Worst Dressed 2012: What this year’s top 10 celebrity fashion gaffes have taught us about how not to dress next year
With 2013 so close we can nearly taste it, we’re taking some time to look back and reflect on 2012 and learn a little. Our year has been filled with designer switch-ups, Kate Middleton sightings and a whole lot of celebrity spotting. We’ve always been told we’re supposed to learn from our mistakes, but instead we’re ignoring our own and looking to the worst dressed of 2012—from celebrities on the red carpet to their day-to-day lives—for some fashion lessons.
These are (some) of our picks for the worst dressed of 2012, those who offer a learning experience from their fashion flops. While every look may not be a fashion disaster, we’ve learned it’s all about the timing and nature of the event that can take a look from stylish to just plain wrong (à la Kanye West at the 12-12-12 benefit). From Justin Bieber’s decision to wear overalls to a formal event to Angelina Jolie’s right leg showing us how not to pose, we’ve learned a lot over the year and plan to avoid these mistakes at all costs (even if we’ll never be walking a red carpet). Here are our nominees for worst dressed of 2012…
See who made it onto our 10 Worst Dressed 2012! »
10. Kanye West
The Look: Yeezy stepped out to perform at the 12-12-12 Benefit Concert for Hurricane Sandy in a head to toe men’s Givenchy look from the Spring 2013 runway.
Why it doesn’t work: We don’t think this look was a complete fail, and were under the impression that leather kilts had become a bit of a performance staple for Kanye West, but for the audience tuning in for the concert which featured performers like Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen, the look was little too high fashion for the night. In terms of the audience, Kanye could have benefited from a little bit of editing to tailor the look for classic rock fans and a more mainstream crowd. This night was not the streets of Paris during fashion week and Kanye should have taken note.
Lesson learned: This is a case of knowing your audience. For super fans that attended the Watch The Throne tour, the kilt wouldn’t even have merited a second glance but for the masses, a head to toe runway look was not good. Runway to real life is not always a thing.
9. Miley Cyrus
The look: Miley Cyrus wore a Jean Paul Gaultier blazer and not much else while walking the American Music Awards red carpet.
Why it doesn’t work: It’s been made fairly clear that not wearing pants on a red carpet will land you in the middle of a press frenzy. Miley’s look seemed more like a walk of shame than a walk on the red carpet. However, we do appreciate her voluminous short bob and body chain.
Lesson learned: Wear pants.
8. Sarah Michelle Gellar
The look: A Monique Lhullier gown while walking the red carpet at the Golden Globes.
Why it doesn’t work: It’s awfully cute that Sarah Michelle Gellar allowed her daughter to select her red carpet gown, but that may be the reason why it looks like a finger painting printed dress. The volume paired with the dip-dye print made the ex-vampire slayer look very much like a cloud. Likely not the look she was going for.
Lesson learned: Let your stylist pick your gown instead of your child. Also, pick one trend and stick to it.
7.Jessica Szohr
The look:A body-slimming corset under a dual-slitted skirt paired with a leopard print silk headband and what appears to be a pair of sneaker wedges at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Why it doesn’t work: The question really is, why did she think this would work? The year 2012 has been a time where we have seen more underwear in public (see: Fergie’s Grammys outfit, Rihanna walking around New York) but showing off shape wear is just a bit off. That matched with a very distracting headband and sneaker wedges makes the whole look very wrong.
Lesson learned: There may be a reason that Jessica Szohr has become almost irrelevant and we think this look may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back.
6. Shailene Woodley
The look: A long-sleeved floor length Valentino gown at the Academy Awards
Why it doesn’t work: Shailene Woodley is barely 21, so a very modest gown did nothing but age her 20 more years. And who wants to look like they’re 40 when they are a 20something? The dress was extremely heavy on her petite frame and did nothing to show off her youthful body (show it while you can!).
Lesson learned: As many other young starlets have shown (Kristen Stewart or Emma Watson, for example) it is important to take risks when walking the red carpet. Hopefully Shailene learnt her lesson and will shake it up next time she goes to one of the biggest events of the year.
5. Nicki Minaj
The look: A multi-tiered satin dress while promoting her perfume “Pink Friday” in Australia.
Why it doesn’t work: We know Nicki Minaj is all about going a little bit overboard when it comes to fashion but we can’t tell if this dress looks more like a cupcake or a circus tent, and both associations are not necessarily a good thing. The dress was a bit too voluminous and the prints were excessive in a way that made Nicki Minaj look significantly larger than we know her to be
Lesson learned: When trying to push the boundaries like Nicki so often does, make sure it doesn’t deform your body’s shape.
4. Rihanna
The look: This look was more about the beauty than the bad style. Rihanna wrote “Thug Life” across her knuckles and Tweeted the photo out.
Why it doesn’t work: We were into her pointy pale nails and bright red lips but somehow writing (or tattooing) Thug Life on your knuckles while wearing a John Lennon t-shirt doesn’t really add up.
Lesson learned: Whether it’s a joke to have ‘thug life’ on your knuckles or not, be sure that your personality and outfit matches the look. Some may dispute Rihanna’s ‘thug’ status with her millions in the bank and over the top tours.
3. Angelina Jolie’s right leg
The look: Angelina Jolie wore a voluminous black Versace gown to the Academy Awards with a thigh-high slit which she insisted on poking her right leg out of creating one of the biggest memes of 2012.
Why it doesn’t work: It wasn’t the Versace dress that caught our eye, but rather the pose that came along with it. Angelina Jolie spent the entirety of her night from the red carpet to the stage with her right leg awkwardly jutting out at the side. It was hard to ignore so the Internet didn’t. Right away a Twitter account was born and every (and we mean every) media outlet was writing about the actress’ bizarre pose as the winner of the night. The pose truly stole the show for its absurdity. Throughout 2012, if any other actress dared to stick a leg out from a slit, and instant comparison to Angelina Jolie was made, but no one could out-do the originator of the terrible pose.
Lesson learned: Sometimes it’s better to change up the pose if you’re going to be photographed over 200 times unless you want your limb to merit its own Twitter account. And for a celebrity like Angelina Jolie, who has walked down countless red carpets, she should know what poses work and what ones will be turned into the joke of the year.
2. Karlie Kloss
The look: A Native American inspired lingerie set.
Why it doesn’t work: We understand that it wasn’t Karlie Kloss’ choice to wear the politically incorrect outfit during the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, but with a horrible backlash in regards to the outfit, it’s time to retire anything and everything “inspired” by Native American cultures.
Lesson learned: Say no to Native American inspired anything. That means you too, Lana Del Rey.
1. Justin Bieber
The Look: Justin Bieber wore a pair denim overalls with a backwards cap to meet Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Ottawa.
Why it doesn’t work: Justin Bieber received a significant amount of backlash for his ultra-casual look for meeting the Prime Minister while accepting a Diamond Jubilee Medal for his contribution to the country. Justin has been known to take things a little casually on the red carpets but his train conductor inspired look was more of a joke (he later tweeted about the situation with a ‘Overauhls. lol’) than an award acceptance outfit.
Lesson learned: There are times for overalls and meeting the Prime Minister of Canada is not one. This may be Justin’s first lesson that it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed, especially if you want to stay out of headlines.
