorry, almost forgot to include Kendall’s La Perla dress from the Met Gala, which was basically just a thong with some sparkly netting over it.
Stella Maxwell
Stella Maxwell attends the 2017 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show After Party in Shanghai.
Rita Ora
Not a single carpet goes by when she isn’t in one.
Jasmine Tookes
Jasmine Tookes attends the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
Rihanna
This Adam Selman dress couldn’t have been more perfect for Rihanna to accept the Fashion Icon Award.
Hunter Schafer
With so little material, you could say Hunter’s look is as light as a feather.
Paris Hilton
As Paris, who many say is “the Shakespeare of our time,” would say: That’s hot.
Paris Hilton
The naked dress was such a vibe; she did it again two years later.
Gwyneth Paltrow
I guess it’s a Marvel thing from around 2013?
Bella Thorne
Specifically, side-sheer gowns really had a moment in the mid-aughts.
Heidi Klum
Heidi Klum arrives at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards.
Lily-Rose Depp
When you wanna be naked and high fashion? Pair a lace Chanel catsuit with a strapless gown on top.
Camila Morrone
Morticia Addams could never!
Beyoncé
No one does it better than Beyoncé, and that’s that.
Jennifer Lopez
A lesson in how to super subtly let people know your abs are amazing.
Khloé Kardashian
Gonna go out on a limb and say J.Lo inspired Khloé.
Zoë Kravitz
Merriam-Webster, we present a new pictorial definition of the word “cool.”
Winnie Harlow
The glamour is on another level.
Emily Ratajkowski
It’s called subtlety.
Doja Cat
I mean, not as iconic as her all-red crystal vibe at Schiaparelli, but a close second.
Imaan Hammam
A new definition of “star” is emerging.
Katy Perry
California Gurls are unforgettable, indeed!
Ciara
And finally, taking things back to one of Ciara’s other best naked dress moments—this gorgeous Tom Ford!
Naked dresses prove that red carpet fashion is all about boldness and confidence. Celebrities who wear them push boundaries, turn heads, and set trends. From sheer gowns to daring cutouts, these looks show that style is as much about attitude as it is about fabric.
