Kate Hudson's 2001 Oscars Look Made Worst-Dressed Lists But She Still Loves It (& So Do We)

When Kate Hudson stepped out at the 73rd Annual Academy Awards in 2001, it seemed like she was aiming for a mix of flirty Y2K style and Old Hollywood glamor. The event marked Hudson's first Oscar nomination, following her lead role in "Almost Famous," and she was decked out in a form-hugging, lilac-gray Stella McCartney dress with a fringed and embroidered high-collared capelet.

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Unfortunately, fashion critics weren't impressed. Outlets immediately dragged both Hudson and McCartney for the 'fit, which they found to be fussy and old-fashioned. The New York Post likened Hudson's capelet to a fringed lampshade and declared that she should have swapped dresses with her mother, Goldie Hawn. Other eagle-eyed fashionistas complained about the visible dress lining, which could be seen flipping up at the end of the dress' train. And Hudson's playful styling evidently didn't help — onlookers found her heap of ringlet curls princess-y and twee. Taken all together, the look was hailed as a clash of aesthetics, which failed to deliver red-carpet elegance.

While some fashion missteps fade with distance, this gown's negative reputation actually grew over the years, eventually ranking Hudson among the worst Oscars looks of all time. But despite the outpouring of criticism, we think this may have been a case of right dress, wrong time. Because Hudson's slinky, embellished look is definitely one of those celebrity outfits that made us cringe in the past -– but we love it now.

Kate Hudson's ornate Stella McCartney dress has gone down in history as a wrong move. But hear us out: There's a lot to love in this detailed gown. First and foremost, the ombré color is exquisite, moving delicately from misty silver to dusky lavender — a luxurious yet understated combo. There's also the matter of the excellent drape. McCartney's gown hugged Hudson's slender curves just so, neither too tight nor too loose. The resulting silhouette looked effortless, from the low bustline to the exposed back.

And that capelet that got so much hate? Don't judge us, but ... isn't it kind of cool and bohemian? Maybe we're just biased because fringe keeps coming back in style — it was even one of the hottest fashion trends for spring 2026. The shawl's high collar and stiff embroidery could have been dialed back a notch, but there's something alluring about the concept. Rendered in a different material — chainmail, perhaps? — it could have been akin to one of Zendaya's unforgettable fashion risks.

We'll admit that the look did have some room for improvement. Complaints about the exposed lining were totally valid, and we'd be curious to see how the dress fared with less fiddly hair and makeup. But overall, we still find ourselves fond of the much-maligned gown, and apparently, so is Hudson herself.

In 2011, a full decade after the PR catastrophe of their Oscars fashion collaboration, Kate Hudson had the chance to honor designer Stella McCartney at the British Fashion Awards. In her speech, she reminisced over the controversial gown. "I felt like the hippest, coolest girl in the world. Up until the last minute Stella was working away, hand-sewing the hem," she recalled (via Glamour). "I woke up the next morning in my bed post-awards and ... I turned on the television to find out I was on every Worst Dressed list possible. So I called Stella and we just laughed our arses off and she said to me, 'Look babe, it was the hair wasn't it?'"

While such a universal roasting might have sent many celebs diving back under the covers, Hudson was gracious in her sartorial defeat. Moreover, she didn't let the storm of public opinion diminish her own love for the look. "I got trashed for this dress ... I got on every worst-dressed list," the actor reminisced in a 2023 TikTok video. "I thought to myself, 'What? This dress is awesome.' I love it. I feel like we need to take this narrative back. ... We were way ahead of our time on this."

She even asked fans whether she should take the dress out and re-style it, to see if the look would hit more successfully a second time. Honestly, we'd love to see it reimagined — hopefully, this isn't just a tease from the "Song Sung Blue" actor. As she promised in that same 2011 Fashion Awards speech, "I swear one day I'll wear it again. But, Stella, I promise I'll do the hair differently."