No matter the location or weather conditions, it’s never winter on the red carpet. For decades, we’ve been accustomed to seeing stars, from A to Z list, braving the elements and baring their bodies for the cameras, knowing they will be headline news within minutes of stepping out of their limo towards a sea of eager flashbulbs and fans. Elizabeth Hurley, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez are three of the most memorable examples from decades past, but in 2025, a thigh-high slit, navel-grazing neckline or a few strategically-placed pins seems positively tame.
Instead, next-gen stars are sashaying into some of the showbiz’s most prestigious events practically naked. Of course, Bianca Censori took this brief and ran with it at the 2025 Grammys, sporting her now-notorious nude look alongside husband Kanye West. But she’s not the only one: she’s just the most extreme example.
For the past few months, countless other celebs have been going for the barely-there look too: Julia Fox’s seemingly nipple-freeing top (it was actually a custom breastplate) at NYFW is the most striking in a long line of outrageous outfits from the eternally body-confident actress. As she once told Nylon, “I always have to look in the mirror and be like, ‘Do I look badass?’ And if the answer is no, then I have to change.”
Chrissy Teigen, too, is a long-term lover of less is more. When she appeared to be pantless at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony, fashion critics were unsure if her outfit was appropriate. Does she care? Not one bit — in fact, it’s only spurred her on. “A no pants moment with Tony Ward Couture,” she wrote on Insta alongside a photo of her recent Grammys look. “And I won’t apologize for it either!! I want to be buried pantless.”
On March 1, Charli XCX even brought brat behavior to the Brits, arriving at the award show in a nearly entirely sheer black dress. “I’ve heard that ITV were complaining about my nipples,” the singer said, referring to a British broadcaster. “I feel like we’re in the era of free the nipple, though, right?” She joins the likes of Megan Thee Stallion, Zoë Kravitz, Emily Ratajkowski and Olivia Wilde who have also recently bared a lot of skin in public — in some cases, even nonchalantly showing their nipples through mesh and lace.
In years gone by, going nearly naked was considered trashy, something you’d only expect from attention-hungry reality stars and Hollywood wannabes. But these talented ladies are walking works of performance art: proof that you can flaunt the body you trained hard for while still being respected for your work. Since some of them have gone topless or even full-frontal in movies and modeling campaigns, clearly they don’t have the same qualms about virtually stripping off in public as those of us who spend our workdays in yoga leggings or business-casual.
The Best Nearly Naked Looks of All Time: Paris Jackson, Zendaya, More
Still, though, this trend is becoming extreme, making it harder and harder for celebs to actually shock. When Censori stole the show at the Grammys, it meant that the stars who were merely wearing something semi-sheer, tight or lacy barely got talked about — a devastating blow for their stylists and favored designers.
So, what next: internal organs on display at Fashion Week, or a total rebellion towards sweatpants and hoodies? We’ll be watching…
