Chappell Roan, the infamous “Good Luck, Babe!” and “Pink Pony Club” singer, has become a fashion icon known for elaborate, drag-inspired looks and pushing the boundaries of typical red-carpet dresses. Everything from her princess piggy look that she wore to the 2024 Grammy Awards after-party to her medieval inspired looks at the 2024 MTV VMAs, it seems that every time she steps on a stage or on a red carpet, the internet uproars.
At the Grammy Awards, which occurred on Feb. 1, 2026, Chappell walked the red carpet in a custom, sheer-wine-red custom Mugler. This dress is a revival of the original sheer-black Theirry Mugler piece worn by Erica Vanbriel in the spring 1998 couture show. The original dress was draped from nipple rings and was matched with a loosely tied cape. But for the Grammy’s, Chappell opted for prosthetic nipple covers to protect herself but still emulate the original composition. According to fashion writer and stylist Alex Fullerton, Chappell is “honoring the legacy of the designer” as well as Mugler, who have done a lot of work with “transparency” and “bare breasts” since the 1980s.
We can thank Genesis Webb, who is the genius mind behind many of Roan’s looks, including the iconic Statue of Liberty glam for the Governors Ball in 2024, for this red carpet serve. Since the dress shows off a lot of skin, she had fake tattoos designed by Jenny Collins (@puppypuppyplaytime on Instagram), which I think was yet another beautiful and artistic way to add more visual interest. Chappell Roan’s makeup artist, Sasha Glasser, can not only be credited for the gorgeous smokey eye, but also for applying the fake tattoos and creating the perfect prosthetic nipple. The prosthetics were so good that some people believed she was totally nude on the carpet.
Users of social media flooded feeds with posts questioning if she was completely nude and if the dress was connected to her actual nipples like in this video by @lindsay_ivan on Instagram. The top comment by makeup artist @makeitjess states, “Is it prosthetics or is it the dress I can’t tell”. Other users on Instagram responded to @billboard’s post saying, “How is this allowed?”, “I don’t know what people have against wearing clothes”, and “Disturbing that people believe this is beautiful and iconic”.
Some even commented on the fact that Justin Bieber performed at the Grammy’s only wearing boxer shorts. According to BBC, one person said, “If Justin can perform in his underwear without anyone batting an eyelid, you can rock pierced pasties diva. Misogyny.” I deeply agree. The misogyny in response to her dress is through the roof, but that is exactly the kind of boundaries Chappell Roan and Genesis Webb are trying to push.
Chappell has since responded to the criticisms and concerns on her Instagram by stating, “Giggling because I don’t even think this is THAT outrageous of an outfit. The look’s actually so awesome and weird.” She continues with advice for her audience, “I recommend just exercising your free will it’s really fun and silly.” And honestly, I agree with her! Genesis Webb stated on their Instagram, “This isn’t casual. They’re prosthetics, don’t take it down !!”.
But the conversation here is much larger than Chappell Roan’s dress or the fact that she is wearing nipple pasties with her revealing outfit. It is clear and frustrating that a woman’s nipples are still deemed sexual and offensive, and something we must cover up and hide. In an Allure article written by Elizabeth Gulino, she highlights issues concerning Instagram’s nudity censorship and guidelines in response to the Roan’s backlash.
Meta’s current policy states that, “visible female nipples, except in a breastfeeding or act of protest context” are not permitted on their platforms. Gulino describes Meta’s definition of “female nipples” as “outdated”. She adds, “First the app’s censors detect the presence of a nipple in an image, then, depending on how much fatty tissue that nipple is attached to, it’ll be deemed as “female” or not, regardless if it belongs to an intersex, non-binary, or trans person.” Even though Roan is technically covered, we are once again reminded of Meta’s absurdity, the issues of censoring women’s bodies, and how our society reacts to seeing breasts.
My initial first reaction to this look was full of pure admiration. To me, she looks like a modern-day Aphrodite with wine colored dress and the braids in her hair. I am always in love with every single one of her looks. Truthfully, I expected nothing less from her as I know she is always looking for ways to defy societal norms, and I am thrilled to see what super glam look she has in store for us next. Although I knew she was going to handle it with grace, I was honestly surprised to see the backlash she was receiving. I just keep asking myself, why is the world still so concerned with other people’s bodies?