Sheer Perfection: A Brief History of the Naked Dress on the Red Carpet

An evolution of the skin-tight, baring gowns

By Diana Nguyen Jul 28, 2015 2:23 AMTags
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If you haven't caught news of Leonardo DiCaprio's charity gala in St. Tropez last week, you didn't miss much…clothing that is.

Many from the A-list set, including Naomi Campbell, Kate Hudson and Jessica Stam—were dressed to the barely there nines, donning sheer fabrics, super-sexy cutouts and deep necklines.

Though it certainly made headlines, this wasn't the naked dress' red-carpet debut. Before Beyoncé's Met Gala gown or Miley's nipples came out to play, the risqué ensemble made its first public appearance decades before.

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1959
In still relatively conservative times, Marilyn Monroe didn't shy away from her sexuality—she owned it. The blond bombshell was known for wearing sexy dresses that left little to the imagination. Whether she was visiting the White House or acting in films like Some Like It Hot, Norma Jean made it a point to turn heads.

1993
You don't become a supermodel by playing it safe, as a young Kate Moss can attest. For the Elite Model Agency's Look of the Year contest, the British beauty took the trendy slip dress to the next transparent level.

1998
We expect to see style surprises at the MTV Video Music Awards. But let's just say Rose McGowan had many wide eyed in a see-through, chain-link cover-up, thong and nothing much else. Marilyn Manson's then-girlfriend made history, paving the way for other brave souls (oh, hey, Amber Rose).

2000
More naked coordinates than dress, Britney Spears' VMAs pantsuit gets an honorable mention here. She didn't just strip off an oversized suit to reveal a sparkly, skin-tight ensemble; she stripped her good girl image to become Britney in her heyday.

2001
Toni Braxton may have won a Grammy, but she also took home many Worst Dressed awards that year for her white Richard Tyler dress, featuring the highest side slits you ever did see.

2013
Overexposure has not been a concern in recent years, with many celebs owning their beauty and bodies. At the forefront of this campaign is Miley Cyrus. Although she's comfortable nude—as seen on many magazine covers—the former Disney star wore a crochet dress and fur bolero for the iHeartRAdio Music Festival.

2014
Rihanna is also no stranger to the naked dress, wearing a beautiful, floor-length iteration by Adam Selman to the 2014 CFDA Awards. She gets extra points for topping it off with an equally sparkly do-rag.

Present
Nowadays, the naked dress doesn't quite draw as much attention as it once did. But perhaps that's a sign that people are becoming more accepting of the beauty that is the human body. That, or celebs are trying much harder to keep young and relevant, as designer Carolina Herrera would argue. Either way, does it matter?

PHOTOS: Stars in naked dresses!