Here Are the 55 Sexiest Oscars Dresses of All Time
A look back at the most 🔥 gowns through the years.
Some Oscar attendees tend to play it safe with their gowns at the Academy Awards, but these guests brought a bit more skin to the red carpet to make for a completely jaw-dropping Oscar fashion moment. Here's a roundup of the 55 sexiest dresses—featuring mesh, cutouts, leg slits, and more—worn to the star-studded ceremony over the years.
Vikki Dougan, 1957
Going backless in 1957? No big deal for Vikki, here. This sexy twist on a classic LBD is absolutely everything.
Ava Gardner, 1960
A little plunge never hurt nobody. Here, she stunned in a sequin halter-neck gown with a tiara and opera-length gloves. Casual.
Natalie Wood, 1962
Look back at it! The stylish shawl completed this all-white halter column.
Elke Sommer, 1968
Yes to this cleave moment. Elke Sommer sported a sexy sequined gown, fur coat and white gloves, giving off major, "I'm more glam than you" vibes.
Diahann Carroll, 1968
You can't go wrong with deep Vs and sparkly embellishments. Diahann Carroll wowed in this sequined dress, complete with a chic 'do and flawless smokey eye.
Barbra Streisand, 1969
Barb put a Peter Pan-collar shirt and sparkly flares on the map when she donned this sheer getup to the '69 Oscars.
Elizabeth Taylor, 1970
Diamonds and décolletage go together like peanut butter and jelly. We'd be smiling too if we rocked this periwinkle hue as well as Liz.
Raquel Welch, 1972
Plunging blue wrap dress, FTW. Fun fact: The actress took off the top half to reveal a spaghetti strap version of this look on the Oscar's stage. A true icon.
Cher, 1973
Okay, Cher. We see you in this crop-top, ultra-sheer two-piece look. Just look at those abs!
Raquel Welch, 1974
Raquel at it again in a plunging halter number. Adding a wrap necklace and pendant earrings gave this look a classy touch.
Lauren Hutton, 1975
The ultra-plunging neckline was obviously a major Oscars trend in the '70s. Lauren Hutton made sure to channel her inner Greek goddess at the ceremony with this white, flowy gown.
Lauren Hutton, 1980
Oooooh! A mini!! Here, the icon sparkled in a gold metallic number behind the scenes.
Cher, 1984
If you thought all these other plunging necklines were low, Cher's is all the way down to her bellybutton! She arrived in this see-through gown and accessorized with statement earrings.
Jennifer O'Neill, 1985
More cutouts! Jennifer O'Neill stole the show on the red carpet with this daring gown and beaded headpiece.
Rita Moreno, 1987
This strappy criss-cross back made a definite red-carpet statement. Here, she accessorized her curly updo with a chunky, gold headband. Talk about being ahead of the trends!
Sonia Braga, 1987
Plunging + strapless = one sexy Oscars moment. Sonia Braga looked gorgeous in this sequined gown complete with floral-patterned pearls and earrings.
Cher, 1988
Cher does not come to play with her dramatic looks at the Academy Awards, if you couldn't tell. This Bob Mackie design is iconic to this day, and it looked even better with her Best Actress Oscar for Moonstruck.
Cindy Crawford, 1991
More extreme plunge action, courtesy of Versace. This fiery-red design looked gorgeous on Cindy Crawford, but then again, doesn't everything?
Cindy Crawford, 1993
And next up, the supermodel wore a bustier and bandage dress all wrapped into one. Cindy stunned yet again with an all-white look and diamonds (naturally).
Rachel Hunter, 1993
She looked beautiful in this sparkly, halter gown and tousled hair. This is one timeless style, IMO.
Rachel Torgerson is the fashion features director at Cosmopolitan, overseeing fashion coverage online, in print, and on our various social media platforms. She has over a decade of experience in the fashion and media industries, musing on style through multiple lenses, including cultural, celebrity, and bridal. Her ultimate focus: making fashion less exclusive and more relatable. Before landing at Cosmopolitan as a digital fashion editor in 2016, she worked at Us Weekly, The Knot, and Fitness Magazine, among others. When she's not discussing runway trends, you can definitely catch her trying (and, in many cases, failing) a new crochet cardigan pattern or in a spirited debate about the difference between the Bridgerton books vs the Netflix series. Follow her on Instagram and TikTok: @RachelTorgs
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