Red carpets are associated with glamor, bold fashion statements, and the illusion that everything is effortless. The gowns fit perfectly, the makeup is flawless, and the celebrities appear relaxed as they gather to celebrate their achievements with their peers.
However, this is not always the case. Some outfits are so tight that stars can’t breathe, eat, or use the bathroom. Hours before the big night, stylists are panicking over dress deliveries, sewing underwear into haute couture gowns, or applying deodorant in shoes. Some celebrities struggle to find designers willing to dress them due to their size.
Luckily, celebrities and their stylists have started sharing what really goes on behind the scenes.
Here are some unfiltered, unglamorous secrets that prove Hollywood's most perfect nights are held together by tape, tears, and a lot of work.
#1 Kim Kardashian's tight corset at the 2024 Met Gala
Kim Kardashian had one of the most talked-about looks at the 2024 Met Gala. Her extremely tight corset—part of an ensemble by John Galliano—had everyone wondering how she was able to breathe.
In an episode of The Kardashians, the mother of four confirmed suspicions: wearing the corset was just as uncomfortable as it looked.
"I've never felt this way before, where I feel like I can't breathe,” she confided. “I'm literally gonna throw up. I've never been more uncomfortable...I've never been in this much pain before.”
After the event, she was left with deep purple marks on her back from the corset.
Image credits: Marleen Moise / Getty Images
#2 Jennifer Aniston's arrival at the 2020 SAG Awards
Not all celebrities arrive at the red carpet in a limousine. Some have to lie in vans in uncomfortable positions to keep their dresses from creasing.
Despite being one of the most well-known actresses in Hollywood, Jennifer Aniston shared a glimpse of her not-so-glamorous arrival at the 2020 SAG Awards.
"No wrinkles... harder than it looks!" Jennifer captioned a fun photo of herself inside a van, her seat reclined as if she was inside a plane to protect her Dior gown.
That evening, the star took home an award for the drama series The Morning Show, her first SAG Award since Friends.
Image credits: jenniferaniston / Instagram
#3 Christina Stambolian on the timing of Lady Di's iconic "revenge dress"
In 1994, Princess Diana made headlines after donning a fitted, off-the-shoulder dress by Christina Stambolian paired with black tights—an atypical wardrobe choice for a member of the royal family.
However, that wasn’t her initial choice for the Serpentine Gallery gala. Lady Di had reportedly planned to wear a Valentino dress but changed her mind when the news was leaked to the press.
“Three years went by and she hadn’t worn it. I was very disappointed,” said designer Christina Stambolian.
“Then I realized she had been waiting for the right occasion. She looked like a beautiful black bird in it.”
Diana knew all eyes would be on her. That night, the then-Prince Charles admitted on national television that he had been unfaithful to her with Camilla Parker-Bowles.
Three years later, the late princess reportedly put what became known as the "revenge dress" up for auction, raising $65,000 for cancer and AIDS-related charities.
Image credits: Jayne Fincher / Getty Images
#4 Kate Hudson not being able to afford her glam gowns
In 2013, Kate revealed that, despite her privilege, she wouldn’t be able to afford the haute couture dresses she wears on the red carpet. Instead, she borrows the designs from fashion houses.
“I can't afford to buy that stuff. There are certain things I splurge on, but it's very rare, especially when you have two kids and school tuition,” she explained.
“I'm not a big high-end fashion shopper. I wish I could, but the truth is things are just so expensive.
“Before Isabel Marant was a million dollars and famous, I used to go to her store in Paris and go crazy. It was so affordable."
The Running Point star added that she grew up in “a really privileged and lucky lifestyle,” but her mother wasn’t “a big shopper,” so she didn’t instill that behavior on her children.
Image credits: Eamonn M. McCormack / Getty Images
#5 Kylie Jenner's uncomfortable Balmain gown at the 2016 Met Gala
Kylie wore a silver Balmain gown for her first Met Gala appearance in 2016. The long gown featured cut-outs at the waist and see-through, textured material.
The Kylie Cosmetics founder was in significant pain during the evening, as revealed by a photo she shared on Snapchat of her feet bruised and her ankles scratched.
In a subsequent post, she added: "It was worth it though."
Image credits: John Shearer / Getty Images
#6 Jennifer Lawrence's pizza-stained Dolce & Gabbana dress
Some accessories are meant to add a touch of glamour to an outfit—but they can also serve a strategic purpose.
According to Page Six, Jennifer Lawrence used her clutch to cover an unfortunate pizza stain on her Dolce & Gabbana dress while attending the 2018 opening of Derby Week in Kentucky.
The Oscar winner had reportedly forgotten the dress in New York and only noticed the stain when it was sent to her home state. “She had to have her dress flown down via private jet, just to learn it had a pizza stain on it!” a source said.
The mom of two “did her best to conceal her pizza stain with her clutch the whole evening, but laughed about it as she walked the orange carpet.”
Image credits: Joe Scarnici / Getty Images
#7 Danielle Brooks not finding a designer that wanted to dress a woman her size
Some fashion houses are not interested in dressing artists with larger bodies. In 2017, the Orange Is the New Black actress called out the “big-name designers” for refusing to work with her, despite her achievements.
“I haven't been given an opportunity to wear these big-name designers. It has never been an option whether I had a stylist or didn't,” she told Vogue.
“A lot of people won't design for me, no matter how many SAG awards, Tony nominations, Grammy wins; it doesn't matter."
Danielle said she has personally questioned designers as to why they don’t make clothes in larger sizes.
“I think they’re trying, but they can go harder and we should not be easy on them. I don’t think we should pat anybody on the back for [doing] something they should’ve done 30 years ago.”
Image credits: Karwai Tang / Getty Images
#8 Priyanka Chopra Jonas' painful look at the 2018 Met Gala
The White Tiger actress and former Miss World shared that she “couldn't breathe” at the 2018 Met Gala.
"My second Met Gala outfit was this blood-red Ralph Lauren beautiful outfit with the gold hood. But the corset under that thing, I couldn't breathe,” she said.
“I felt like it reshaped my ribs. So hard to sit during dinner and I obviously couldn't eat too much during that night."
Image credits: John Shearer / Getty Images
#9 Carey Mulligan's anxiety while walking the red carpet
For some stars, the red carpet can be a negative experience—not because of the outfit they’re wearing, but because of the idea of being in front of hundreds of cameras.
Though they may seem confident or outgoing in a specific role, many celebrities are reserved and do not enjoy having their bodies scrutinized.
"I was — and am — not great at having my photo taken and doing red carpets. When I was a bit younger, it used to paralyze me with fear,” admitted Carey Mulligan.
The Oscar nominee added: “I used to get to the end of a red carpet in tears — awful. I don't really know why, I was just sort of a bit overwhelmed.
“I should have been at the parties having a good time, but instead I was at the parties being, like, 'When can I leave?'"
Image credits: Niki / Getty Images
#10 Vera Wang on the "pain" of celebrities ditching designers last-minute
Some stars change their minds at the last minute after finding a dress they like more than the one they had originally planned to wear.
Fashion designer Vera Wang described the feeling as being similar to “having your guts ripped out.”
“I don’t care what status of designer or what history you had or whether you’re an emerging designer,” the 75-year-old told WWD in 2013.
“It’s so painful not only to you, but your sewers, your staff, your assistants and PR people.”
Her comments came months after Anne Hathaway apologized to Valentino after shunning one of their designs at the Oscars.
Image credits: Amy Sussman / Getty Images
#11 Marissa Joye Peden applying deodorant to shoes
The LA-based celebrity stylist shared that many stars use an unexpected trick to make heels more comfortable: deodorant.
“A lot of the time, shoes are a little too small, or girls' feet are swollen or sweaty, and they actually help shoes fit better,” Marissa said.
“Your foot slides in, and it just stays cool and dry. It's kind of a miracle."
Marissa has worked with stars such as Emily Ratajkowski, Shailene Woodley, and Lucy Hale.
Image credits: Gabriel Olsen / Getty Images
#12 Kim Kardashian not being able to go to the bathroom at the 2019 Met Gala
In Keeping Up With The Kardashians, the SKIMS founder said she couldn’t go to the bathroom in the “wet look” by Mugler that she wore to the 2019 Met Gala.
Kim admitted she would rather wet herself than risk going to the toilet and potentially ruin her outfit.
"If I gotta pee, it's a problem...If it's an emergency, I think I pee my pants, and then have my sister wipe my leg up. I'm not even joking. She can wipe my leg up.”
Image credits: Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images
#13 Jennifer Mazur on the magic of stick-on underwear
Many celebrities wear dresses and skirts with high slits that go all the way up to the hips, seemingly without underwear, leaving fans to wonder how they avoid flashing their privates when they sit down or when the wind blows their way.
Jennifer, who has styled Camila Cabello and Alessandra Ambrosio, shared why that isn’t actually a problem.
"We dress a lot of celebs in slits and, when we do, we have stick-on underwear that has no sides. It's n*de, and it covers the front and a little bit of the back.”
Speaking to Cosmopolitan, Jennifer revealed that stylists usually have only three or four days to pull together a look for a celebrity, and that luxury fashion houses have a list of “approved” stars they will dress that is given to their PR team.
Image credits: Phillip Faraone / Getty Images
#14 Yvette Nicole Brown on why stars (sometimes) can't outshine their peers with their looks
“Would you go to someone’s wedding and wear a white dress? No, you wouldn’t, especially if you’re a kind and considerate person.” With this point, the Community actress emphasized the importance of artists choosing the right outfit and recognizing whose turn it is to shine.
“If it’s your premiere, you want to have your moment. But if you’re somebody who is on the list, be grateful that you made it there and that you get to have a Hollywood photo for the night.”
Yvette proved her point at the 2017 Emmys, where she attended as the plus-one of her friend Anika Noni Rose, who was presenting at the ceremony. When the train of Anika’s dress became rumpled, Yvette knelt down to fix it.
“Even though I was on the red carpet, it wasn’t my moment, it was my friend’s moment. I wanted her to be glorious on that night. You have to care more about other people and remember it’s not about you.”
Image credits: Leon Bennett / Getty Images
#15 Law Roach on stylists refusing to work with Zendaya
When Law Roach began working for Zendaya, years before she starred in Dune, Challengers, and Euphoria, none of the “big five” designers—Saint Laurent, Dior, Valentino, Chanel, and Gucci—wanted to dress her.
He said he built her career as a fashion icon using smaller brands and emerging designers “to prove a point that it can happen.”
“I wanted to prove was that she doesn't have to be in Valentino to become a fashion girl,” Law told The Hollywood Reporter.
“So now that everybody wants to dress her, I go back and say, 'Not this season!'"
Image credits: Gilbert Flores / Getty Images
#16 Busy Philipps having to pay for her own dresses, hair, and makeup
Busy told Page Six that she has to “continually hustle” if she wants to glam up for the red carpet.
She shared: “This film company or this production company is only gonna pay this percentage of your hair and makeup and wardrobe, so you have to make up the rest. So then you're thousands of dollars out of pocket.”
The Cougar Town actress explained that people expect celebrities to look like a million dollars in public, which is why she ends up spending a portion of her salary on her appearance.
"I was saying to Renée [Elise Goldsberry]...I was like, 'We should just show up a mess at one of these things,’” she joked.
Busy said making brand deals and monetizing her Instagram page has helped her cover the eye-watering bills.
Image credits: Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images
#17 Sophie Lopez's tip for fixing tight zippers
The celebrity stylist has the solution for a common wardrobe malfunction that could be a headache for an actress during an award show fitting (or for us before a friend’s party).
"When the zipper is really tight and you can’t get it over a seam, you can rub a bar of soap onto the area where the friction is,” recommended Sophie, who is Kate Hudson’s longtime stylist.
“It kind of lubricates it, and then you can pull the zipper up."
Though she didn’t name the fashion victim, Sophie shared that she has dealt with zipper malfunctions in the past.
Image credits: Stefanie Keenan / Getty Images
#18 Elizabeth Saltzman on how she hides underwear lines
Elizabeth, whose clients include Saoirse Ronan, Uma Thurman, and Gwyneth Paltrow, revealed that underwear is often sewn into the stars' dresses to hide any straps or lines that could ruin the look of a tight dress.
As red carpet outfits are often borrowed from fashion houses, the sewn-in underwear is removed before the gown is returned.
Additionally, the celeb stylist shared that it's their job to work with fashion houses to ensure there are no repeat looks on the red carpet, even when stars are choosing from as many as 60 different dresses.
Image credits: Donato Sardella / Getty Images
#19 Anitta confessing that she was faking a smile at the 2019 Billboard Latin Music Awards
The Brazilian superstar gave an open and honest interview at the 2019 Billboard Latin Music Awards, admitting that she wasn’t having the best time in her pink and black outfit.
“I'm here smiling to you, pretending everything's okay, but I'm dy*ng here inside. It's everything. Everything — hair, shoes, clothes,” she said.
That evening, Anitta was nominated for Social Artist of the Year.
Image credits: Gabe Ginsberg / Getty Images
#20 Queen Naija on uncomfortable high heels and unflattering photos
The 29-year-old singer went straight to the point when talking about her red carpet appearances: “I don't like red carpets. I don't... My feet be hurting!”
She continued: “And it be hot. And then all these people just, like...it's just a big crowd of people.
“'Over here.' 'Over here.' And I'm, like, looking frantic, and then my pictures come out looking crazy... I wanna be in control of my own pictures."
Image credits: Paras Griffin / Getty Images
#21 Kim Kardashian's tape hack
In 2016, the 44-year-old revealed that she uses gaffer tape on her breasts when wearing dresses or tops with a plunging neckline.
“It's my secret trick to have perfect cleavage in photos. You tape them up so they are super lifted. It takes a little work but trust me it's all worth it,” Kim wrote.
The reality star explained that gaffer tape works better than other types of tape she has used, such as duct tape, packing tape, and masking tape.
“Make sure you don't have any lotion or oils on when you're lifting your boobs up with the tape,” she recommended.
Three years later, she promoted the tape produced by her brand, SKIMS. “Taking the tape off has been so painful and left me with cuts and burns throughout the year; so it is important I made sure our @skims tape is gentle and less painful when removing it.”
Image credits: Charley Gallay / Getty Images
#22 Naomie Harris "not being allowed to eat" before the 2017 Golden Globes
Naomie didn’t eat or drink for hours before the 2017 Golden Globes, knowing her tight Armani Privé dress would make it impossible to go to the bathroom.
"I was very glad to get out of it. It was like a corset. I could barely breathe!” shared the English actress, who was nominated for her role in Moonlight.
“I wasn't allowed to eat or drink from 12 o'clock, as I couldn't go to the toilet in that dress! I got carried to the car by the man who made the dress, and he lay me flat so I wouldn't crease it!"
Image credits: Tyler Boye / Getty Images
#23 Kristofer Buckle contouring his clients' legs
It’s no secret that celebrities spend a long time in the makeup chair before award shows. However, some take longer than others.
Makeup artist Kristofer Buckle revealed that he contours not only the faces but also the bodies of his A-list clients, including Mariah Carey and Blake Lively.
"I contour and highlight the entire body or any part of the skin is showing with structure — shoulders, clavicle, legs, if it needs,” Kristofer told ABC News.
“On the legs, the inner thigh can be a problem. I use a darker body makeup on the inside of the thigh, then I use a highlighter that shines ... down the center. You want to manipulate where the light is reflecting so you can make the leg look smaller."
Image credits: Brian Ach / Getty Images
#24 Camara Aunique applying makeup on his bald clients
Speaking with ABC News, Camara shared that he applies makeup to the heads of his bald clients to prevent them from catching the light.
"For men with bald heads — like my client Terry Crews — his head is really shiny at times, so I use a mattifying gel.”
The makeup artist explained: “It's a gel that's a moisturizer and a serum, and it mattes your skin.
“So for people that are oily, it's a great primer to put underneath your skin."
Image credits: Maury Phillips / Getty Images
#25 Christian Siriano on paying hefty shipping costs for the dresses he designs
The fashion designer revealed an additional cost that comes with dressing celebrities to the nines on the red carpet: shipping.
Christian said that, sometimes, celebrities themselves don’t pay for shipping because they and their stylists often “don’t have a budget” for it.
"It's so much money to make these custom things and send them around the world. I mean, it can be $2,000 to overnight a large box to LA,” he explained.
The 39-year-old, who won Project Runway in 2007, said that his team sent approximately 100 dresses from New York to Los Angeles for celebrities during the 2018 award season.
Image credits: Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images
#26 Elizabeth Stewart on celebrities practicing red carpet poses in advance
Some dresses feature a specific element—such as a high slit, train, or puffy sleeves—that makes them look better in some poses than others.
According to stylist Elizabeth Stewart, whose clients include Viola Davis and Jessica Chastain, these poses are typically rehearsed before the event.
"If the dress is hard to walk in, we'll practice. If it looks better in a certain pose, sometimes we'll practice a pose,” she told Good Morning America.
“Mostly it's working with the hair and makeup team, sort of the glam squad, to make sure the look is all of a piece and it's going to make her feel as beautiful as she can."
Image credits: Donato Sardella / Getty Images
#27 Christina Pacelli's marathon fittings
Celebrity stylist Christina Pacelli, whose clients include Laverne Cox and Maria Menounos, shared with ELLE magazine some behind-the-scenes details of preparing for a red carpet event, including endless fittings.
"I'll organize what I call marathon fittings where we try on a bunch of clothes,” she described. "Sometimes we'll fit for eight looks that a client will wear for various events in a week's time or a month's time."
The day of the award show, she wakes up at 6 a.m. "We'll have been fitting until 1 a.m. the night before and I'm already back up at six because I have to pick up the dress from the seamstress who's been working on it through the night."
The designs that “don’t make the cut” are prepped for returns, which are split between New York, Los Angeles, and Europe. “It's quite time-consuming to make sure every single item goes back to the correct showroom,” Christina said.
Image credits: Rachel Murray / Getty Images
#28 Jason Bolden on picking a look based on their client's role at award shows
Jason’s clientele includes several A-list athletes, comedians, and actors, such as Michael B. Jordan, Angelina Jolie, Cynthia Erivo, Trevor Noah, and Serena Williams.
Regardless of the case, it’s crucial that their attire is appropriate not only for the event but also for the role they’ll be playing at the event, he said.
“I have to deal with that a lot,” the stylist told The Hollywood Reporter.
“Sometimes I have clients who are just attending or presenting [at an awards show], and it’s about picking the appropriate dress or the appropriate suiting for that particular client for that particular event.”
Image credits: Michael Buckner / Getty Images
#29 Keltie Knight revealing how much work goes on rolling out a red carpet
How much carpet is actually rolled out for an award show? During the preparations for the 2024 Oscars, Keltie Knight revealed that it spans over 50,000 square feet.
Installing it takes around 600 hours of work.
After all the stars have collected their awards and gone home, the carpet is recycled.
“Once the Oscars are over, this is never the Oscars red carpet again. It’s gonna be cut up and reused for all these projects inside Hollywood,” the E! News host explained.
Image credits: John Shearer / Getty Images
#30 Karla Welch on picking the right dress for the right room
Karla, who has styled Hailee Steinfeld and Olivia Wilde, said celebrity stylists have to be strategic when choosing which dress their clients will wear to each occasion.
One important factor to consider is the size of the room where the ceremony will take place.
"You can't wear a big dress or manage a train at the Golden Globes. It's a very small room, and it's jam-packed — there are tables, and everyone's drinking,” Karla told Fashion Magazine.
“Save the big dress for the Oscars."
She also mentioned that stylists often have to “do some tailoring and make it work,” since actresses are typically shorter than the models who wear the designs on the runway.
Image credits: Gonzalo Marroquin / Getty Images
#31 Danielle Whiteman on the dress of waiting for dresses to be delivered
For stylists, the preparation before their client’s big night can be rather stressful.
Danielle Whiteman, who has worked with Holly Willoughby and Clodagh McKenna Herbert, spoke to The Independent about the logistics of ensuring everything is perfect before an award show.
"It's carrying suitcases – unpacking, repacking. I call our office goods in and out, like a post [office] – clothes come in, unpack them, pack up, then send them back – It's constant. It's a lot. It's a big slog, styling.”
Danielle went on to highlight another factor she has to take into consideration: “I’m waiting for deliveries to come from Paris, Italy, London, there was a strike going on – will the dress come on time? It’s a very stressful job.
“And when you’re doing three, four clients for one red carpet, you’ve got to try to divide your time.”
Image credits: danniiwhitemanstylist / Instagram
#32 Kim Kardashian hiding her pregnancy at the 2015 Met Gala
At the 2015 Met Gala, Kim turned heads in a sparkling, see-through gown by Roberto Cavalli, which was inspired by Cher’s look at the first-ever Met Gala.
While most attention was on her translucent dress, nobody noticed that the star was pregnant with her and Kanye West’s second child, Saint.
“I was trying to hide it,” she later revealed on her app, sharing that she was two months pregnant with her first son, born on December 5 of that year.
Image credits: Kevin Mazur / Instagram
