I am the first one to admit that whenever I find myself watching award shows, it’s mostly to get a look at the glamorous red carpet fashion. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing which actors, actresses, designers, and directors get awarded for their work, but there’s something so fun and entertaining about what the stars wear to the events.
Many trends emerged on red carpets in 2015, including bold colors and belted ball gowns, but the most newsworthy installment in celebrity fashion was the naked dress that made headlines at the Met Gala in New York City.
You’ve probably seen photos of Beyonce’s jaw dropping bedazzled number, Kim Kardashian’s curve-bearing bead and feather gown, or Jennifer Lopez’s red dress that almost exposed her entire backside.
Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, and Kim Kardashian at the 2015 Met Gala
The Met Gala certainly wasn’t the first time celebrities chose to show a little skin at a press event. Marilyn Monroe wore many sheer dresses during her day, model Kate Moss wore an entirely sheer gown in 1993, and Miley Cyrus is known for her skin-bearing ensembles that often prompt people to scratch their heads in confusion. These days, it can feel almost impossible to find a celebrity who dons a dress that your grandmother would find appropriate.
Kate Moss in a sheer silver dress in 1993
I am a huge supporter of loving your body. Whether you’re athletically built, curvier, short, or tall, you should be proud of what you look like. If you’ve got killer legs, show them off. If you love your abs, then by all means wear a crop top.
However, I am not a fan of the naked dress trend and I am crossing my fingers that the style stays in 2015. There’s nothing wrong with a plunging neckline, a leg slit, or a mini dress, but putting all styles together in one dress seems like a bad decision. To me, the naked dress trend doesn’t seem like fashion at all – it seems like a call for attention.
Women’s bodies are beautiful – all shapes and sizes. But displaying them almost completely on the red carpet sends a message of desperation. These dresses aren’t fashion – they’re bedazzled lingerie, and take the attention away from the person herself and instead place that focus on what her body looks like. Although chosen with good intentions, gowns in this trend lead to objectification of women’s bodies instead of glorifying the accomplishments of the women in the dresses.
I’d be willing to bet more people were talking about Beyonce’s backside more than were talking about her musical achievements and powerful career.
My favorite way to sum up my distaste is with a quote by fashion designer Carolina Herrera. In an interview with The Washington Post, she freely expressed her distaste for the barely-there gown trend.
“How can you be a fashion icon if you’re not wearing clothes? … [Some designers think] it’s so modern to be naked or almost naked. They think it’s going to attract younger people if they do those dresses. No! They’re almost naked! Oh God! They’re trying to get people to pay attention to them. In life, there should be a little mystery.”
Actress Jaimie Alexander at an event in 2013
Dressing in glorified underwear leaves little to the imagination and is sure to get attention on the red carpet, but there are other ways to turn heads without strutting nearly naked in front of photographers and fans. You can make just as much of a statement on the red carpet while donning actual fashion.
Red carpet trends come and go, and showing some extra skin is a style that will not go away anytime soon. But hopefully fashion designers and celebrities alike will choose other ensembles to wear, and not go to their lingerie drawers instead.
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