Teyana Taylor, the 34-year-old singer known for her award-winning performance in A Thousand and One, became the talk of the night at Thursday’s TIME100 Next 2025 gala in New York City.
She arrived wearing what many online described as one of the most daring red carpet looks of the year, with a sheer black creation from Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford’s Spring 2026 collection.
The look, which walked the runway just last month, was held up by a single, narrow strap running up the center of her torso and wrapping around her neck. Beneath the transparent fabric, a high-waisted thong was completely visible.
“Did the US run out of tape?” a user on X wrote, echoing the sentiments of many who were put off by the outfit.
Teyana Taylor turned heads at the Next 2025 gala in a dress that left little to the imagination
Taylor paired the see-through skirt with an open black blazer, leaving her midsection fully exposed. Her hair and makeup were kept minimal, letting the outfit speak for itself.
The performer, who has been traveling internationally to promote her new Hulu series All’s Fair, has never been one to play it safe on the red carpet, with examples ranging from her corseted Thom Browne look at the 2023 Met Gala to her sculptural Christopher John Rogers gown at the CFDA Awards.
But Thursday’s appearance marked a new level of boldness even for her.
“Her body is insane,” one commenter wrote. “That is a very daring, risqué look, but she can definitely pull it off.”
Teyana Taylor is suited up for the TIME100 Event. 🖤 pic.twitter.com/Or8TjpBqfq
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) October 31, 2025
Others were far less forgiving. “Beautiful woman,” another said. “But the ‘look’ screams desperation.”
While fans praised her confidence, critics called the look a publicity stunt meant to dominate headlines ahead of her show’s release.
The dress is part of a larger trend of female celebrities opting for revealing, form-fitting outfits for high-level events
Taylor’s look comes amid what fashion outlets such as Vogue and WWD have described as the growing popularity of revealing, semi-translucent, and form-fitting dresses.
The red-carpet trend is defined by sheer fabrics and exposed silhouettes. Once dominated by illusion mesh and sequins in the 2010s, it has now evolved toward full transparency, embraced by stars like Florence Pugh, Dua Lipa, and Julia Fox.
On Oscars Night, More Celebrities Tried the Nearly Nude Look💃
Julia Fox followed up Bianca Censori’s much-discussed Grammys moment with a sheer dress at Vanity Fair’s party. Others joined her in the less-is-more approach.
1/ At Vanity Fair’s Oscars after-party on Sunday night,… pic.twitter.com/x7vnjf3pDK
— Shadow Prince (@AnimeAlchemy24) March 4, 2025
Taylor joined a growing roster of celebrities embracing the aesthetic this week alone.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris’s stepdaughter Ella Emhoff attended the Wall Street Journal Innovator Awards in a sheer lace Helsa gown, while Sydney Sweeney turned heads at Variety’s Power of Women event in a translucent corset dress by Christian Cowan.
At the same time, Kristen Stewart appeared in Los Angeles wearing a see-through lace piece by Rhea Costa.
Dakota Johnson, seen as one of the movement’s most consistent supporters, recognized the backlash the trend has received from a segment of the audience, who long for a time of more elegant and conservative looking outfits, but dismissed it altogether.
“I really don’t care,” she told Vogue Germany. “If I find a beautiful dress that I feel comfortable in, of course I want to wear it.”
Taylor’s appearance was part of a larger fashion shift toward body exposure as a form of elegance
Online, however, the reactions were as expected for these types of outfits. The look divided audiences almost instantly, drawing everything from admiration to open disgust.
“Poor girl. So desperate for attention,” one user wrote.
“Good grief,” another replied.
“She can definitely pull [the look] off,” countered a fan. “She has a great body.”
“I thought it was a Halloween costume at first,” another added. “No class.”
“She’s no Sydney Sweeney…” a viewer argued.
Others decided to find humor in the trend.
“This makes Victoria’s Secret look demure and tasteful,” one joked. “This is corner-of-the-street wear.”
Whether the trend continues or fades away remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain, it will continue to divide viewers.
“Not classy.” Netizens debated whether these types of dresses were appropriate
