Guide to Avoiding Red Carpet Faux Pas

By Tracey Harrington McCoy Posted Nov 29th 2009 10:00AM

Award season is just beginning and with all the stars getting ready for their big red-carpet moments, we have one piece of advice--make sure your dress isn't see-through. In fact, we've put together a few tips for celebrities (and you, if you're planning on taking a quick jaunt down a red carpet this holiday season.) Experts weigh in on the most common mistakes made at big events -- and how celebrities can avoid the faux pas in the future.

Among the many missteps we've seen on the red carpet over the past year, the most glaring is the accidentally see-through shirt or dress. Stars keep wearing sheer clothing that becomes transparent when photographed--and most are unaware of their faux pas until they see photos the next day. Just this week, Katherine McPhee hit a film screening in New York wearing a black turtleneck that became a showcase for her bra once she hit the bright lights.

Last week, Claire Danes, a well-known fashionista, slipped up and wore a sheer black dress that became entirely see-through during the red-carpet camera flashes. Unfortunately for the actress, it became immediately clear that she had forgone any, um, support. Someone must have shared the bad news with Danes, as she wore a long coat for the remainder of the evening.

Not all peek-a-boo wardrobe malfunctions happen with black clothing. Jennifer Connelly learned the hard way when she wore a red dress to the 'Creation' movie premiere in September. The actress (who has had a few other questionable fashion choices in the past) modeled her dress on the red carpet, completely unaware that she was putting more than just her outfit on display.

But celebrities keep making this same mistake. How can it be avoided? Two experts weighed in and told PopEater the same thing. Jill Swid, a celebrity stylist whose clients have included Uma Thurman, Kate Winslet and Kristin Chenoweth, says, "Celebrities need to take a picture of themselves in LIGHT. That is absolutely how you know."

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Hit or Miss Fashion?

Ashley Greene visits "Late Show With David Letterman" on November 23rd in New York City.

Jeffrey Ufberg, WireImage

Hit or Miss Fashion

Ashley Greene visits "Late Show With David Letterman" on November 23rd in New York City.

Jeffrey Ufberg, WireImage

Katharine McPhee poses at the 37th Annual International Emmy Awards on November 23rd in New York City.

Neilson Barnard, Getty Images

Bai Ling arrives at The Rally For Kids With Cancer, with a "less is more" approach to her outfit on November 21st in Miami.

John Parra, WireImage

Actress Sharon Stone attends the 8th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation's 'An Enduring Vision' benefit at Cipriani, Wall Street on November 16, 2009 in New York City. She worked the red carpet in a black trilby and leather trench coat, which she wore over the off the shoulder lingerie-inspired dress that actually was sheer pants.

Bryan Bedder, Getty Images

Heidi Klum walks the runway at the Victoria's Secret fashion show at The Armory on November 19th in New York City.

Jason Kempin, Getty Images

Ashley Greene attends the Cinema Society screening of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" on November 19 in New York City.

Charles Eshelman, FilmMagic

Brad Pitt made his way to his flight at the airport on November 19th in Nice, France.

Fame Pictures

Fergie performs with the Black Eyed Peas at the Victoria's Secret fashion show at The Armory on November 19th in New York City.

George Napolitano, FilmMagic

Emma Thompson looks youthful in a trendy gray shoulder pad dress as she attends an event for 'act!onaid, end poverty together' in London.

Bauer-Griffin

Helena Bonham Carter attends a Tribute to Tim Burton at The Museum of Modern Art on November 17th.

Jamie McCarthy, WireImage

Nola Weinstein, Fashion Director of Glam.com, concurs, "Always take a picture with a flash from every angle to make sure you won't end up revealing too much later. Very often an outfit will appear opaque and then once the flashbulbs go off, undergarments appear like a menacing smiley face."

Now that we've checked sheer clothing off the list, let's move to the next big red-carpet repeat mistake: revealing too much skin. While this can be a matter of taste or preference, there are definitely some instances when stars have gone too far.

Weinstein shares two standout slipups, "Nothing is worse than revealing too much. But even incredibly chic ladies like Gwyneth Paltrow and Renee Zellweger can fall slave to this faux pas. Paltrow bared a bit too much at the 2002 Academy Awards and looked saggy in Christian Lacroix. And at this year's Golden Globes, Renee Zellweger veered from her prim and proper look to sport a sheer-topped Carolina Herrera gown--proving that two classics can still fall victim to a seemingly chic look."

More often than not, it's the younger generation who ends up showing a little too much leg or too much cleavage... or in some case, too much of both. Earlier this year, Blake Lively turned many heads in a red slinky dress at the 2009 Emmy Awards. The Versace gown was low cut and featured a slit that ran all the way up her thigh. Our advice: pick one. Either showcase stunning decolletage or strut perfectly toned thighs. Don't do both, say our experts.

With so many designers fighting to dress every star and tons of events to attend each award season, it's understandable that a star would slip up every now and then. We just hope they start snapping some photos at home to make sure their dress is red-carpet ready and not red-carpet racy.