The 'naked dress' took over the Oscars 2025 red carpet

The Academy Awards celebrate theatrical excellence, but it’s the outfits sported by the A-list attendees that capture our attention every year. 

This year’s sartorial offerings married the vintage Hollywood glamour we’ve come to expect from the biggest red carpet event in the world with more scandalous modern touches, thanks to attendees like Julia Fox and Zoë Kravitz. 

Flashes of flesh were spotted alongside quirky, unexpected details as nominees paid due to the films that catapulted them onto the red carpet. 

But there’s one trend that had our eyeballs popping out of our heads. Yes reader, the 'naked dress' is back and bigger than ever. 

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For the afterparties, layers were shed as guests took a slightly more scandalous approach to festivities. 

Now, not just a generic flesh-flashing affair, the modern 'naked dress' is all cheeky details (forgive the pun), and is ever so playful, like a sartorial wink. 

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Actress Zoë Kravitz wore Saint Laurent, which from the front looked positively genteel. From the back, however, a sheer mesh beaded panel revealed her bottom. Formal at the front and saucy at the back - a sort of sexy mullet, if you will.

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Meanwhile, Emma Chamberlain’s Jean Paul Gaultier SS25 Couture leather gown featured lace-up cut-out detail that ventured daringly high. The scandalous nature of the gown’s cutouts was tempered by the genteel dove grey colour palette. 

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Naked dress connoisseur Julia Fox plumped for solely sheer mesh and the addition of precisely placed mermaid-esque hair extensions, while Olivia Wilde looked positively bohemian in Chloé SS25 with fully visible knickers. 

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Teyana Taylor opted for a show-stopping red number by LaQuan Smith with a completely sheer front panel, while Keke Palmer showed off rock-hard abs in Atelier Versace FW98 Couture (she has loved a vintage moment this awards season.)

The 'naked dress' stood in contrast to the classic Hollywood glamour of the strapless gown that was preferred by attendees such as Elle Fanning (who wore the silhouette to the afterparty in stunning custom Givenchy). Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldana both followed suit. 

While we’ll always have a soft spot for classic beauty, the naughty side of us wants to get on board with naked dressing asap, just perhaps not for Sunday lunch with the folks…