The red carpet. A mythical place where the world's biggest celebrities put on their best suits and dresses to be photographed by the paparazzi. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? Except for the fact that celebs are heavily scrutinized, criticized, and even laughed at by the press and fans.
No, we're not saying it's easy to pull off the perfect red carpet look. It's an art form in itself. The crimson walkway has always been the place where winners and losers are made. Find out if your favorite celebs have made the list and learn about their worst red carpet regrets.
Miley Cyrus - 2011 Justin Bieber: Never Say Never Premiere
The American pop singer/former child actress Miley Cyrus has tried countless looks over the years, going from the long-haired, innocent Hannah Montana to the Joan Jett-inspired rock and roll stunner of Plastic Hearts in less than a decade. But like most celebs in the world, Cyrus is not perfect...
In 2011, she attended the premiere of a Justin Bieber documentary wearing an outfit she has regretted by now. It's not like the style looks bad; it's just that it's not red-carpet-worthy! Talking about her 2011 look, Cyrus admitted that she dressed for a premiere as if she was going to a music festival.
Sophie Turner - 2018 Kit Harington & Rose Leslie Wedding
Going to the wedding of not one but two of your Game of Thrones co-stars makes for a big, big day. But, Sophie Turner, the actress behind Sansa Stark's character, quickly regretted her 2018 look. The reason why? She opted for the wrong kind of shoes.
The English actress didn't want to show too much of her legs, so she opted for thigh-high boots instead of a more classic pair of high heels. The boots were a mismatch for her long red jacket, and Turner has since admitted that it was a "disaster" and her "worst fashion choice."
Selena Gomez - 2007 Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End Premiere
Selena Gomez went from child actress to music diva in record time, especially when we consider she was just an innocent and questionably-dressed kid in 2007. She then attended one of her first premieres, wearing one of the most casual red carpet outfits we've ever seen.
She recalled her 2007 look like something she'll never do again, even admitting that her stylist was mortified by her red carpet "attire." Fortunately, Gomez has learned one or two things about stunning red carpet outfits since then, and she's arguably one of the best-dressed singers in the world right now.
David & Victoria Beckham - 1999 Gucci Show
At the turn of the millennium, David and Victoria Beckham were among the world's most trendy couples. But their superstar status was nearly threatened by a crass red carpet mistake. David himself has recently admitted his leathery look is an all-too-cringy blast from the past.
For some unknown reason, the power couple decided to dress in full leather outfits to attend a classy 1999 Gucci show. The suits were Versace, but we don't think they were meant to be used at a red carpet event, let alone by two people at the same time.
Diane Kruger - 2005 Golden Globe Awards
When you look as good as the German actress/model Diane Kruger does, even your fashion mishaps can be a sight for sore eyes. But ever since she attended the 2005 Golden Globe Awards ceremony, Kruger has regretted her bizarre outfit, which looks like what a bellydancer would wear for a performance.
Talking about her strange 2005 outfit, Kruger started by praising her stylists while admitting this was not their brightest moment. We agree: if Kruger looks lovely in the picture, that's because she's doing all the work! And have we mentioned this was her first-ever Golden Globes appearance.
Justin Timberlake - 2001 American Music Awards
Don't celebrities learn anything? Just two years after David and Victoria Beckham's leathery fiasco, another superstar couple at the time, Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears attended the 2001 Amerian Music Awards wearing a now-iconic matching denim outfit. And the result is even more cringy when you take Britney out of the picture.
Denim jacket, denim hat, denim jeans, and a denim-colored shirt? That's too much denim if you ask us! Still, Timberlake's all-denim look has turned into a sort of meme, one of those pop culture bits people mention again and again. Denim was supposedly very fashionable in 2001, but all trends can look ridiculous when you overplay your hand.
Maya Rudolph - 2019 Academy Awards
It's impossible not to love the amusing Maya Rudolph, arguably one of Hollywood's most hilarious ladies. Still, we don't think her 2019 Academy Awards look was a misunderstood joke, but rather a red carpet mistake. While Rudolph never talked about her highly-criticized dress, she was immediately picked as one of the worst-dressed celebs of the evening by tabloid newspapers such as The Sun.
A tabloid journalist mentioned that the flowery pattern was pretty, but the dress "swamped the actress" and resembled an "old-fashioned nightie." It's hard to disagree with that.
Rachel Weisz - 2019 Academy Awards
In 2019, the beautiful Rachel Weisz was a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominee ready to make an impact. Still, she missed her shot, possibly by showing up in a questionable all-red red carpet attire. And no, the inclusion of a latex jacket didn't help her cause.
Like Maya Rudolph, she was selected by The Sun as one of the worst-dressed celebs of the night, which is a pity considering how naturally beautiful Weisz is. The tabloids called the attire "bizarre," and we have to agree. It's overly saturated, monochromatic, and it doesn't really sit well with The Favourite actress.
Salma Hayek - 2018 Academy Awards
The Frida actress Salma Hayek is a bombshell of a woman and one of the most classy red carpet superstars on the planet. Still, the dress she wore at the 2018 Academy Awards is a messy stain on her otherwise pristine reputation. Strangely, it was created by an acclaimed Gucci designer named Alessandro Michele.
The tabloids immediately criticized Hayek's Oscar look, and some journalists mentioned it resembled something made out of curtain fabric. However, the most unsightly detail is surely the over-the-top diamond chain, which somehow looks incredibly cheap (even though it probably isn't)!
Geena Davis - 1992 Academy Awards
Geena Davis enjoyed one of the best years of her career in 1992, in the aftermath of the release of the cult film Thelma & Louise. Davis and her co-star Susan Sarandon were nominated for Best Actress but ended up losing to Jodie Foster. Yet, the night's real loser was Davis's red carpet dress, which was immediately snubbed by the press.
She looked like a steamy all-white cun cun dancer or like someone wearing a bride's Halloween costume. To make it worse, Davis's 1992 look actually made it to a couple of worst red carpet hairstyles lists in recent years.
Faith Hill - 2002 Academy Awards
The American singer Faith Hill is a gorgeous woman, not to mention she's a country music superstar. But in 2002, the seemingly perfect Mississipi artist hit all the wrong notes with this colorful, candyfloss-hued red carpet attire.
Drawing inspiration from some South American exotic bird (at least that's our guess), Hill showed up in the 2002 Oscars with a big smile and left as one of the worst-dressed celebs of the night. We guess being fashionable is all about taking risks, but not all of your bets will prove wise in the end.
Helena Bonham Carter - 1987 Academy Awards
The reason we don't expect actress Helena Bonham Carter to be one of the best-dressed of the night has to do with her big charisma. While she's known for being an extremely talented big-screen performer, she has a very peculiar sense of style that often dwells in gothic, dark themes.
There's nothing wrong with dressing in black to attend the Oscars, but let's face it: gothic or not, Carter's 1987 Academy Awards look is not a sight to be remembered. Her corset is hardly a good fit, and she's missing a lot in the makeup department. Still, we wouldn't consider it a crass fail: it's just Carter being Carter!
Kate Hudson - 2001 Academy Awards
A Best Supporting Actress nominee at the age of 21, the Almost Famous superstar Kate Hudson was determined to make a big impression on the red carpet. But to her surprise, her 2001 look made it to almost all of the worst-dressed lists.
Hudson talked about her highly criticized look later, and she admitted that she still owns this dress and intends to use it again! Her look was put together by the acclaimed fashion designer Stella McCartney, but that wasn't enough to impress the press. We're not huge fans of Hudson's red carpet vibe, but we love her confident attitude.
Tyra Banks - 2000 Academy Awards
Besides being one of the most famous supermodels of all time, the ever-beautiful Tyra Banks is a smart, successful, and extremely popular TV host, producer, and businesswoman. She's always been the embodiment of grace and power, except for one fateful night: the 2000 Academy Awards ceremony.
If you think Banks looks like he's dressed for prom, you've hit the bullseye. The press went mad about the supermodel's seemingly tacky red carpet look, and with good reason: this dress looks like something a little girl would wear on Halloween to pretend to be a princess. We guess nobody is perfect, not even Tyra Banks!
Celine Dion - 1999 Academy Awards
The Canadian music diva Celine Dion has the voice of an angel and the braveness of a red carpet warrior. In 1999, she attended the Oscars in an all-white suit and made it to some worst-dressed lists. She spoke about her controversial outfit without regret, simply mentioning it was "avant-garde at the time."
What the press interpreted as a fashion fiasco turned out to be a red carpet statement, as Dion dared to wear pants and a back-to-front-appearing jacket to an event where all the girls showed up in a dress. Looking back, we think Dion looks good, but we can understand why her attire was so criticized.
Angelina Jolie - 2000 Academy Awards
In 2000, the gorgeous American actress Angelina Jolie was considered the ultimate Hollywood bad girl, so she decided to act accordingly at the Oscars. That same night, she ended up making history by winning an Academy Award and by controversially kissing her older brother, James Haven, on the lips.
Considering Jolie's statuesque physique, we have to say she'd look great even if she showed up on the red carpet dressed as a banana! Still, Jolie's 2000 Oscar attire was heavily debated in the press, with many claiming it was excessively black and too trivial for a super-celeb like Jolie.
Whoopi Goldberg - 1993 Academy Awards
Whoopi Goldberg has been one of America's favorite comedians for decades now. But in 1993, she pulled a practical joke that few people understood. That's not to say she wasn't laughed at: in fact, her outrageous 1993 dress is still an iconic Oscar fail moment today.
Goldberg's daring dress has a Halloween costume quality that makes it very hard on the eyes. It's a sort of dark purple cape that opens up to show a gaudy blue pantsuit and a shockingly bright green lining. We love Goldberg, and we think she's great, but it's hard to believe she left the house wearing this.
Charlize Theron - 2010 Academy Awards
You don't even need to watch her perfume commercials to realize Charlize Theron is one of Hollywood's most stunning movie stars. But not even a woman this gorgeous was able to keep out of the worst-dressed lists in 2010. The reason? Her inexplicably weird light-purple dress.
You don't need to take a second look at the picture to notice something ain't right... The dress uses a strange pattern to highlight Theron's chest, and it's as if she was trying to convince people to look at it! Perez Hilton has put it perfectly: "why do you feel the need to frost those cupcakes?"
Sarah Paulson - 2019 Academy Awards
At the age of 46, the hugely talented American actress Sarah Paulson is finally getting the recognition she deserves amongst her peers and fans. But Paulson's underrated acting skills are no excuse for her pretty inexplicable 2019 Academy Awards look.
The press named Paulson one of the worst-dressed celebs of the night, and they were probably right. It's not just that her dress is pink beyond reason: it also features a peculiar cut in the waist and an over-the-top diamond necklace. Still, magazines such as StyleCaster have actually praised Paulson's 2019 dress.
Björk - 2001 Academy Awards
From the tiny, icy nation of Iceland to the world, the charming singer-songwriter Björk has proven to be a one-of-a-kind celeb over the years. Not a big fan of pepping up for the red carpet, she ended up making it to the 2001 Academy Awards wearing one of the most famous bad dresses in the history of the Oscars!
Her swan dress, parodying typical red carpet looks, makes for a quite memorable Oscar moment. In 2004, Björk admitted that the look was nothing but a joke. Still, she's earned a place on our list the minute she decided to wear that outlandishly ugly swan to the red carpet.
Sophia Loren - 2009 Academy Awards
Now we've seen it all! The fact that a diva of Sophia Loren's status has made it to the worst-dressed lists of the 2009 Academy Awards is all the proof we needed to know that not even the most elegant and gracious celebs are perfect.
A classic actress from the Golden Age of Hollywood, Loren's been aging perfectly and still looks great at 86. But the same cannot be said of her Beauty and the Beast-inspired "princess" dress, which was pretty dated even by 2009 standards. It's a rare mishap in a long career of fashion successes.
Hilary Swank - 2003 Academy Awards
In 2003, the American actress Hillary Swank was about to shock the world with her outstanding performance in Million Dollar Baby, one of the best movies of 2004. But it's a wonder she was still cast to play the role of a strong female boxer after showing up to the Oscars looking like this.
While we have to admit she's still a sight of beauty, we're not surprised at all by the press's reception of her light-pink 2003 dress. It was considered "childish" and not classy enough for such a glamorous red carpet event. She could've done a lot better.
Kim Basinger - 1990 Academy Awards
Fashion is all about mixing different styles into new formats, being inventive, and making a statement. But with every gamble comes risk, and the riskier the move, the higher the chances of losing. And that's exactly what happened to Kim Basinger at the 1990 Academy Awards.
She attempted to combine two disparate styles by showing up in a half-gown, half-tuxedo dress that certainly didn't impress her fans. It's a pity to see such a beautiful woman in such a jarring dress, but we still have to praise her for trying it out.
Chloë Sevigny - 2001 Academy Awards
In 2000, the indie film actress Chloë Sevigny attended the Academy Awards wearing a stunning all-black gown. In an interview with Los Angeles Times, she mentioned it was one of her favorite Oscar looks ever. But she made no mention of the red carpet attire she tried out the following year.
Going for a riskier style, Sevigny made it to the worst-dressed lists by showing up at the 2001 Academy Awards wearing a rather elaborate style that featured way too many different types of fabric. A mini-skirt underneath a long, translucent second skirt? It's definitely not our favorite Chloë Sevigny red carpet moment.
Christina Aguilera - 2001 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
It's usually hard to criticize Christina Aguilera. She's an extremely successful recording artist and TV personality, a woman of great talent, beauty, and charisma. But in 2001, she showed up at the 7th Blockbuster Entertainment Awards in one of the most surprising red carpet looks we've ever seen.
Her exaggeratedly ragged dark pink dress is eye-catching but not in a good way. The worst part has got to be the hair. Because dark pink and gold combine "so well," Aguilera showed up with an outlandish blonde afro that ties the whole look together in the most appalling of ways. But don't worry, Christina, "you are beautiful, no matter what they say."
Diane Keaton - 2004 Academy Awards
You've probably seen this one before. In 2004, legendary Hollywood actress Diane Keaton showed up at the Oscars wearing a classic Ralph Lauren suit that was (we assume) initially designed to be used by men. The backlash was intense at the time, with Keaton making it to virtually all of the worst-dressed lists.
Looking back, though, it's hard to pinpoint exactly why. If you ignore the fact most female celebs don't wear suits on the red carpet, Keaton actually looks pretty good. And in a day and age where gender norms are becoming obsolete, it's fair to say this is a look that was ahead of its time.
Cardi B - 2018 American Music Awards
There's something special about the American rapper Cardi B. A gorgeous, steamy, and provocative woman, she doesn't like to play by everyone else's rules. And she demonstrated all of her personality when she showed up wearing this flowery dress at the 2018 American Music Awards.
While it's easy to call it an over-the-top, curtain-inspired mess, Cardi B's look wasn't deemed consensually bad at the time. Surprisingly, she made it to the best-dressed list of the 2018 AMA's in publications such as the British tabloid Mirror. We guess fashion truly is a subjective matter.
Kylie Jenner - 2019 Grammy Awards
The 2019 Grammy Awards were marked by Kylie Jenner's unique outfit, which raised some eyebrows in the celebrity press. Cosmopolitan called it "the most un-Kylie outfit," in reference to the socialite's usually pristine sense of fashion.
But hey, as we've mentioned before, nobody is perfect. Accompanied by her boyfriend Travis Scott, Kylie proved that even she could make horrendous fashion mistakes. Besides featuring an overly baggy pair of pants, Kylie's outfit conceals way too much of her beautiful skin. Add a couple of questionable white gloves, and you have what's arguably Kylie's worst-ever red carpet attire.
Lena Dunham - 2014 Emmy Awards
Lena Dunham is best known as the star and creator of the TV series Girls, where she showed all of her talent and inventiveness. But when she showed up for the 2014 Emmy Awards looking like a giant pink-frosted cake, it became immediately evident she'd made a bad decision.
The look was chosen as one of the worst of the Emmys and criticized by some of Dunham's fans. Her dress looks like something that was crafted out of a random number of different pink textures and put together in a hurry. We think Dunham looks beautiful all the time, with this particular attire being the exception to the rule.
Kim Kardashian - 2013 Met Gala
Arguably one of the world's most influential fashion icons, the gorgeous Kim Kardashian is not accustomed to making the worst-dressed list. But when she showed up for the 2013 Met Gala looking like she was wearing a floral curtain, the backlash was so intense it even messed with her emotions.
Kardashian admitted later that she "cried all the way home" due to the extensive criticism coming from fans, the press, and meme creators all over the web. She's hopefully recovered from the experience by now, but this goes to show that celebs are also sensitive and emotional human beings, even when they're as amazing as Kim Kardashian!