17 Celebrities Who Broke the Dress Code and Enjoyed Every Minute of It

The dress code at events like award ceremonies, festivals, and movie premiers is strict but simple: a tuxedo for men and an evening gown or cocktail dress for women. However, sometimes celebrities want to stay in the memories of millions of audience members for a long time and end up creating an unusual look. Other times it’s just a matter of convenience that comes to the foreground and drives them to break the code.

We at Bright Side grew interested in this topic and found instances where celebrities ignored the rules and attracted the attention of millions of people.

Chloé Zhao

The Oscar-winning filmmaker who got the coveted award in 2021 for her movie Nomadland in the “Best Director” category arrived at the ceremony in a Hermès dress — and sneakers. According to the black-tie dress code, it’s high-heels that are considered appropriate for such an event. However, this rule violation was quite reasonable since spending half the night in stilettos is real torture.

Billie Eilish

At the 2020 Academy Awards ceremony, the singer appeared wearing a Chanel pantsuit. Billie has often declared that she prefers to opt for comfortable, loose clothes, and that’s why her choice wasn’t all that surprising.

Woody Harrelson

Woody Harrelson arrived at the premiere of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 movie wearing pajamas and socks. It’s worth noting that the outfit was well-balanced in gray colors.

Kendall Jenner

Kendall Jenner appeared on the red carpet of the 2017 Cannes Film Festival wearing denim shorts. The model complemented this look with an elegant top designed by Alexandre Vauthier and some accessories.

Кate Middleton

The all-black dress code allowing only outfits of this color was ignored by Kate Middleton at the BAFTA-2018 ceremony. However, the Jenny Packham dress still had a dark tinge to it.

Julia Roberts

In 2016, Julia Roberts arrived on the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival wearing a long dress that covered her feet. But once she started to go up the stairs, everyone could see that the actress wasn’t wearing any shoes. It’s worth mentioning that even shoes without heels are not recommended to be worn, according to the rules of the movie festival.

Jodie Foster

The 1992 Oscar-winning actress who was awarded for her role in The Silence of the Lambs movie for “Best Actress” refused to wear an evening dress to the ceremony. Jodie Foster was remembered for her elegant outfit — a pantsuit with silk gloves by Armani.

Billy Porter

The actor, Billy Porter, used both male and female parts of the dress code in his outfit: he put on the top part of a tuxedo over an evening gown. “Putting on those heels made me feel the most masculine I’ve ever felt in my life. It was empowering to let that part of myself free,” Billy shared.

Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart arrived to a premiere at the Cannes Film Festival wearing an unusually simple outfit: a top and a long skirt. Turns out, it was a Chanel dress.

Timothée Chalamet

Is it possible to arrive at the Oscars wearing a sporty getup? It’s not an issue for the elegant Timothée Chalamet, especially when you take into account that his garment was made by Prada.

Sharon Stone

The actress put on a gray Gap turtleneck for the 1996 Academy Awards. The public was even more amused when they found out the item cost only $21.

Ezra Miller

The actor opted for an unusual look created by Moncler Pierpaolo Piccioli for the premiere of the movie, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton has been seen wearing pantsuits instead of gowns at award ceremonies many times. The first time it happened was in 1978. It was then that she won an Oscar for her work in the movie, Annie Hall. In 1993, she complemented the look with a long coat.

Serena Williams

At the Met Gala in 2019, the famous tennis player wore a bright yellow dress by Atelier Versace. At the same time, she had elegantly violated the dress code, as she donned sneakers that matched the color of the dress.

Lil Nas X

The 22-year old rapper, Lil Nas X, wore a Versace fuchsia costume and a cowboy hat to the 2020 Grammy Awards. Despite the bright-colored outfit, the choice was anything but random — the artist won an award for “Best Video” where he portrayed a cowboy.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone

The creators of South Park appeared at the 2000 Academy Awards wearing evening dresses. Trey’s outfit resembled the green Versace dress Jennifer Lopez wore that made a stir during the same year on the Grammy’s red carpet. Matt put on a dress that looked like the one Gwyneth Paltrow wore to the Oscars just one year prior.

Which of these celebs was the boldest violator of a dress code in your opinion?