Sydney Sweeney is under fire again, this time for a daring see-through gown she wore while giving a speech on women’s empowerment. The Euphoria and The White Lotus star, 28, was honoured at Variety’s Power of Women event, where her silver, transparent, curve-hugging Christian Cowan gown drew far more attention than her heartfelt words about being “underestimated” in Hollywood.
“I know what it feels like to have to prove that you deserve to be here, to be seen, to be taken seriously,” she told the audience. But for many, the focus of the night wasn’t her message — it was the dress.
Sydney Sweeney at Variety’s 2025 Power of Women Los Angeles
“She’s literally at the Power of Women podium talking about being underestimated while wearing a dress that puts her body on display more than her message,” one person wrote on X. Another added, “How are we supposed to focus on her words when the first thing being presented is her chest?” A third user called it a “beautiful dress, wrong occasion for it though,” while another commented, “That dress doesn’t empower but overpower.” One critic went further, writing, “Nothing empowering about her showing her body to be objectified, which she has complained about.”
The gown, a shimmering silver creation that revealed almost as much as it concealed, quickly became the focus of the evening. Ironically, just days before, Sweeney had spoken out about the public obsession with her appearance. In an interview with Variety, she addressed criticism of being labelled a “sex symbol” and accused of appealing to the male gaze. “It’s frustrating when your work gets reduced to your body,” she said, explaining that she refuses to tone herself down to make others comfortable.
The backlash comes amid ongoing scrutiny over Sweeney’s public image. Only months earlier, she faced controversy over an American Eagle campaign that some accused of promoting “Nazi propaganda” and eugenics by playing on the words “jeans” and “genes.” At the Toronto International Film Festival in September, the actress pointedly refused to discuss the issue.
The American Eagle campaign that drew controversy
Still, Sweeney’s latest appearance has reignited an old debate — can a woman’s choice to wear something revealing coexist with a message about empowerment? While many criticised her outfit, others defended her right to express herself through fashion. One fan commented, “She’s that girl,” while another simply said, “She looks incredible. Let her live.”
Sweeney was honoured alongside Kate Hudson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Wanda Sykes, Nicole Scherzinger and Aly Raisman at the event. But the night ultimately belonged to her—though perhaps not in the way she intended. The so-called “naked dress” trend has long divided audiences, with Hollywood’s biggest names often walking the fine line between empowerment and controversy. Anne Hathaway, Margot Robbie, Kim Kardashian and Bella Hadid have all embraced the look at major events, sparking similar conversations about body politics and double standards.
Pictures: Getty Images
