These Are Officially the Wildest Celebrity Airport Outfits of All Time

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(Image credit: Jun Sato/GC Images; Visual China Group via Getty Images; Backgrid)

Over the past couple of decades, the airport has become a place where celebrities will almost certainly be photographed—especially at the likes of LAX or JFK. They're all well aware of this, and many dress accordingly because their photos are inevitably going to be splashed across the photo agencies, and subsequently the internet, in a matter of hours.

The thing about calling an airport outfit "wild" or "controversial" is that they're shocking for the airport but not always for other occasions. Taking a long flight in something even remotely uncomfortable can feel like torture, but many celebrities travel in things like leather miniskirts and ultra-high platform heels, for example, like it's nothing. (Although, we shouldn't be surprised if some of them change clothes before departing or upon arrival.)

I find over-the-top celebrity airport outfits to be fascinating, so I studied tons of past looks to bring you the 11 examples that can best be described as "wild" (again, for the airport). Scroll to see for yourself and to shop pieces that are a bit more practical for a flight.

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Lady Gaga in Toyko, November 2016
(Image credit: Jun Sato/GC Images)

Leave it to Lady Gaga to have the wildest outfit on this list, and I have many questions. Among them, did she wear this on a commercial flight? Was anyone seated next to her? Did she get stopped when going through security? Is that a hoop skirt? 

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Kim Kardashian at JFK, April 2016
(Image credit: Robert Kamau/GC Images)

I can't imagine wearing strappy heels to the airport, let alone with a long silky dress over an athletic pullover. But if anyone can, it's Kim Kardashian. 

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Beyoncé in Venice, October 2021
(Image credit: Cobra Team/Backgrid)

Beyoncé's crisp suit and trench doesn't look all that comfortable for a long-haul flight, but Beyoncé can do anything and wear anything.

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Kendall Jenner at LAX, May 2017
(Image credit: HGVC/Backgrid)

Remember when Kendall Jenner wore "naked" pants to the airport? I do!

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Mariah Carey in Taipei, October 2014
(Image credit: Visual China Group via Getty Images)

Wearing a tight leather jacket and little leather gloves with heels and a long, fitted dress to the airport is something that few could tolerate and pull off, but it's no surprise that Mariah Carey can.

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Jennifer Lopez at LAX, July 2020
(Image credit: Vasquez-Max Lopes/Backgrid)

There's no denying that J.Lo's outfit is fun, but the platform knee boots, the big hoops, and the fact that most of what she's wearing is white makes it wild in my book.

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Rosie Huntington-Whiteley at JFK, February 2018
(Image credit: BlayzenPhotos/Backgrid)

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley looks great, but looking this polished and put-together (and perfectly accessorized) for the airport is a rare, but beautiful, thing.

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Kate Bosworth at JFK, November 2017
(Image credit: Backgrid)

Always stylish Kate Bosworth has plenty of looks that have put her on the airport outfit map over the years. This one, comprised of a leather jacket and miniskirt with spiky boots, was particularly memorable. She looks cool, per usual, but I'm not sure how she made it through the flight in all leather.

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Victoria Beckham at JFK, February 2016
(Image credit: Backgrid)

Victoria Beckham is one of the chicest, most polished travelers there is. This tweed suit may or may not be comfortable, but it's the very-high-platform Christian Louboutin shoes that made me do a double take.

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Taylor Swift at LAX, December 2015
(Image credit: Foxi/Backgrid)

Taylor Swift looks very cute here, but a crop top, miniskirt, and sheer tights on an airplane would be my worst nightmare (relatively speaking).

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Selena Gomez at LAX, October 2015
(Image credit: Vantagenews/Backgrid)

Selena Gomez looks like she's ready for a red carpet event. And if that's where she's coming from, I'm sorry you didn't have time to change, Selena. You look cute though.

Shop Practical, Airport-Friendly Pieces

Next up, seven packing mistakes stylish women never make while traveling.

Allyson Payer
Senior Editor

Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.