6 iconic female red carpet looks

We’re the same kind of crazy if you become deeply obsessed with what celebs wear on the red carpet. Even when I was little I’d froth excessively at the mouth whenever a red carpet moment occurred before an award show (the VMAS were my religion). I loved getting to see the celebs I worshipped in their natural habitats, away from their highly edited music video facades, them simply being themselves, showcasing their style, raw, unadulterated, lambs at the slaughter for public scrutiny.

Fashion, political statements and demonstrations of personality in regards to red carpet aesthetics are very much my kryptonite so I simply had to compile a list of some of my all time personal favourite female red carpet moments, everything from the controversial to down-right bizarre.

One of my favourite looks of all time is the beyond iconic original naked dress brought to us by Rose McGowan. When she hit the red carpet in this it was beyond controversial for the time and it was photographed to death. The dress itself consisted of very little fabric and was essentially completely see-through. But did you know, the illicit dress was actually worn as a protest statement? The events of 1998 which inspired the wearing of the dress was very much a time that preceded the Me Too movement, however, Rose McGowan herself, alongside founder Tarana Burke pioneered the movement. The premise of protest itself was essentially aimed at Harvey Weinstein, the movie mogul accused of multiple sexual assaults against women, in an attempt to reclaim the actresses’ body after having experienced a violent attack from the then mega famous (now mega infamous) producer. The context in which this dress was worn only adds to its richness and its symbolism, and that for me makes it beyond iconic. Thank you Rose McGowan, firstly, for your bravery but also for trailblazing the wearing of a naked dress. You are a true goddess.

Rose McGowan, Image: @roybitchenstein

Lil’ Kim, Image: @roybitchenstein

Speaking of nudity, I couldn’t complete this list without talking about Lil’ Kim’s titillating, exposed breast, lil lilac number. Wow. 1999 was really the time to expose body parts - and I lived for it. Gone were the days of a simple exposed thigh in an elegant, floor-length gown. Gone were the days of showcasing shoulders and collar bones to highlight having been carb-free for 6 months and working 5 nights a week in the gym with trainers named Marco, Rocco or Butch. “No! I’m Lil’ Kim and I want to showcase my whole bare-fleshed, left breast and I absolutely will”. No one could pull this off whilst simultaneously making it look super chic. Lil’ Kim owned this look with her natural pre-surgery body and I think she looked incredible. She walked with such confidence, comfort and ease. Thank you Lil’ Kim - you are the queen of originality.

Things took a turn in 2001 and a fair few of my favourite looks are from this year. When Björk rocked up to the Academy Awards in that swan dress I pretty much stopped breathing. It was a walking spectacle. Whether it grabbed attention for the right reasons or the wrong reasons it was a highly memorable moment which definitely struck up a conversation. To top it off, the fact the Icelandic singer came armed with six ostrich eggs which she sporadically ‘laid’ all over the red carpet left a not only hilarious but significant impression in all of our minds. The dress and eggs themselves were representative of fertility (apparently) however I chose to see this dress as a middle finger to the establishment. Wearing such an eccentric look to this typically formal gathering definitely ruffled a few feathers, and that makes me respect her even more for always being so authentically herself. Björk pushes boundaries with her art and humour and I wish one day, be as openly wacky yet seemingly nonchalant as her.

Björk, Image: @roybitchenstein

Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, Image: @roybitchenstein

Now I’m going to segue from wacky to the downright tacky! Let’s talk about Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake’s ‘couple goals’, denim-for-days, fashion moment from the 2001 American Music Awards. First of all, how dare Britney and JT break up. I thought this denim look was an inadvertent wedding announcement, I thought they were perfect for each other, I thought they were going to go the distance. I’m clearly still harbouring a lot of pain from that break-up and there has been a hole in my heart ever since. If I ever find a man who wears a denim tuxedo to complement my denim floor-length gown he will need to sign a waiver before we take to the streets - a waiver detailing that once he exhibits such a public display of pure fashion he is never allowed to leave my side.

Before social media existed, getting a message to reach the masses was a far more difficult task to achieve. There was no Instagram or Twitter. How did they even get by, right? The only way to go viral whilst already in the spotlight was by doing something truly ostentatious - like making a sex tape. *Cough, Kim Kardashian, cough.* On the other hand, we consider Macy Gray, who turned up to the 2001 VMA’s in a gown with the words “MY NEW ALBUM DROPS SEPT 18, 2001” emblazoned over the front of it, and the words “BUY IT” on the back. This act of purely shameless self-promotion was dazzling. Gray’s ensemble was a talking point of the evening, however, despite her best efforts, the album didn’t debut higher than an uninspiring number 11 in the charts. All harsh realities aside, you’ve got to respect the hustle!

Macy Gray, Image: @roybitchenstein

Lady Gaga, Image: @roybitchenstein

Over the next nine years much changed in the world of pop culture and a lot of the outfits showcased became more muted, monotonous and ready-to-wear, which was totally fine but also a bit boring – harsh but true. That was until Lady Gaga burst onto our screens and gave us a much-needed palette cleanser. She has worn a lot of crazy outfits, but one sticks out in my mind like a sore thumb. The one and only meat dress she wore to the 2010 VMA’s. This was true performance art. Similar to what Rose McGowan was trying to achieve with her naked dress, Gaga wore the meat dress as a political statement protest piece. It had followed on from her recent Vogue cover in which she wore a meat bikini and said: “I am not a piece of meat”. The objectification women (and men) often face is not a ground-breaking discovery, it has very much existed for millennia, but with trailblazers like Gaga, using her platform and voice as a means to establish social change and lead open discussions about topics some people may find uncomfortable, was truly revolutionary.

 I feel deeply nostalgic writing this piece as I truly do long for the glory years that have passed me by. I long for risk taking, political statements and wacky concepts. I miss seeing true individuality. I respect the fact that many of the looks I have mentioned have to some extent been reconceptualised, modernised, referenced and replicated. For example: Rihanna and Amber Rose in their versions of the naked dress, and Katy Perry paying homage to Britney and JT’s denim look. Fashion is an ever evolving, ever changing, cyclical concept which is constantly up for discussion as well as deconstruction. The 80s paid homage to the 60s, the the 90s paid homage to the 70s, the time we are living in now is very much paying homage to the 90s, and I love that through fashion and archives we very much are able to jump into a time machine with some kind of idea of what it was like back then. I am eagerly awaiting future red carpet moments, with bated breath, for a much needed hit of further inspiration.

Words by Shen Djafer