Honestly, if you were anywhere near a screen in late 2021, you saw it. You probably stopped scrolling. It was the "naked dress" heard 'round the world. When Megan Fox stepped onto the MTV VMAs red carpet in that custom Mugler piece, she didn't just attend an awards show. She basically reset the bar for what "daring" looks like in the modern era.
It was a total vibe shift.
People love to talk about the Megan Fox see through dress as if it were just a random outfit choice, but there was a lot of intent behind it. This wasn't a wardrobe malfunction or a desperate plea for attention. It was a high-fashion power move. Designed by Casey Cadwallader for Mugler, the garment was essentially a whisper of sheer, nude-colored fabric embellished with tiny, shimmering crystals. It left very little to the imagination, sure, but it was executed with such precision that it looked like a second skin.
The Anatomy of a Viral Fashion Moment
Let’s look at the details because they actually matter. The dress featured a midi-length hemline, which is a bit of a contradiction when you realize the fabric is completely transparent. Underneath, she wore a matching, bedazzled silver thong and a very minimal nude bralette. Her stylist, Maeve Reilly, paired the look with towering Jimmy Choo platform heels and jewelry by Lorraine Schwartz.
The "wet look" hair was the cherry on top. It gave the whole ensemble this siren-rising-from-the-ocean energy.
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But why did this specific look stick?
- The Timing: We were just coming out of a period where red carpets felt stagnant. The world was hungry for a spectacle.
- The Couple Factor: She wasn't alone. Machine Gun Kelly was right there in a bright red, sequined Dolce & Gabbana suit. They looked like a high-fashion fever dream.
- The Homage: Fashion nerds immediately caught the references. It felt like a nod to Rose McGowan’s iconic 1998 VMAs dress or Kim Kardashian’s 2019 "Wet Dress" at the Met Gala.
Why the Megan Fox See Through Dress Actually Matters
It’s easy to dismiss this as "just a naked dress." We’ve seen them before. From Rihanna at the CFDA Awards to Kate Moss in the 90s, the sheer trend isn't new. However, Megan Fox used this moment to reclaim her narrative. For years, she’s talked about feeling hyper-sexualized by the industry in a way that felt outside of her control.
With this look, it felt like she was the one holding the remote.
She’s been very vocal about her struggles with body dysmorphia, which makes the choice even more interesting. To stand in front of a thousand cameras in something that reveals everything requires a level of mental fortitude most of us can't imagine. She told the New York Post around that time that she’s heavily influenced by MGK’s style, but he was quick to say she "took the lead" on the VMA look.
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Dealing with the Backlash
Not everyone was a fan. Obviously.
If you check out any comment section from that week, it was a war zone. People were arguing about "class" and "decency." Some felt it was too much for a televised event. But here’s the thing: the VMAs have always been the place for this. This is the stage where Madonna crawled around in a wedding dress and Lady Gaga wore raw flank steak.
Megan eventually had to shut down critics on Instagram after another sheer outfit—a striped Jean Paul Gaultier dress—went viral. She famously told people to "calm down" and reminded everyone that she uses nipple covers. It's funny, really. In a world of extreme fashion, people still get rattled by a little bit of mesh and some clever styling.
The 2026 Perspective: Was It a One-Hit Wonder?
Looking back from 2026, we can see the ripple effect. The "naked dress" trend didn't die out; it evolved. We’re seeing more "optical illusion" garments now—dresses that use beading and embroidery to create the appearance of nudity while actually providing more coverage. Megan herself leaned into this recently with that "bloody" corset dress for a Jennifer’s Body screening.
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She has basically become the patron saint of the sheer aesthetic.
What We Can Learn From Megan’s Style
If you're looking to pull off a sheer look (maybe not this sheer, but you do you), there are a few takeaways from how Megan and Maeve Reilly handle these moments.
- Commit to the Bit: You can’t look uncomfortable. If you’re wearing something bold, your body language has to sell it.
- Undergarments are Everything: The reason the Megan Fox see through dress worked was because the pieces underneath were perfectly matched. They weren't an afterthought; they were part of the architecture.
- Balance the Beauty: When the clothes are loud, sometimes the makeup needs to be "effortless." The wet-hair, dewy-skin combo kept the focus on the silhouette without looking overdone.
The reality is that Megan Fox knows how to use fashion as a tool for visibility. Whether you love the look or think it was "too much," you’re still talking about it years later. That’s the definition of a successful red carpet moment.
To recreate the essence of this vibe without going full-frontal, look for "illusion mesh" tops or dresses with strategic embroidery. Focus on high-quality fabrics—cheap mesh looks like a costume, but high-end sheer fabric drapes like water. Most importantly, ignore the "type" of person people think you should be and just wear the thing that makes you feel like a powerhouse.