The Oscars Naked Dresses Everyone Still Talks About

a collage depicting naked dresses worn on the Oscars red carpet over the years — (Image credit: Getty Images)

While it's incredibly common to see naked dresses at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party, it's much more rare to see a lot of skin (or the illusion of skin) at the Academy Awards itself. However, a few bold women have dared to bare all at the illustrious event over the years, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Cher, Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, and others.

Cher, of course, is the godmother of the sheer trend. She walked so everyone else on this list could run. She infamously wore a revealing Bob Mackie creation to the 1988 Oscars, where she took home the Best Actress statue for Moonstruck. Scandalous, sheer, and headline-making, Cher's gown instantly made fashion history. In later years, brands like Gucci, Dior, Alexander McQueen, and Armani Privé have designed see-through dresses for winners, nominees, and presenters attending the Academy Awards. Ahead of this year's ceremony, which is on Sunday, March 15, 2026, let's take a walk down memory lane with the most memorable naked dresses that have ever walked the Oscars red carpet.

Cher in Bob Mackie, 1988

Cher wears a sheer dress at the Oscars in 1988

Bjork in Marjan Pejoski, 2001

Lady Gaga in Versace, 2023

Lady Gaga wears a sheer black dress to the Oscars in 2023

Nicole Kidman in Armani Privé, 2017

Nicole Kidman wears a sheer dress on the Oscars red carpet in 2017

Jennifer Aniston in Atelier Versace, 2015

Jennifer Lawrence in Dior, 2016

Jennifer Lawrence wore a sheer naked dress to the Oscars in 2016

Gwyneth Paltrow in Alexander McQueen, 2002

Gwyneth Paltrow wears a sheer dress at the Oscars in 2002

Halle Berry in Elie Saab, 2003

Rihanna in Bottega Veneta, 2023

Charlize Theron in Gucci, 2004

Halle Berry in Elie Saab, 2002

Halle Berry wears a sheer dress at the Oscars in 2002

Cate Blanchett in Armani Privé, 2014

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Erin got her start as a Who What Wear intern in 2011—back when the site only published a single story per day. (We have since increased that number twentyfold.) She graduated magna cum laude from USC and lives in Los Angeles. In college, she also interned at Refinery29, where she was promoted to editorial assistant and then assistant editor. After nearly three years at R29, she came back to WWW in 2015, where she is now the Associate Director of Fashion News. From the Oscars to the Met Gala, she leads the site's entire red carpet coverage strategy. She specializes in celebrity and fashion news but also enjoys writing travel features and runway reports. She frequently contributes to WWW's social accounts and has a sizable following on her personal TikTok.