Revealing Katy Perry Outfits Left Little To The Imagination

Katy Perry has had some truly iconic looks throughout her decades-long career. Her style evolution has shifted from the pin-up looks she donned in 2008 with the release of her debut album to her candy-themed "California Gurls" aesthetic. Now, Perry has entered into a more mature, sophisticated high fashion era that's a stark contrast to the pop star's vibrant, blue-haired look, leading to many more phenomenal red carpet moments.

Like many fashion-forward celebrities, the "Hot N Cold" singer has been bold with her style, and it hasn't been everyone's cup of tea. Many of Perry's outfits left little to the imagination, as she has often opted for short skirts and low-cut tops whether on stage or walking the red carpet. However, as she told W Magazine in March 2022, she has zero regrets about her past fashion choices.

"I think it [has all] represented me at the time and the age. I've worn a lot of weird ass things, but they've always brought me joy. ... Has everything been A+? Well, I guess that's subjective. Some people love it, some people are like, 'What the f***?' and that's fine," she explained. You can't please everyone, and if you've got it, flaunt it. Perry certainly has it, and she's flaunted her figure countless times over the years. From form-fitting ensembles to nearly nude looks, here are the most revealing outfits the singer has worn.

When Katy Perry took to the 2012 MuchMusic Video Awards stage to perform her latest hit, she donned a loose-fitting cloth that resembled a cocoon. As she reached the climax of "Wide Awake," the singer dropped it to reveal a shimmery, nude bodysuit, and giant butterfly wings unfolded behind her. Perry's transformation was stunning, but when she later returned to the stage to retrieve her International Artist of the Year award, fans could see just how revealing her outfit was. Even she was aware, as Perry used the award to cover her rear when exiting the stage.

There has long been the argument that female pop stars should act as role models for young girls, and therefore shouldn't dress provocatively. However, Perry is a prime example of a woman who wore plunging necklines and sang suggestive songs, yet still believed in inspiring young girls. After winning Woman of the Year a few months after her Much Music Video Awards performance, Perry spoke with Billboard about being a role model.

"I'd like to change the phrase 'role model' to 'inspiration.' 'Role model' puts you on a pedestal that no one can really live up to. For me, aspiring to be an artist at a young age ... I definitely thought about being an inspiration. So I hope that I am an inspiration, especially with my work ethic and my ability to overcome obstacles," she said.

Countless celebrities have been spotted living their best lives at Coachella, including style icons like Lil Nas X, Vanessa Hudgens, Rihanna, and of course, Katy Perry. Back in 2015, the "This Is How We Do" songstress packed up her bags and headed to Soho Desert House, a temporary pop-up space for the music festival.

Perry snapped pictures with fellow famed beauties like Cleo Wade, Mia Moretti, and Sarah Hudson, all of whom were dressed in their festival attire. The pop star wore a sheer crop top and long skirt, adorned with flowers and black ruffles, leaving her black bra on full display. Unfortunately, Perry's experience at Coachella that year didn't exactly go to plan, as the group's van from their accommodation to the festival grounds broke down, and she shared a snap of her broken rollaway bed.

About a month before she debuted her revealing festival outfit, Perry spoke with Elle about how performing had changed for her as her look evolved over time. "You've got 15,000 people just hanging on your every single moment, and you've got to keep them entertained for two hours," she shared. "In the beginning, I had the candy-queen thing because I created a world. No longer am I creating one specific world; I'm giving you snapshots. Different images. I am a more exaggerated character when I'm on stage. I have more inflections in my voice — it's like Katharine Hepburn, it's like diva, it's larger than life, like: Spotlight, please."

Katy Perry had served as a guest judge on "American Idol" a couple of times before she officially joined the show in 2018 on a permanent basis. Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan joined the "Never Really Over" singer during the competition series' reboot, and she had plenty of awkward moments throughout her seven-season run. One of Perry's most spoken-about moments was doubtlessly her outfit choices, and she was called out more than once for wearing revealing looks on the family-friendly show.

When the pop star broke out her Season 21 finale dress, the ensemble turned heads — and not for all the right reasons. She walked out on stage in a bright orange dress with cutouts, rose appliques, and a shimmery, sheer skirt that showed off plenty of skin. Perry shared a photo of herself in the dress on Instagram in May 2023, alongside the caption, "Orange u glad it was a great #idolfinale?" Comments have since been disabled on her post, but fans initially had mixed reactions.

One Twitter user wrote, "Katy Perry's dress she wore last night at the finale of American Idol was not appropriate. It resembled more a dress for a high-end call girl!" Someone else echoed, "That dress is not flattering on Katy Perry," while another commenter said, "Is she at a swim meet?" Despite the negative feedback, the singer wore her look with confidence, as she often does.

Say what you will about Katy Perry, but the pop star knows how to make headlines. During the Billboard Women in Music Awards in March 2024, the "Smile" singer debuted a look that may top the list of her most inappropriate outfits ever worn. Perry showed perhaps more of her backside than she ever had when she walked the red carpet in a two-piece crimson corset, with a low-rise skirt that had a fishtail silhouette and super-high platform heels.

Nothing about her look was terribly revealing until she turned around to reveal that her lace-up skirt exposed her butt crack, which she accessorized with a black G-string. On her lower back, Perry sported a 3D butterfly tramp stamp created by makeup artist Hugo Villasenor. Perry took to Instagram to show off her look, captioning the post, "You're my butterfly, sugar, baby." Fans were split about whether she looked hot or had taken the outfit too far, and the comment section was flooded with negative feedback. "I love you but this is NOT it," one Instagram user wrote. Another said, "This outfit did not need the crack view," while someone else added, "I thought you were better than this."

Others had Perry's back, though, as one of her followers commented, "I'm here for red hot Katy," while another said that she looked "so pretty." This look definitely left little to the imagination, but she might've pulled it off.

The mesh dress is an iconic trend that's come and gone (and then come back again) over the years, with celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Kendall Jenner rocking the red carpets and runways in sheer fabrics. Not only is the versatile look an easy way to keep cool, but it shows off plenty of skin for those who like to flaunt what they've got. Katy Perry hopped on the trend when she walked the yellow carpet at the April 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards in a shimmery mesh dress, tied at the sides with red bows, which showed off her black bra and underwear.

Perry had just revealed a couple of months prior that she would be leaving "American Idol" after seven seasons. While on "Good Morning America" (via ABC News) in April 2024, the singer explained, "I feel so connected to America that I want to go out there again and sing and play music and hold their hands and [tour] and bring my daughter and show her and all that stuff." Perry added that the showrunners should, "Keep my seat warm."

Around the same time, she told Entertainment Tonight about her reason for leaving the show, saying, "It's not like me ending this show means I'm going to go retire on an island, even though that would be fabulous. I'm gonna go to work." Alongside all her upcoming work, we're bound to see even more eye-catching outfits from Perry.

High fashion can often be misinterpreted or underappreciated due to the oftentimes over the top aesthetic displayed, but it can also be seen as an artform. Vogue World's third event in Paris in June 2024 launched Haute Couture Week and gave attendees a glimpse at remarkable designs that celebrated French fashion and gave a nod to the 2024 Olympics. Celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter, Serena and Venus Williams, and Ciara donned exquisite looks, and Katy Perry's dress definitely caught everyone's attention.

The "Daisies" songstress wore a barely-there archival piece designed by Noir Kei Ninomiya when she walked the runway at Place Vendôme. The black dress featured geometric-shape cutouts with black and pink rose appliques, and the design left little to the imagination, with much of Perry's body on show. She shared her controversial look on Instagram at the time and received an incredible outpouring of praise. Fans commented, "Slay," "Gorgeous," and "Beautiful" on her post, but of course, there were also several who weren't a fan of the dress.

"You were always so classy what has happened?" one follower asked. Another cruelly claimed, "You really have no class," while a final Instagram user added, "Fashion is not nakedness." Regardless, Perry bravely strutted her stuff on the streets of Paris, managed to avoid any embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions, and easily became one of the best-dressed celebrities of 2024.

In 2023, the most outrageous Paris haute couture outfits included many revealing looks, but Perry's topless ensemble might just overshadow them all. At the June 2024 event, the singer donned ripped low-rise tights and an ankle-length Balenciaga fur coat, which was worn open to reveal her entirely bare cleavage and hips. In speaking with Women's Wear Daily at the time, Perry explained that it was an extremely intentional look she was going for. "I wanted to be streamlined, sexy, sensual. I wanted to wear my nylon right above my c-section scar. That's the lowest I was gonna go," she said.

She shared a snap of her revealing outfit in an Instagram post, which received tons of praise for how amazing she looked. However, most of the negative feedback the pop star received seemed to come down to the fact that Perry was promoting the brand. Balenciaga came under fire when the fashion line published a controversial ad campaign in 2022 featuring children holding their latest merchandise: teddy bears dressed in BDSM-inspired costumes. Calls to boycott the brand rang out, leading Perry's followers to echo the sentiment. "This brand is still cancelled katy, don't push it," an Instagram user wrote.

Still, Perry looked incredible as she daringly showed off tons of skin. With her first release in four years set to drop in July 2024, there are undoubtedly many more revealing looks to come as she promotes the track.