10 Most Awkward Red Carpet Moments

Red carpets may look like the pinnacle of glitz and glam, but behind all the designer gowns and dazzling smiles are some seriously cringeworthy fashion mishaps. Beneath the flawless hair and makeup lies a truth every celebrity eventually learns the hard way: red-carpet appearances can go from fabulous to fiasco in seconds. Whether it’s a daring dress that didn’t survive a sudden gust of wind, a zipper that gave up mid-pose, or an ill-fitting bodysuit staging a silent rebellion, even the most seasoned stars aren’t immune to style slip-ups.

Some of these moments are so awkward they’ve become iconic. Others, well, they live on in the “What Not to Wear” memory forever. From accidental flashes to poorly chosen accessories that didn’t quite land, these public missteps remind us that fame doesn’t come with a fashion manual—or if it does, it definitely needs an entire chapter on double-sided tape and weatherproof fabrics.

What’s the best part? While mortifying in the moment, these fashion disasters give us something to laugh about and remind us that even the most glamorous people are human. So, let’s dive into ten of the most awkward, hilarious, and unforgettable red-carpet disasters that made headlines and memes alike.

1. Scarlett Johansson’s tight fit at the 2006 Golden Globes

Scarlett Johansson wanted a showstopper at the 2006 Golden Globes and insisted her Roland Mouret dress be skin-tight. The designer warned her it might be too tight. She, of course, didn’t listen. As a result, the zipper gave out before she even hit the red carpet. After the patch squad arrived, the actress successfully presented her award but immediately fled home to avoid any further complications. The moral of the story: don’t ignore the people who actually make the clothes.

2. Kylie Jenner’s zipper fail at the 2018 Met Gala

Kylie Jenner strutted into the 2018 Met Gala in a dress that definitely looked sleek, but, well, keen-eyed fans noticed a weird zipper on the front. Turns out, that zipper was a last-minute fix after the original design ripped during a squeeze session. So they slapped a zipper on and sent her out the door. For an emergency fix, that’s pretty good, but fashion people definitely noticed.

3. Amanda Seyfried’s dress disaster at the 2004 Mean Girls premiere

Young Amanda Seyfried was a rookie at the 2004 Mean Girls premiere—no stylist, no publicist, just $600 and dreams. She bought two dresses, and one of them turned out to be see-through. White bra, black underwear, zero clue. No one told her. She just stood there smiling, blissfully unaware. Looking back, she laughs it off but also uses it as a lesson in self-worth. And probably in slip dresses.

4. Amanda Seyfried’s “Dress Disaster 2: Electric Bugaloo”

Yes, Amanda’s back because, apparently, red carpets just don’t vibe with her. Nineteen years after her first misadventure, at the 2023 Critics Choice Awards, her stunning Dior dress, made of one single piece of fragile chiffon, kept ripping. The tearing wasn’t just a simple “oops, a stitch” incident, but rather a complete structural collapse. During interviews, she joked she might just take it off entirely. At this point, someone, please get Amanda a quality fit!

5. Anne Hathaway’s sneezing oopsie at the 2014 Met Gala

Anne Hathaway almost missed the 2014 Met Gala, not due to traffic, but because her Calvin Klein gown nearly came apart after she sneezed. The thing split open in the car just a block away from the event. Her designer looked ready to faint. Thankfully, an emergency pit stop at a hotel, some last-minute stitching, and a dash to the carpet were enough to make it just in time. Anne made it. By a thread. Literally.

6. Emma Watson “Marilyn” moment on the London red carpet in 2019

Emma Watson’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince premiere in London proved there is such a thing as too much leg. While trying to keep her 1970s Ossie Clark gown relatively dry, she ended up flashing a bit more than intended. Despite the situation, Emma Watson maintained her sense of humor, sharing a photo of her next outfit on X (former Twitter) the next day, accompanied by the cheeky caption, “No wardrobe malfunctions tonight!”

7. Salma Hayek’s windy misadventure at the 2022 BAFTAs

Salma Hayek showed up to the 2022 BAFTAs in a stunning velvet Gucci number. But the weather had other plans. A sudden gust of wind unexpectedly revealed more of the gown than anticipated. Salma laughed it off on Instagram with a classic “when you try to cover one thing and another pops out” vibe. Well, even designer dresses aren’t windproof.

8. Kim Kardashian lost a pocket at the 2015 Grammys

At the 2015 Grammys, Kim K’s dress came apart and not in a planned, high-fashion way. The pocket straight-up fell off, and when she sat down, it ripped further. Cue frantic sewing and safety pins backstage. The real question is, why did a red carpet gown need pockets? Maybe she kept her snacks in there. Either way, the wardrobe team deserves a raise.

9. Jenny McCarthy wore a dress backwards at the 1997 Oscars

Jenny McCarthy hit the 1997 Oscars in a Valentino gown, but here’s the problem—she wore it backward. She didn’t even realize it. She only found out when Valentino himself told her. Some call it iconic, and we think it’s quite ironic, especially when you consider she was fresh out of a deli job at a grocery store, probably still smelling like Polish sausage, and then boom, Oscars.

10. Kate Beckinsale’s bodysuit fiasco at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival

Back in 1993 at Cannes, Kate Beckinsale’s airport-bought bodysuit decided it had had enough just as she was en route to the premiere of Much Ado About Nothing. The snaps in the crotch popped open mid-car ride, which is not ideal when you’re stuck between Denzel Washington and his wife. Well, it’s time to panic! But legends Keanu Reeves and Robert Sean Leonard came to the rescue, each helping hold her outfit in place on the red carpet.