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Whoopi Goldberg doesn't really do "normal" red carpet. You know this. If you’ve followed her career from Sister Act to the daily grind of The View, you know she usually prioritizes a very specific kind of comfort. We’re talking oversized tunics, layers upon layers, and those signature spectacles. So, when she stepped out for the 2025 Oscars—the 97th Academy Awards—it wasn't just another appearance. It was her first time back at the Oscars in almost a decade. And man, did she make sure we noticed.
She showed up in a custom Christian Siriano gown that looked like it was made of melted sapphires. It was a choice. A big, bold, shimmering choice.
The "Liquid Water" Look: Breaking Down the Whoopi Goldberg Oscar Dress 2025
Honestly, the fabric was the star of the show. Christian Siriano, who has basically become the go-to designer for anyone who wants to actually feel seen on a red carpet, described the material as "liquid water." He wasn't kidding. Under the aggressive flashes of the paparazzi at the Dolby Theatre, the midnight blue metallic fabric shifted and glowed. It had this iridescent, oil-slick quality that made it look like it was moving even when she was standing perfectly still.
The silhouette was a massive departure for Whoopi. It was a floor-length ballgown with a structured, off-the-shoulder neckline and a cinched waist. Now, if you watch her on TV, you’ve probably heard her co-hosts tease her about hiding her figure under "tents." Not this time. The dress showed off a very defined waistline, which she later joked about on The View, saying her co-stars didn't even know she had one.
One of the coolest, and maybe most surprising, details? That off-the-shoulder cut wasn't just for glamour. It revealed a rarely-seen tattoo on her right shoulder—a colorful dragon. It felt like a little peek behind the curtain of a legend who usually keeps things pretty covered up.
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Why This Dress Actually Matters
There is a bit of history here that most people forget. Back in 1993, Whoopi wore a purple and green jumpsuit-skirt combo to the Oscars that the fashion police absolutely shredded. It was brutal. For years, she’s been open about how that mockery changed how she felt about dressing up for big events. She leaned into the "comfort first" mantra and stayed away from the traditional high-fashion circus.
Seeing her in this Whoopi Goldberg Oscar dress 2025 felt like a full-circle moment. It wasn't a safe dress. It wasn't a "hide-away" dress. It was a "look at me, I’m an EGOT winner" dress. Siriano apparently plucked the design right off his Fall/Winter 2025/26 runway after Whoopi saw it while sitting front row at his New York Fashion Week show. She reportedly told him, "Baby, that's my dress."
A Family Affair on the Red Carpet
It wasn't just about the clothes, though. Whoopi brought her daughter, Alex Martin, as her date. They didn't do the matchy-matchy thing, which was a relief. While Whoopi was in shimmering blue "liquid," Alex went for a sleek, edgy black leather gown. It had an asymmetrical neckline and a pretty daring thigh-high slit with lace-up detailing.
Seeing them together, both leaning into very different but equally "hard" fashion choices, made the night feel more like a personal celebration than a corporate obligation. It was Whoopi's night to be a presenter, a mom, and a fashion icon on her own terms.
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The Great Fashion Divide: Did It Work?
If you look at the internet's reaction, people were split right down the middle. Some fashion critics put her on the "Worst Dressed" lists because the fabric was "too much" or the proportions of the wide neckline felt heavy. On places like Reddit, the debate was fierce. Some fans loved the "sci-fi majestic godmother" vibes, while others thought the metallic finish looked a bit like a fancy trash bag.
But here's the thing about Whoopi: she doesn't care.
She told reporters on the carpet that the dress was "spectacular" and that she loved how it moved. When you've achieved what she has, you don't dress for the critics. You dress for the version of yourself that wants to feel like "liquid water."
What We Can Learn From Whoopi’s Return to the Red Carpet
There are a few takeaways from this fashion moment that go beyond just a midnight blue gown.
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- Designer Loyalty is Real: Christian Siriano has been one of the few high-end designers who has consistently championed Whoopi (and women of all sizes). Their friendship is the reason this dress exists.
- Reclaiming the Narrative: After the 1993 disaster, Whoopi could have stayed in her comfort zone forever. Choosing a bold, metallic ballgown at 69 years old is a lesson in not letting old "failures" define your current confidence.
- Comfort vs. Glamour: You can actually have both. While the dress looked high-maintenance, Whoopi’s styling—her signature braids, her spectacles, and her natural glow—kept the look grounded in who she actually is.
If you’re looking to channel a bit of that Whoopi energy, the move isn't necessarily to find a metallic blue gown. It’s about finding that one designer or style that makes you say, "Baby, that's mine," regardless of what the "best dressed" lists might say the next morning.
Keep an eye on Siriano’s upcoming collections; the "liquid" fabric trend is likely to hit the mainstream soon, even if we aren't all wearing it to the Dolby Theatre. For now, we can just appreciate that Whoopi Goldberg finally came back to the Oscars and did it exactly her way.
Check out some of the high-res photos from the 97th Academy Awards to see the way that fabric catches the light—it’s honestly hard to appreciate it without seeing the video of it in motion.