They were there, but barely: Celebs embrace naked fashion trend at Oscar after-parties

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — At the Oscars ceremony, they were there. At the after-parties, they were barely there.

Celebrities bared a lot more than their emotions on Oscar night. The naked fashion trend was on full display at places like the Vanity Fair party carpet, where guests clearly bought into the idea that less is more.

Among them: actor-director Olivia Wilde, who wore a sheer, embroidered lace negligee by Chloé, “with metal ends and embroidered lace lingerie panties,” according to the designer.

While Wilde's outfit had a demure bohemian charm, actor Julia Fox leaned much further toward naked, arriving in a see-through wrap dress where the only adornment seemed to be strategically placed hair extensions.

Doja Cat sang "Diamonds Are Forever" on the telecast during a James Bond tribute segment in what looked like only diamonds, with little fabric in between. Then she showed up at the Vanity Fair party in a custom Balmain strapless gown with fringes, which the designer said "was crafted by 39 artisans over the course of 3,450 hours." The inspiration: an Oscar statue reflecting the female form — and that form was celebrated, beneath all the hand-threaded glass beads in nine different shades of gold.

Kendall Jenner drew attention at the Vanity Fair fete with a vintage 1992 Mugler number in black lace that was actually made of rubber. “White Lotus” actor Leslie Bibb decided to go with the popular nude-sparkle look.

Although the trend may feel somewhat new — as evidenced by the chatter around the recent Grammys carpet appearance by Bianca Censori and Ye — naked fashion has been in vogue for a number of years, noted Madeline Hirsch, features director at InStyle Fashion.

“Though it originated on the runway, the naked dress trend is fed largely by celebrity red carpet moments — stars and their stylists can’t seem to get enough,” Hirsch said in an email. She added that in 2025, sheer lace is the most prominent expression of the trend — not a surprise since bohemian style is resurgent.

Though many Oscar attendees, of course, opt for much more traditional looks both before and after the ceremonies, it tends to be at the after-parties where the naked look pops up the most, Hirsch said.

“It’s the time when attendees can let down their hair after hours, and generally speaking, it’s a lower stakes red carpet and less formal event than the ceremony itself,” Hirsch said. “Next-to-naked dressing matches that energy.”

Not everyone is a fan, to say the least.

“Let’s be real — this is not a new trend. ‘Naked fashion’ rears its ugly head every few years, almost like clockwork,” said Melissa Rivers, daughter of Joan Rivers and a frequent fashion commentator. "But this year? It was exceptionally bad. Honestly, I’m so over it. Completely. Full stop!”