21 Of The Most Iconic Celebrity Naked Dress Moments, Ranked

It's no secret by now that the popular "naked dress" is trending — after all, the "Free the Nipple" movement is one of our most anticipated fashion trends of fall 2023, and the #NakedDress hashtag has over 9 million views on TikTok. The naked dress is a sexy, daring fashion choice that can leave you baring as much (or as little) skin as you want, and it's become popular as a way to speak out against the over-sexualization of women's bodies. "Celebrating the female form through clothes is a way for the wearer to reclaim their power and freedom," fashion designer LaQuan Smith tells Elle. "It is very topical in this moment when women are fighting for their rights."

The naked dress trend is far from new, though — they've been worn by celebs on the red carpet and performance stages for decades, and it's high time we took a look at the popular naked dress in all of its iterations. Today we're ranking 21 iconic celebrity naked dress moments based on overall wearability, tastefulness, and whether we can see the dress standing the test of time. We love naked dresses that are elegant, sexy, and still leave a bit to the imagination. Naked dresses that look too offbeat or clearly show mismatched undergarments, on the other hand, aren't totally our cup of tea. As the naked dress swiftly steps forward in the fashion scene, it's only natural to look to the red carpet for inspo, but trust us — not every celebrity-worn naked dress is inspo-worthy. 

Amber Rose wore this chain mail-esque naked dress at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, and we're glad to keep this one safely back in the 2010s archives. We can't really imagine anyone sporting anything even remotely similar to this look on even the most offbeat of occasions, and the clearly visible metallic thong is almost giving swimsuit vibes. We have to admit, though, she rocks this ensemble with confidence. 

A slightly classier take on Amber Rose's naked chain dress is this version worn by Emily Ratajkowski at the 2019 Met Gala. While we actually don't mind the bodice, the way it swoops into feathered ear-wing pieces is confusing, and the skirt is reminiscent of a wrap-style beach cover-up. It's definitely not awful, especially considering the Met Gala is all about creative, out-of-the-box ensembles (especially with the 2019 Met's theme being "camp"). But compared to other naked dress looks, this one is not totally wearable.

We're not completely certain what's going on with Rita Ora's dress from the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards. The entire look is a bit confusing. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the pattern of the black detailing (are those random letters embroidered amongst squiggly lines?), and her thick underwear is a bit distracting. While it doesn't look bad, per se, it's not a look we would be tempted to take to the streets. 

Even if slightly dated, it goes without saying that Queen Bey's naked dress from the 2015 Met Gala looks particularly stunning on her. The stones are tastefully placed to endorse some modesty in this dress, and we love the floor-length skirt adorned with decor at the bottom. We wish it were sleeveless and maybe slightly less multicolored, securing her a spot at no. 14 on the ranking. But hey — Queen Bey slays in anything she wears. 

Honestly, we think Olivia Wilde's sheer silver mesh gown from the 2022 Academy Museum Gala would have been much more appealing without the feather detailing on the bottom. We love that it's sheer without giving too much away, and it's stunningly form-fitting, even if slightly nightgown-esque. If Wilde ever brought this look back, we'd take it sans feathers. 

For a look that offers just a hint of skin, we have this gown worn by Jasmine Tookes at the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscars Party. It's a delicious green-gold shade with elegant draping, making the model look sophisticated and chic. Although it's tasteful as anything, we'd have loved it to look less like Tookes had cling wrap secured around the waist. 

Wearable? Maybe only for Paris Hilton, but she stuns in this gown from the 2022 Grammy Awards nonetheless. The cape and matching bodice offer some tasteful, elegant coverage, while the silver detailing is just as glam as the socialite is. While we don't see this look translating to common everyday wear, she nailed the look for the star-studded event.

For all the girlies bringing back the '90s tube dress trend, you'll love to see this stunning tube-esque studded gown Daisy Edgar-Jones sported at the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscars Party. We love that the horizontal beading makes it look like she's standing in a fashion-forward cylinder, and the nude bodysuit underneath is a tasteful step up from some of the separate cover-up pieces we've seen under other naked dresses. 

If you want a stunning naked gown that covers just enough and has plenty of elegance to boot, look no further than Indya Moore's ensemble from Ali Forney Center's 2023 A Place at the Table Gala. Not only does the sage green color look absolutely incredible on the actor, but we also love the tasteful coverage offered by the detailing that still hints at nudity. 

Alessandra Ambrosio's nude-hued, naked gown from the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscars Party is probably the most tasteful of the bunch. We can't tell what Ambrosio is wearing underneath (which is a huge plus). The vertical beading combined with the asymmetrical off-shoulder detail is absolutely stunning, and the side slit offers even more sexiness to an already sexy gown. We'd love to see her wear this over and over again — we'd give a standing ovation each time.