This year’s red carpets and high-profile events have seen their fair share of bold fashion choices — but not all have hit the mark. From see-through fabrics that revealed more than intended to over-the-top artistic concepts that left audiences scratching their heads, some outfits sparked more confusion than admiration. What was meant to be high fashion often landed closer to costume or performance art, blurring the line between daring and distracting.
Over-accessorized looks, mismatched textures, and experimental makeup trends also contributed to some of 2025’s most talked-about missteps. In many cases, attempts to stand out overshadowed the overall aesthetic, turning potentially iconic moments into viral fashion flops. As the year continues, it’s clear that while taking risks is part of the celebrity style game, not every gamble pays off.
Nicola Coughlan looks like a fairy godmother
On Bridgerton, Nicola Coughlan plays a vitally important role. By day, she is Penelope Bridgerton, a young woman whose family shenanigans drive all the drama of the show. By night, though (and these are spoilers, so beware if you haven’t watched the show!), she is Lady Whistledown, an anonymous writer whose gossip-filled newsletter is always the talk of the town.
Unfortunately, Coughlan herself became the talk of the town after she attended the SAG-AFTRA Awards. She wore a pastel Dior dress with dark gloves; on paper, this is a really bold choice that blends fashion and functionality. In reality, though, the outfit’s drama queen hem and leather mommy gloves made her look less like a fashion maven and more like a fairy godmother.
We can only hope this particular outfit disappeared at midnight!
Cardi B’s Smurf-Inspired Coachella Look Turns Heads
Cardi B is no stranger to bold fashion statements, but her eye-catching blue ensemble at Coachella caused quite a stir — and not just for its cartoonish inspiration. The rapper’s fuzzy, form-fitting jumpsuit was intended as a playful tribute to the upcoming Smurfs movie, in which she lends her voice to one of the characters.
However, what was meant to be a cheeky nod to the iconic blue creatures quickly went viral for another reason: the outfit’s sheer material revealed more than anticipated. With its skin-tight fit and translucent panels, the look left little to the imagination, sparking a flurry of reactions across social media.
While fans praised Cardi’s fearless sense of style and willingness to have fun with fashion, others questioned whether the outfit crossed the line from bold to borderline wardrobe malfunction.
Still, Cardi seemed unfazed by the buzz, continuing to post photos from the event with her signature confidence. As with most of her fashion choices, she managed to turn a potential mishap into a moment — proving once again that for Cardi B, controversy and couture often go hand in hand.
Melania Trump goes mobster chic
Melania Trump is one of the most fashionable women in the world. After all, she was a model when she met Donald Trump, and she captivated people around the world with her great beauty. And after marrying one of the richest men in the world, she continued to sport killer looks at countless social events. When she attended her husband’s 2025 presidential inauguration, however, she seemingly threw all of her fashion sensibilities in the trash.
That’s because she wore a suit, black gloves, and a black hat with a white band around it. Now, other women had made suits look good before–Hillary Clinton, for example, is often credited with making the pantsuit popular. But the dress looked stiff and formal on Melania, even as her black gloves and hat made her look like a movie supervillain, or maybe just a mob boss. And whether she’s out to menace Toon Town or the residents of Gotham City, the internet agreed that this was one spooky look.
Julia Fox’s Daring Fashion Choices Leave Fans Divided
Julia Fox has built a reputation for bold, avant-garde style, often blurring the line between art and fashion. However, some of her recent appearances have left even her most devoted fans scratching their heads.
At a recent Oscars after-party, Fox turned heads — and raised eyebrows — in a nearly nude gown inspired by The Birth of Venus. The barely-there look, featuring strategic draping and exposed skin, was meant to channel high art, but many critics felt it veered more toward shock value than substance.
Shortly after, she appeared at the Fashion Trust U.S. Awards wearing theatrical, mime-inspired makeup paired with an abstract ensemble. While she’s no stranger to experimental beauty looks, the exaggerated white face paint and stark black lines left viewers more puzzled than impressed.
Though Julia has always embraced her role as a fashion disruptor, these recent choices have sparked debate about whether her boundary-pushing looks are still visionary — or simply provocative for provocation’s sake.
Timothée Chalamet needs to stop going green
In case you haven’t noticed, Timothée Chalamet is really having a moment these days. He headlined the blockbuster Dune films and played Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. And in Wonka, he played another American icon: Willy Wonka, the fictional candy kingpin. Arguably, the actor’s wardrobe was craziest for Wonka because he had to embody the title character’s craziest fashion sensibilities. But based on what he wore to the SAG-AFTRA Awards, we’re starting to think he and Willy Wonka have the exact same fashion sense.
At this prestigious awards show, Chalamet wore two things that don’t exactly go together: a black leather jacket and a lime green shirt. He also wore a bolo tie, and the general consensus is that he was drawing some of his fashion inspiration from Bob Dylan. That may or may not be true, but Chalamet’s combination of light and dark colors just makes him look absurd. And we hate to break it to the talented actor, but that tie is somehow even more pretentious than the rest of the outfit!
Travis Kelce threw it back a bit too far
Sometimes, it’s hard to think about famous athletes as celebrities. Sure, these guys are household names, and they pull down millions of dollars for performances that we watch on our televisions. But because athletes mostly wear sports jerseys and try to avoid making headlines, they seem very different than the average clout-chasing celeb. Unfortunately, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce never got that particular memo.
He was already famous for dating music legend Taylor Swift when his team competed in the Super Bowl. Kelce decided that he wanted to make an impression on audiences, so when he arrived to play, he was decked out in an orange suit as loud as it is oversized. As near as we can tell, the famous football player was going for a throwback to chic ‘70s disco outfits. But wearing an ugly suit that barely fit was a reminder to Kelce of something very important: disco is dead, and it’s not coming back to life anytime soon.