The Most Memorable Oscars Wardrobe Malfunctions Celebs Wish We'd Forget

It's no secret that the annual Academy Awards ceremony is a time for celebrities to strut their stuff and show off all the gowns, styling, and jewelry they've been afforded the luxury of wearing for the spectacle. As a night where stars can round the bases of award season before diving full-force into the festival circuit, the Oscars are the perfect event to celebrate cinematic achievements and go all out on the red carpet. But some stars push the envelope with scandalous red carpet looks more than others, for better or for worse.

Nailing the elegance of Old Hollywood while also pushing the fashion envelope has become part and parcel of the award ceremony, with some iconic Oscar looks for the ages. Think musician Bjork dressed up as a swan, Halle Berry's sheer top amid her Best Actress Oscar win, or Angelina Jolie's high slit that revealed her killer legs. All these moments captured the magic of the moment in timeless ways. However, the same cannot be said for all the stars who have ever attended the Oscars. There've been some notable fashion faux pas, split seams, and other wardrobe malfunctions that several celebrities would wish we could all forget. For posterity, here are five unfortunately memorable Oscar outfit moments.

On the cusp of fame, Jenny McCarthy was a fresh face full of potential when she received her first invitation to the Oscars in 1997. In fact, she was so new to the glitz and glamor that she made a giant fashion mistake: she wore her Valentino dress backwards. On an episode of "Live With Kelly and Mark," McCarthy divulged to hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos what led to the mix up. "I literally was working at a Polish grocery store a year and a half prior to me going to the Oscars, so I didn't know much," the "Scream 3" actress admitted, continuing, "They put me in a Valentino dress — I didn't know I wore the dress backwards."

She also recalled how she famously thanked the designer, Valentino Garavani, for lending her the dress, only for him to respond, "You're wearing it backwards," according to McCarthy. Ever the sweet co-host, Ripa chimed in to defend McCarthy by admitting she preferred the way the "Jenny" actress wore it. However, this isn't the only time the "Masked Singer" judge has caused controversy. Since her Oscars red carpet debut, McCarthy has touted some odd health claims, had a very public romance with actor Jim Carey, and has since settled down with husband Donnie Wahlberg. Which may be why this was her only appearance at the Academy Awards. McCarthy admitted to Ripa and Consuelos, "I went to the Oscars once... I only was invited once, obviously." Despite the suggestion that her wardrobe malfunction might be to blame for her lack of subsequent invites, should she choose to make a comeback, McCarthy will surely wear something that makes a statement.

While sitting down with British Vogue for a retrospective interview of her fashion choices throughout the years, Renée Zellweger had quite the story about one look in particular. The "Bridget Jones' Diary" star — who chicly transformed her hair for the interview — recalled her hilarious wardrobe malfunction while wearing a gorgeous red gown by Carolina Herrera at the 2005 Oscars.

"First of all, it's an incredible dress. I love that dress," Zellweger stated before divulging that in the hustle and bustle of trying to exit the ceremony, she wasn't paying attention to the fact that someone (whom she has not named) was standing on the train of the dress while she was walking away. "It ripped [the train] right off my dress... from right beneath my booty," Zellweger continued. The "Chicago" star described having to swing back by her house to grab a different outfit for the after parties, but her troubles still weren't over. Zellweger had forgotten her house key and had to "climb up the balcony to the second floor and climb in through a little bathroom window... in that dress with the hole under my booty," truly making the whole ordeal a night to remember.

Jennifer Lawrence is no stranger to wardrobe malfunctions, but one of her most memorable slip-ups happened during the 2013 Oscars. As Lawrence was ascending the stairs to receive her award for Best Actress for her role in "Silver Linings Playbook," she caught herself getting literally swept up in the moment. The stunning Christian Dior dress the "Hunger Games" star wore for the occasion was perfect for the red carpet — less so for navigating rough terrain. When Lawrence plopped straight to the ground after getting tangled, she did her best to return with grace.

In her charming acceptance speech, she greeted the standing ovation with, "You guys are just standing up because you feel bad that I fell, and that's really embarrassing." Even though Lawrence has gone through a stunning transformation to reach the level of recognition that she's achieved, moments like these often remind us she's really just a human being like the rest of us. And although there have been several times Lawrence deserved to wind up on the worst-dressed list, she still manages to charm her way into warm reception.

When Venus Williams arrived at the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony with her sister, Serena Williams, Venus was dressed in a gorgeous Elie Saab gown with a rather wide neckline. This, according to the New York Post, ultimately led to the tennis star accidentally freeing the nipple during a cutaway shot. What's worse, this accidental flashing took place during an acceptance speech surrounded in controversy.

Earlier in the evening, actor Will Smith — who portrayed Venus and Serena's father, Richard Williams, in the movie "King Richard" — had stormed onstage to confront comedian Chris Rock about a joke made at Jada Pinkett Smith's expense. To the utter shock of everyone in the theater and beyond, Will then slapped Rock across the face. In a bizarre turn of events, the evening continued to unfold as per usual, and Will ultimately won the Oscar for his role in "King Richard." It was during his acceptance speech that the cameras cut to Venus, where she was clearly trying to hold her arm to her chest to prevent any accidents, unfortunately to no avail. For his part, Richard himself had some thoughts on the slap and the sisters did seem devastated that a night meant for celebrating the story of their family was mired in such scandal and drama.

In one of the worst celebrity wardrobe malfunctions of 2024, actress Emma Stone got a little bit too excited when she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in "Poor Things." In a moment of sheer luck, the seam she tore open still allowed the dress to remain held together, not revealing any skin and allowing her to go up on stage and give a rather charming speech.

In Stone's acceptance speech, she quickly admitted, "My dress is broken," before twirling around to point at it. She then made a wonderfully timed joke by saying, "I think it happened during 'I'm Just Ken.' I'm pretty sure." The crowd roared in agreement, as Ryan Gosling's performance of the Oscar-nominated song for "Barbie" had certainly been one for the ages. And the admission of the split seam possibly occurring during his show-stopping performance would make sense, as Gosling and Stone have quite the unique friendship.

As Stone continues to transform from comedic actress to Oscar-winner to powerhouse producer behind films such as "A Real Pain" and the show "The Curse," it's clear Stone is a force to be reckoned with. Hopefully her wardrobe will cease to hold her back.