Ah, the Oscars—a night of glitz, glam, and gowns worth more than a small house. Celebrities strut their stuff, hoping to serve red carpet perfection, but sometimes, fashion has other plans. But while some fashion moments become iconic for their elegance and sophistication, others make history for far less glamorous reasons—wardrobe malfunctions. From ripped gowns to accidental exposures, these unforgettable Oscars fashion fails are enough to make any stylist break out in a cold sweat.
Let’s take a look at some of the most memorable Oscars wardrobe malfunctions that celebrities probably wish we’d forget.
1. Jennifer Lawrence’s Staircase Stumble (2013)
Jennifer Lawrence is the queen of relatable moments, and her 2013 Oscars mishap is proof. As she ascended the stage to accept her Best Actress award for Silver Linings Playbook, her voluminous Christian Dior gown had other plans. The dramatic ball gown tangled around her feet, sending her tumbling onto the stairs in front of millions of viewers.
To her credit, Lawrence laughed it off, joking that the standing ovation was more of a ‘pity clap’ than an actual celebration. Even though it wasn’t a full-blown wardrobe malfunction, the combination of couture and clumsiness made for an Oscars moment to remember.
2. Renée Zellweger’s Dress Disaster (2005)
Renée Zellweger knows how to rock a red carpet, but her stunning Carolina Herrera gown at the 2005 Oscars had a mind of its own. While leaving the event, an unknown guest accidentally stepped on the train of her dress, resulting in a rip so dramatic it left her… well, exposed.
Zellweger later recalled in an interview with British Vogue how the bottom half of her gown practically detached, leaving a sizable hole just beneath her derriere. To make matters worse, she had to stop by her house for a quick outfit change—only to realize she had forgotten her keys and had to climb through a window. Moral of the story? Always have a backup dress—and maybe a locksmith on speed dial.
3. Venus Williams’ Unfortunate Nip Slip (2022)
Tennis legend Venus Williams is no stranger to high-pressure moments, but nothing could prepare her for an unexpected wardrobe malfunction at the 2022 Academy Awards. Dressed in a stunning white Elie Saab gown, Williams looked flawless—until a cutaway shot revealed more than she had planned.
During Will Smith’s controversial acceptance speech for King Richard, cameras panned to Williams, who was seen trying to subtly adjust her plunging neckline. Unfortunately, it was too late. The wardrobe slip became an unintentional headline alongside the now-infamous Will Smith slap. Between the slap heard ’round the world and this unexpected slip, the 2022 Oscars had more drama than a telenovela.
4. Jenny McCarthy’s Backwards Dress (1997)
Jenny McCarthy’s first (and only) Oscars appearance in 1997 was one for the fashion history books—but not for the reasons she would have hoped. The actress, then an up-and-coming star, arrived on the red carpet in a stunning Valentino gown… worn entirely backwards.
McCarthy later revealed on Live with Kelly and Mark that she was so new to Hollywood glam that she didn’t even realize she had made a major fashion faux pas. Even Valentino himself pointed it out. “You’re wearing it backwards,” he reportedly told her. To be fair, she still managed to look fantastic—maybe it was fashion-forward avant-garde before its time?
5. Emma Stone’s Split-Seam Surprise (2024)
Emma Stone was already having a night to remember at the 2024 Oscars, having just won Best Actress for her role in Poor Things. But her dress had its own plan to steal the spotlight. The back seam of her stunning Louis Vuitton gown split open right before she took the stage to accept her award.
Luckily, the tear was just inconvenient enough to be funny rather than scandalous. Ever the professional, Stone handled it with humor, quipping on stage, “My dress is broken, but I’m here anyway!” Even better, she joked that the damage likely happened during Ryan Gosling’s high-energy I’m Just Ken performance. If wardrobe malfunctions had an awards category, this one would’ve won Best Timing.
6. Katy Perry’s Ripped-Up Gown (2017)
Katy Perry knows how to make a statement on the red carpet, but at the 2017 Academy Awards, her Jean Paul Gaultier gown went from tastefully distressed to completely unraveled. The asymmetrical design, with uneven shoulders and a shredded skirt, already had an edgy, deconstructed look—so when the dress started falling apart mid-ceremony, it wasn’t immediately obvious whether it was intentional or a full-blown fashion emergency. The pop star handled it like a pro, but let’s just say, that dress left the night with a little less fabric than it started with.
7. Blanca Blanco’s Slit-Gone-Wrong (2017)
For an actress best known for obscure indie films, Blanca Blanco became an overnight headline at the 2017 Oscars—but not for her acting. Dressed in a bold greenish-yellow gown with dramatic poofs of fabric on the shoulders, she was already turning heads. But it was the dangerously high slit that stole the show—revealing her skin-tone bodysuit (or, depending on the angle, seemingly much more). Blanco had no idea she’d become an internet sensation until her phone exploded with messages mid-ceremony. “I’m so embarrassed,” she later admitted.
8. Anne Hathaway’s Unfortunate Darting (2013)
Anne Hathaway’s Oscar win for Les Misérables was a defining moment in her career, but her pale pink Prada gown? Not so much. The sleek dress was sophisticated and timeless, except for one unfortunate detail: the way the darts were stitched across her chest created an unintended—and wildly distracting—optical illusion. Let’s just say it wasn’t the best night for subtlety. Hathaway later revealed she had made a last-minute dress swap, proving that sometimes, even an Oscar winner can have regrets.
9. Gwyneth Paltrow’s See-Through McQueen (2002)
Before GOOP was dispensing wellness advice, Gwyneth Paltrow was out here making bold fashion choices—some better than others. Case in point: her 2002 Oscars look. The Alexander McQueen gown featured a sheer mesh bodice, which, paired with Paltrow’s decision to forgo a bra, left little to the imagination. A decade later, even she admitted it was a misstep, writing on GOOP that if she could redo the look, she’d add a bra, tone down the makeup, and change her hair. Hindsight is 20/20, even in haute couture.
10. Mariah Carey’s After-Party Bodice Blunder
If there’s one thing Mariah Carey is known for (besides that one Christmas song), it’s serving high-glam looks. But at an Oscars after-party, her dress seemed determined to test the limits of structural engineering. The strapless gown struggled to contain her curves, leading to a few precarious near-slips throughout the night. If that wasn’t enough, her high-slit design occasionally revealed glimpses of her shapewear. A true diva never falters, though—Mariah carried on as if nothing happened, because, honestly, what is a minor wardrobe malfunction to a legend?
11. Emma Stone’s Slit Surprise (2015)
Emma Stone is no stranger to Oscar fashion wins, but her 2015 look had a little too much movement for comfort. The Birdman star wowed in a seaweed-green, beaded Elie Saab gown that looked like it was crafted from mermaid dreams. But that daring thigh-high slit? It had its own agenda. As Stone made her way down the red carpet, photographers captured a flash of her flesh-colored underwear—an unfortunate side effect of a dress that was as light and breezy as it was stunning. A wardrobe malfunction? Technically. A fashion disaster? Not even close.
12. Charlize Theron’s Open-Back Panic (2000)
Charlize Theron’s first Oscars appearance was supposed to be a moment of pure Hollywood glamour—until her nearly backless Vera Wang gown decided to take “backless” a little too literally. While standing for a standing ovation, Theron felt an unexpected draft and quickly realized why: her entire backside was on display. Cue the panic.
Luckily, help arrived in the form of Julianne Moore, who—despite being up for Best Actress that night—dropped everything to help Theron in the bathroom, frantically searching for a safety pin. The quick fix held up, and Theron was so grateful for the impromptu wardrobe rescue that she refused to remove the safety pin even when the dress was dry-cleaned. “Don’t touch it!” she reportedly insisted. “I want it to stay exactly the way Julianne Moore fixed it.” Because, really, what’s more Hollywood than one Oscar-nominated actress saving another from a red carpet disaster with nothing but a safety pin and sheer determination?
The Oscars are a high-stakes fashion game, and with all the glamour comes the risk of fashion mishaps. Whether it’s a minor wardrobe malfunction or a full-blown disaster, these moments remind us that even Hollywood’s biggest stars aren’t immune to a bit of bad luck on the red carpet.
Despite these mishaps, the show must go on. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned from these celebs, it’s that handling a wardrobe malfunction with grace, humor, and maybe a little quick thinking can turn even the most embarrassing moment into an iconic one.