The red carpet at the 2026 BAFTA Awards was brimming with glamour, but not every look hit the mark. While many stars dazzled in couture and designer gowns, a few attendees left audiences scratching their heads with outfits that seemed more experimental than elegant. Red carpet fashion is always a gamble, and this year, some celebrities’ sartorial choices sparked conversation for all the wrong reasons.
Here’s a closer look at the most talked-about fashion disasters of the 2026 BAFTAs.
Olivia Cooke’s “Gym Wear” Gown
Olivia Cooke is known for her bold style choices, but her BAFTA appearance left fans divided. She wore a zipped, mesh, and dropped-waist dress that critics compared to high-end gym wear rather than a formal red carpet gown.
- The Look: The outfit featured mesh panels, a sporty zipper, and a loose, dropped-waist silhouette. While the dress had contemporary design elements, it clashed with the typically elegant, flowing gowns expected on the BAFTA red carpet.
- Why It Missed: The combination of sporty materials and a casual cut made it feel out of place among her peers. A red carpet dress usually emphasizes fluidity, glamour, and formality, and this ensemble leaned too heavily into street-style aesthetics.
- Reception: Social media buzzed with opinions ranging from “avant-garde genius” to “looks like she’s on her way to a workout.” Some fashion enthusiasts praised the daring attempt to blend athletic elements with couture, but most viewers found it visually jarring.
The lesson here? Red carpet fashion can be creative, but balance is key. Even high-fashion experiments need to honor the event’s formal tone.
Jack O’Connell’s Proportions Mishap
Jack O’Connell, known for his edgy charm, also fell victim to a proportions mishap. The actor wore a long jacket paired with a massive bow tie, creating a striking yet confusing silhouette.
- The Look: The oversized bow tie dominated the chest area, while the elongated jacket extended beyond traditional suit lengths. The combination resulted in an optical illusion, making O’Connell appear smaller and the outfit look unbalanced.
- Why It Missed: Proportion is crucial in men’s formalwear. An oversized accessory or exaggerated jacket can distort the body’s natural lines, detracting from elegance and refinement. In this case, the bow tie drew all the attention, overshadowing the rest of the outfit.
- Reception: Fashion commentators quickly noted the visual imbalance, with memes and commentary highlighting how the “tiny” illusion created a comical effect rather than a sophisticated one.
This incident reinforces that even small details, like accessories, can dramatically impact how an outfit reads on the red carpet. Proper tailoring and proportion awareness are essential, especially when experimenting with bold fashion statements.
Erin Doherty’s “Walking Table” Dress
Erin Doherty made headlines for her daring choice: a conical, structured gown that some described as a “walking table.”
- The Look: The dress flared out dramatically from the waist, forming a stiff cone shape. Its bold silhouette was visually striking and unquestionably original, pushing the boundaries of red carpet fashion.
- Why It Missed: While conceptually impressive, the design was highly impractical. Sitting, navigating stairs, or even mingling became difficult, making the dress less about wearability and more about spectacle. The extreme structure overshadowed the actress herself, creating a barrier between her and the audience.
- Reception: Fashion critics applauded Doherty’s bravery and conceptual approach but noted that the gown was better suited for runway shows or editorial photoshoots rather than a formal awards event. The phrase “walking table” quickly trended online, illustrating the divide between artistic innovation and practical style.
This look highlights a red carpet dilemma: being memorable versus being wearable. While bold silhouettes can generate buzz, they must still allow the wearer to interact comfortably.
Why These Looks Sparked Conversation
The BAFTA red carpet is a place for glamour, experimentation, and trend-setting. However, these 2026 fashion missteps remind us that:
- Context Matters: Sporty elements, oversized accessories, or extreme structures can clash with the event’s formal tone.
- Balance Is Key: Creativity is valuable, but proportion, silhouette, and wearability are crucial.
- Memorability Can Backfire: Standing out is the goal of red carpet fashion, but if an outfit distracts from the wearer rather than enhancing them, it can become fodder for criticism.
Social media amplifies every detail, making it easy for fashion missteps to go viral in minutes. While some celebrities embrace controversy, most aim for a balance between boldness and elegance.
Lessons From the 2026 BAFTA Red Carpet
Fashion disasters aren’t just entertaining — they offer valuable lessons for designers, stylists, and celebrities:
- Experiment Wisely: Innovation is important, but it should complement, not overshadow, the wearer.
- Prioritize Fit and Proportion: A well-tailored outfit ensures that bold details enhance rather than dominate.
- Consider Functionality: Practical wearability ensures the celebrity can move, sit, and engage comfortably.
- Audience Awareness: Understanding the context of the event helps guide daring choices to fit the occasion.
These lessons aren’t only applicable to red carpet events — they can inform fashion trends, commercial styling, and personal wardrobe choices.
Other Notable 2026 Red Carpet Highlights
While the fashion disasters grabbed headlines, many stars delivered flawless red carpet moments. Celebrities embraced classic elegance, bold colors, and innovative yet wearable designs, striking a balance between trend-setting and event-appropriate glamour.
These successes contrasted sharply with the missteps of Cooke, O’Connell, and Doherty, highlighting that attention to context, proportion, and wearability often makes the difference between a memorable look and a fashion disaster.
Final Thoughts
The 2026 BAFTA Awards proved that red carpet fashion is an art, not a science. While Olivia Cooke, Jack O’Connell, and Erin Doherty took bold risks that didn’t quite land, their choices sparked conversation and reminded audiences of fashion’s experimental nature.
Red carpet style is about expression, but it also requires a keen understanding of balance, proportion, and practicality. The line between daring and disastrous can be thin, and the 2026 BAFTAs highlighted this perfectly.
Fashion disasters, while amusing, also push the industry forward, inspiring designers to think differently and encouraging celebrities to explore new styles — even if they occasionally miss the mark.
In the end, the red carpet isn’t just about perfection; it’s about memorable moments, bold creativity, and the stories behind each outfit.
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