Celebrity Wardrobe Malfunctions That Stars Handled With Grace
For celebrities, wardrobe malfunctions are just an inevitable occupational hazard. When part of your job is looking amazing in designer ensembles at events, chances are that every once in a while, a snafu will happen.
Now, we love red carpet fashion — we can’t get enough of the designer gowns and beautiful hair looks. Whether it be during an interview or at an awards show, sometimes disaster can happen. But never underestimate the pros, they’re professionals for a reason and many times — celebrities handle the dreaded wardrobe malfunctions with grace.
Here’s the thing: wardrobe malfunctions happen, we’re all only human and we shouldn’t let a nip slip be the end of the world for a celebrity’s career. We’ve seen stars like Salma Hayek and Camila Cabello joke about their wardrobe malfunctions — not letting the haters or awful headlines get to them. Other stars, like Demi Moore and Bella Hadid, expertly act like nothing even happened.
It’s 2024, we’re going to celebrate those who handled this dreaded situation with class, grace, and humor.
From Janet Jackson to Kate Middleton (yes, even royalty have a wardrobe malfunction every once in a while!), these celebrities know how to handle any issue with grace and poise. Check out all the celebrities who handled wardrobe malfunctions gracefully below.
A version of this article was originally published on March 2022.
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Dakota Johnson
Dakota Johnson may be looking for another stylist after suffering her third public wardrobe malfunction. In a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the straps of Johnson’s black dress come undone. “Dakota, your dress just came unhooked. Are you alright?” Kimmel asked the actress. “Should I get some Scotch tape?”
“My dress, it just fell off!” Johnson said as she laughed. She then grabbed her chest and said, “Well, I’ll just hold it.”
Dakota Johnson
Almost a week earlier, Dakota Johnson had another mishap. At the Daddio premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, the skirt of her dress flew up and temporarily exposed her bottom, per Express.
Halle Berry
Halle Berry recently shared a video where she and her stylist, Lindsay Flores, can’t figure out how to take off her shirt after an event in Las Vegas, Nevada, per Entertainment Tonight.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift suffered quite a major wardrobe malfunction during her May 19 Eras Tour show in Stockholm, Sweden, when her blue dress totally came undone mid-performance.
In a video of the moment (watch it HERE!), Swift can be seen noticing something wasn’t right and asking her fans to “talk amongst yourselves,” per E! News. Then, the singer sat at a piano bench and undid her wrap dress revealing her black-and-gold bedazzled set underneath. Eventually, someone from her crew steps in, helps her fix the dress and she closes it back up. A quick blip!
Olivia Rodrigo
In the middle of a sold-out concert in London on May 14, Olivia Rodrigo top came undone on stage (what the moment HERE!). Rodrigo, who was singing “??love is embarrassing” from her new album, continued singing and dancing while one of her dancers followed her across the stage trying to close the top. Talk about professionalism!
Camila Cabello
Camila Cabello’s look at the 2024 Met Gala may have been inspired by “things decaying over time” but she didn’t see a major wardrobe malfunction coming, per People. According to the outlet, the “Havana” singer’s dress, by Ludovic de Saint Sernin, ripped right down the center even exposing her undergarments by the end of the gala.
“It was so embarrassing for her on fashion’s biggest night but she handled it with ease and just laughed it off,” an eyewitness told Daily Mail. “She was not going to let anything ruin her night.” Kudos to her!
Emma Stone
As she began her speech for Best Actress at the 2024 Oscars, Emma Stone revealed that the zipper on the back of her dress opened. “My dress is broken,” she said. “I think it happened during ‘I’m Just Ken.'”
Luckily, her wardrobe malfunction didn’t take away from her incredible speech.
Fran Drescher
For the 2024 SAG Awards, Fran Drescher’s statement earring popped off her ear, but she caught it in a superhero-type fashion before it hit the ground, and it was all caught on tape via People.
Amanda Seyfried
Amanda Seyfried‘s 2023 Critics’ Choice Awards dress was practically falling apart, the actress revealed on the red carpet before winning an award for her role in The Dropout.
“I’m just going to take off my dress,” she joked to Access Hollywood as one of her sleeves slipped down her arm. Accepting the fashion circumstances, she modeled the floppy sleeve and piped, “Honestly it’s old, it’s beautiful!”
Demi Moore
Demi Moore was utterly unfazed when she accidentally exposed a nipple during a photocall at Paris Fashion Week in September 2023.
While wearing a semi-sheer dress, the star lifted her arms causing the layered portion of the dress to come up a little too far and expose her breast. However, the actress didn’t bat an eyelid and proved it not that big of a deal to show some skin.
Bella Hadid
Due to her high leg slit, Bella Hadid accidentally revealed her underwear while posing at Cannes Film Festival in 2017. But, as only a model could do, she walked it off in style.
Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore looked so fabulous throught the 2021 Emmys that no one could have guessed that her night was almost derailed by a wardrobe malfunction.
The Dr. Death star revealed in an interview with People that one of her dress straps broke during the evening but another star saved the day.
“Sweet Sophia Bush walked by to go backstage, and I jumped up to hug her, and a strap just popped,” Moore said.
“The next commercial break, I ran back there, and Sophia had told them, so they had read thread ready to go. Thank God for her!”
Kate Moss
Kate Moss ended up taking matters into her own hands when the bottom of her dress ripped at The Golden Age Of Couture VIP Gala in 2007.
Photos of Moss later in the night showed that the model has fashioned the gown into a mini dress to survive the malfunction.
Emily Blunt
While posing on the red carpet at the New York premiere of Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt had a close call when a button on her suit opened and briefly exposed her bra. As wardrobe malfunctions go, a flash of a bra is hardly shameful but, nevertheless, the moment was saved by Blunt’s co-star, Florence Pugh. Pugh stepped in to shield Blunt while she adjusted her outfit. See the moment here!
Kate Beckinsale
In May 2023, Kate Beckinsale reflected on an previously unknown detail about her 1993 Cannes Film Festival appearance with her Much Ado About Nothing co-stars.
The actress reflected on a wardrobe mishap in an Instagram caption: “I had bought the bodysuit in the Sock Shop at the airport and when I got in the car to drive to the premiere with Denzel and Pauletta Washington, all the poppers in the crotch popped themselves open and it flipped up like a roller blind.”
She also revealed that Keanu Reeves and Robert Sean Leonard helped her get through the ordeal by helping her hold everything in place while they posed for photos!
Kim Kardashian
When Kim Kardashian’s 2023 Met Gala dress began shedding its freshwater pearls, it could have been a very expensive mishap. Fortunately, the star’s daughter, North West, saved the day, as Kardashian told Vogue.
“Some popped on the way, and I told my daughter to grab them all. They’re real pearls, and she was putting them in her purse.”
Heidi Klum
When Heidi Klum totally stole the show at the Cannes Film Festival in this bright yellow Zuhair Murad gown with cutouts all over the chest, it’s safe to say that a wardrobe malfunction was bound to happen. In a few of the shots of her swinging the dress’ flowy sleeves, the supermodel had an accidental nip slip. But, knowing how she’s not afraid to show some skin on social media, it looks like Klum didn’t even bat an eye.
Kelly Ripa
Kelly Ripa may have taken her dancing skills to a whole new level during April 18’s episode of Live. While practicing one dance move with husband Mark Consuelos, Ripa spun around and landed on Consuelos’ knee. She then burst out laughing. “Did my entire back of my dress rip open?” she asked her hubby.
“Nope, just a little bit. You’re fine,” Consuelos said, checking her pink ruffled dress. “It’s just a breakaway dress. Who cares!” Ripa joked. Like a pro, the two then continued performing the routine as if nothing ever happened
Sherri Shepherd
During the March 9 recording of her show Sherri, Sherri Shepherd quickly covered up a wardrobe malfunction with the help of her wardrobe stylist Willie Sinclair III. “In daytime, you can’t have this much boob out,” she joked, as she wore a semi-plunging bodycon teal dress, per Hollywood Life.
Shepherd also shared what happened right before the cameras started rolling. “As the doors were opening up, the pin popped,” she said. “So I just pulled it and threw it out. So as I walked out, I could hear Willie [gasp]. So he is back here fixing it, but he keeps pinning it in the back. I keep telling him, they’re heavy. They’re going to pull it forward.”
Jenna Ortega
At the long-awaited Scream VI premiere, Wednesday star Jenna Ortega stained her deconstructed tuxedo dress with a Sharpie after signing autographs to fans. According to Ortega’s Instagram, however, she doesn’t seem too bothered by it.
“#sharpiestainwhogivesas***,” she wrote in the caption alongside a few pictures of her on the carpet. She then tagged the dress’ designer, Olivier Rousteing, and wrote “#imsosorryolivier.”
Joy Behar
The View co-host Joy Behar suffered a wardrobe malfunction during a commercial break on Feb 12. “The biggest surprise happened to us seconds ago when Joy’s bra started making all kinds of eyes at people at the table,” Whoopi Goldberg told the audience after, per Page Six. “That was my special gift to all the old people out there on Valentine’s Day,” Behar joked, “all the old guys.”
Salma Hayek
At the 2022 BAFTA Awards, Salma Hayek looked amazing in a gothic Gucci gown. Her thigh-high slit nearly bunched up, almost revealing more than she expected. She joked about it on Instagram later, saying “Sometimes in an effort to cover something other things show up more.”
Janet Jackson
One of the most infamous moments of a celebrity wardrobe malfunction is Janet Jackson at the 2004 Super Bowl.
The unstoppable, legendary singer faced a slew of backlash and trolling over the incident where her breast was exposed at the XXXVIII Super Bowl, but Jackson didn’t let it stop her. She not only performed amazingly but she’s made it a priority to love herself and her body every day since.
Kate Middleton
At the 2017 St. Patrick’s Day parade, Kate Middleton — like always — rocked a stunning ensemble, this time a green dress coat. However, her heels got stuck in the street grate, nearly tipping over. But with grace and poise, she knelt down to grab it and laughed it off while she continued with her day
Camila Cabello
During a virtual appearance on the BBC’s The One Show, the Cinderella star Camila Cabello accidentally exposed her breast while dancing.
She handled it like a pro, joking, “I hope you didn’t see nipple” and thwarting odd comments.
Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen‘s double side slit gown at the 2016 American Music Awards was a risky move that didn’t go 100% according to plan and ended up exposing a little more than intended.
No one knows how to find the humor in moments like these better than Teigen so she hilariously joked about it on Instagram in a caption that read: “apologies to anyone harmed mentally or physically by my hooha.” And even shouted out her laser hair removal clinic!
Emily Ratajkowski
Supermodel Emily Ratajkowski looked ethereal at the 2017 Golden Globes, but at one point, her dress came up and exposed her underwear. However, she quickly fixed it and continued to rock the red carpet
Margot Robbie
As always, Margot Robbie looked gorgeous on the red carpet at the premiere of the 2016 hit film The Legend of Tarzan. When her dress came undone, she fixed it with the help of co-star Alexander Skarsg?rd.
She smiled throughout it all and even rewarded Skarsg?rd with a kiss on the cheek.
Cardi B
During Cardi B‘s performance at Bonnaroo Festival in June 2019, her colorful jumpsuit tore down the back. She left the stage, coming back in a bathrobe.
Now that is how you handle a wardrobe malfunction!
Beyoncé
While performing “Halo” at her Formation World Tour in 2016, Beyoncé’s iconic leotard ripped mid-performance, but she handled it like a pro and continued on with the show without a hitch.
Gigi Hadid
At the 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Gigi Hadid’s bra strap actually broke behind the scenes and, with no time for repairs, she thought on her feet and had her hair cover the snafu.
Dakota Johnson
While accepting the award for Favorite Dramatic Movie Actress for Fifty Shades of Grey at the 2016 People’s Choice Awards, Dakota Johnson’s dress nearly fell off.
However, she and her friends fixed it up with her joking, “It’s not like nobody here hasn’t already seen my boobs.”
Katherine Heigl
While accepting an award for Female Star of the Year at the 2010 ShoWest Awards, Katherine Heigl’s dress strap snapped, nearly causing a nip slip.
However, she finished her speech, held up her dress, and smiled throughout it all.
Jennifer Lawrence
During the 2013 SAG Awards, Jennifer Lawrence‘s dress suffered an odd malfunction with the fabric snagging on the chair, causing it to separate.
In true Lawrence fashion, she joked about it, calling herself “accident-prone.”
Kristen Bell
During the Veronica Mars premiere, Kristen Bell‘s stunning gown had a bit of a higher slit than she excpected. But like a pro, she handled it with grace, laughing it off and covering herself whenever she could naturally.
Charli XCX
Charli XCX couldn’t help but cackle over her wardrobe malfunction while presenting for the ARIA Awards.
She shared a rough take of her video recording to Instagram where her dress strap fell and exposed her breast, and while that luckily didn’t happen during a live show, Charli couldn’t resist sharing the hilarious moment with her fans.
Lily-Rose Depp
During the 2019 premiere of The King, the wind was Lily-Rose Depp’s worst enemy. While she rocked the red carpet in her gorgeous, monochromatic gown, the wind would not stop.
Despite the wind trying to fully expose her throughout, she held on tight to her top, laughing throughout the premiere over it.
Emma Watson
During the premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in 2009, Emma Watson had a bit of a malfunction, with many snapping pictures of her exposed underwear. In an interview with David Letterman soon after, she joked that it happens, saying “At least I’m wearing underwear!”
