The Worst Oscar Dresses of All Time

For the Oscars every year, actors and actresses travel to Hollywood from all around the world for a little recognition from The Academy. In recent years, we have gotten a steamy performance from Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, an insane amount of sexy dresses, and, of course, the drama that led to the awards having no host for the first time since 1989. There was plenty to love, but there were also a few unforgettable looks on the red carpet, and I don't mean that in a good way. I get it, picking a gown for Hollywood's biggest night can be hit or miss, but these gowns from past years' Oscars were definite misses. (They also made me really love my three-year-old-sweatpants I watched the Oscars in.)

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The highlight of the 2015 red carpet was definitely Lady Gaga's red gloves, which spawned plenty of memes. My favorite? The Lady Gaga "cleaning starter pack."

St. Vincent took a risk at the 2018 Academy Awards in this Saint Laurent look. It's hard to hate anything from the iconic fashion house, but this runway ensemble didn't work IRL.

Icelandic artist Bjork's swan dress is probably the most iconic on the list of worst dressed. The look was designed by Macedonian designer Marjan Pejoski, who actually made two copies of it as it could not be dry cleaned. One was auctioned off for $9,500 in 2005 (!!) and Valentino even paid tribute to this swan ensemble in its spring 2014 couture fashion show.

The singer's dress for the 74th Academy Awards resembled a rainbow cake explosion. We're not sure what made Hill decide on this look, but it's a hard pass from us.

The actress looked like she was drowning in her dress at the 76th Annual Academy Awards. And, question: Are the gold and blue embroidered pieces remnants of a vest? We're confused.

I saw this dress and immediately thought "Count Dracula." Sorry, Whoopi.

The actress looked unrecognizable (and not in a good way) at the 2001 event, when she stepped out in this gray dress with a fringe neck shawl. I prefer to remember her in the 2014 Atelier Versace look instead.

There's a laundry list of things of things that aren't great about this dress. But the rhinestone bindi was an extra layer of WOW.

The iconic star was the "Belle" of the ball in this yellow ruffled number at the 2009 Academy Awards.

Costume designer Lizzy Gardiner wore a dress made out of gold American Express cards to the 1995 Academy Awards. The cards were real, but had expired. That year, she won an Oscar for Best Costume Design for The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, but in an ironic twist of fate, this dress landed her on worst dressed lists.

The star wore a strapless Christian Siriano creation to the 2018 Academy Awards. From the front, the gown looked great. From the back? That's another story.

The year is 1974. The outfit is a leopard printed bikini underneath a spotted furry coat. Perhaps she had a backup gown...in the car?

The actress arrived to the 1996 Oscars in a Dolce & Gabbana gold gown. She matched the Academy Award statue.

The actress looked like she was ready to fly away in this semi-sheer multi-colored dress at the 2007 Academy Awards.

At least Moore can say she was an early adopter of biker shorts.

The actress looked like a runway Las Vegas bride at the 1992 Academy Awards.

The star arrived to the 1990 Academy Awards in a white gown with one shoulder ripped off and a corseted bodice. The look did not seem comfortable at all.

The actress and Tyra Banks (see next slide) should have gone to the Oscars together, as Swank's Dior dress was more suited for prom than the Academy Awards.

The model's giving me sugar plum fairy vibes with this poufy purple gown dress from the 2000 Academy Awards.

Bellatrix Lestrange is that you? Carter appeared to channel her Harry Potter character's preference for moody colors with this black-and-white multi-layered dress at the 2013 Academy Awards.

Two questions: how is that skirt staying on and is that headpiece heavy? Cher wore this fortune-teller-esque outfit to the 1986 Academy Awards and it was just as memorable as you'd expect.

Heather Mills arrived in lacy separates for the 74th Annual Academy Awards in 2002. In hindsight, this outfit wasn't the best choice for a fancy red carpet event—especially the Oscars, where glamorous gowns or sleek pantsuits are de rigueur.

The comedian wore a gray David Meister dress to the 2013 Academy Awards. Though the dress had some embellishments on the shoulder and sleeves, plus ruching in the middle, it looked washed-out. We'd love to see her in a brighter look.

The actress and singer arrived at the 2007 Academy Awards in a brown Oscar de la Renta look. Though the dress itself was fine, her cropped outerwear reminded us of something The Tin Man would wear.

By Marina Liao, Krystyna Chávez