9 Times Sydney Sweeney Was Criticized For Inappropriate Outfits
Sydney Sweeney is perhaps Hollywood's biggest name right now, having become a household name since her role in HBO's "Euphoria." Since she began acting in 2009, the movie star has had a stunning transformation in more ways than one. From her ability to take on more serious and difficult roles to the stunning looks she shows off on the red carpet, Sweeney is hitting it out of the park right now.
With fame can unfortunately come an influx of criticism, as the young actor has realized. There's no question that Sweeney has been the target of some seriously brutal online comments over the years. Back in May 2021, the "Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood" star shared her honest reaction to the hate she'd received in an Instagram Live video. "Apparently I am trending on Twitter right now for being ugly, and I would never actually do this, like ever, but I think that it's really important for people to see how words actually affect people. ... I know everyone says you can't read things and you shouldn't read things but I'm a f***ing person," she said through tears.
Thankfully, it seems that Sweeney is learning to ignore the ridicule that comes her way as she continues to take risks in the fashion world. While she's slayed countless looks, there are still many times the actor was criticized for wearing inappropriate outfits.
Sydney Sweeney's MTV Awards look was deemed a threat to body positivity
When Sydney Sweeney arrived on the red carpet at the June 2022 MTV Awards, all eyes were on the actor's Y2K-inspired look. She seemed to be channeling her inner Britney Spears or Paris Hilton dressed in a pink, sparkly, low-rise mini skirt with black belt buckles, chunky heels, and an ultra-cropped, low-cut top designed by Miu Miu. As beautiful and confident as Sweeney looked, her MTV Awards outfit became a point of controversy and trolls quickly flooded the internet with hateful comments.
WhoWhatWear posted an Instagram video of the "Euphoria" star at the award show, leading haters to comment things like, "Watch body positivity go down the drain once the low-rise fashion takes over again." Other users said things that were targeted more at Sweeney herself, like, "Trying too hard," as well as, "Is being sexy, all that's left for women to be now," and, "There are no meals in there," referring to the actor's slim physique.
Thankfully, Sweeney was happy with her look at the award show, which she spoke about during an interview with WhoWhatWear in March 2024. "Miu Miu is amazing 'cause they make me a lot of custom looks and I usually put boards together of what I want this look to be, and ... there was an old iconic runway show that I really wanted to recreate and they put this together for me. I liked it," she said.
She once came under fire for outfits other people were wearing
When Sydney Sweeney shared a series of photos and videos of her mom's country-themed birthday celebration in August 2022 on Instagram, she didn't realize this would become one of her most controversial moments. The caption read, "No better way to celebrate my momma than a surprise hoedown," and while Sweeney's cowboy hat, boots, and romper were perfectly on-theme, it wasn't the actor's outfit with which the fans took issue. If you look at the post today, you probably won't notice anything out of the ordinary, but that's because the "Immaculate" star has since removed the photos some labeled problematic.
In the original post, someone Sweeney poses with can be seen wearing a "Blue Lives Matter" shirt. To make matters worse, the actor's brother posted even more photos on his own Instagram page of attendees wearing what, at first glance, looked like MAGA hats. He later clarified that the red hats actually said, "Make Sixty Great Again."
With her fans up in arms over what seemed to be a MAGA-themed birthday party, Sweeney responded to the controversy that same day with a post on Twitter. "You guys this is wild. An innocent celebration for my moms [sic] milestone 60th birthday has turned into an absurd political statement, which was not the intention. Please stop making assumptions. Much love to everyone," she wrote.
Fans called out her wardrobe malfunction at the Cannes Film Festival
Sydney Sweeney made a splash when she appeared at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023 alongside her fiancé Jonathan Davino. While fans were excited to point out her beautiful engagement ring, it was her outfit that caught some negative attention. The "Reality" actor arrived wearing white platform heels, a low-cut white bustier slip dress, and an exposed blue Miu Miu bra that led many to believe Sweeney had suffered a terrible wardrobe mishap.
In a TikTok video posted by Gala France, the actor walks with Davino through the Hotel Martinez Cannes surrounded by photographers and wearing the hell out of her dress. However, the look didn't impress everyone as the post became flooded with comments like "What's going on with the dress malfunction?" Others called out Sweeney's stylist, saying, "Her stylist did her dirty," and "She's so beautiful but send that stylist to jail for doing that to her chest with that dress."
Others were supportive of the actor's brave outfit, as one user remarked, "I love how the people in these comments think this is a dress malfunction when it's clearly a slay." Sweeney's haters clearly weren't privy to the exposed bra trend, which ended up being a hit at Cannes that year. Other celebrities were spotted on the red carpet rocking the look, including Scarlett Johansson and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
Sydney Sweeney defended her outfit in the Rolling Stones video
In September of 2023, the Rolling Stones premiered their latest music video for their song "Angry," which featured Sydney Sweeney dancing away to the track on a car. Her revealing outfit, which she hand-selected for the video, brought lots of attention as she wore a black leather corset and studded hotpants. The actor shared a clip of the video on Instagram and while she did receive praise by some, others were quite negative. One user wrote, "Aren't you tired [of] being sexualised by hollywood?" Another commented, "Nothing new. Old creeps pretending not to be old creeps and women just behaving as a piece of meat."
Despite the insurmountable attention the actor gets around her outfits and body, Sweeney isn't phased by what others think of her racy persona. She spoke with Glamour UK in December 2023 about her participation in the music video and defended herself against the provocative online comments. "I find empowerment through embracing the body that I have. That's sexy and strong, and I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I'm in a Rolling Stones video. How cool and iconic is that?" she said. "I mean, who else gets to roll around on the top of a convertible driving down Sunset Boulevard with police escorts? It's the cool things in this career that I had no idea I'd get to do."
Her bathing suit made headlines
When Sydney Sweeney took a trip to Australia in August 2023 with her friend and fellow actor Kaylee McGregor, she shared several photos and videos of their trip on Instagram. Many of the snaps saw the "Americana" star wearing a stunning green one-piece swimsuit with a plunging neckline while McGregor opted for a floral bikini as they sang karaoke in the car and visited the beach.
The comments on Sweeney's post were expectedly harsh, with many insinuating that she was only wearing the suit for attention. One user wrote, "Without constantly showing her boobs and wearing loads of make-up, she'[d be] working the drive-thru at Burger King," while another said, "Let's be honest. She's an absolute HORRIBLE actress and she needs to flaunt her girls to stay relevant." Others opted for obscene gifs about her chest and even media outlets reported on the actor's post, with the Daily Mail suggesting she had "put on a very busty display" with her look. Luckily, many others came to Sweeney's defense. One fan wrote, "Let the poor girl wear a bathing suit" while another asked, "does it kill you people to respect women[?]"
Trolls have pointed out that Sydney Sweeney's red carpet looks don't fit
Over the years, some internet trolls have pointed out that Sydney Sweeney's red carpet outfits don't always seem to fit her in the chest, but she had a good reason for this. In December 2023, Sweeney sat down with Glamour UK for an interview. To accompany her cover story, the publication posted a video to TikTok in which Sweeney explained why some of her looks may not have been as flattering as others.
"A lot of times when I see trolls online slamming me or whoever is styling me for things that don't fit my boobs, it's because it's sampled. It's not made to fit my boobs and a lot of times we're not allowed to like, cut or alter stuff. So, I'm like, forced to fit in something that doesn't fit me and it won't look right. ... When a brand is letting [us] alter something, that's when it looks better. That's when you see that I look more confident and happy on the carpet," she said.
In the week prior to the "Euphoria" star's interview, she appeared at the "Anyone But You" premiere alongside her co-star Glen Powell. Sweeney rocked the red carpet in a stunning, silver Miu Miu gown, adorned with crystals, a black belt, and a sheer skirt, and there was no question that this look was custom-made for the actor.
Some have claimed her SNL outfits brought the death of woke
Sydney Sweeney's breasts have long been a point of discussion, as she has often worn low-cut tops and flaunted her assets. During her Glamour UK interview in December 2023, the actor said she had at one point been so insecure about her body, she considered going under the knife. "When I was in high school, I used to feel uncomfortable about how big my boobs were and I used to say that when I turned 18, I was going to get a boob job to make them smaller. ... I'm so glad I didn't. I like them," the actor remarked.
While Sweeney has faced criticism online for years over the way her body looks and the outfits she chooses to wear, it was when she hosted "Saturday Night Live" in March 2024 that the dialogue became more dramatic and even took a political turn. A National Post article published shortly after the "Anyone But You" star wore low-cut outfits on the show, including a Hooters shirt in one sketch, declared, "Wokeness is no match for Sydney Sweeney's undeniable beauty." The piece continued, "Are Sydney Sweeney's breasts double-D harbingers of the death of woke?" and went on to argue that because the actor is conventionally attractive, there's the potential for inclusive beauty standards and body positivity to take a hit.
She even receives hate when wearing jeans and a tee
Female stars with larger chests have historically had a hard time when it comes to judgemental comments. When they show too much, their outfits are deemed inappropriate, but even when they're fully covered up and wearing something modest, they still catch heat. This is an unfortunate lesson Sydney Sweeney has had to learn, especially when she posted a photo on Instagram of herself wearing jeans and a T-shirt in March 2024.
In the post, "The White Lotus" star announced her partnership with the drinks company Bai and that she had been involved in creating a new flavor. As Sweeney told People at the time, "I always start my morning with the bowl of berries, so when Bai came to me and said, 'Let's create your dream flavor,' I was like, 'I know that I'd love for it to have some type of raspberry infusion in it because I love raspberries.' ... Also, I grew up berry picking with my family, so ... I knew that this was going to be special because it reminded me of my childhood."
However, Sweeney's excitement for this new brand deal was overshadowed by the many comments on her post talking about her attire. "That shirt is fighting for its life," one person wrote, while another said, "She is wearing clothes finally!" One fan pointed out, "[She's] just trying to show off a product she worked on and all the comments are about her chest."
Sydney Sweeney was criticized for wearing Angelina Jolie's dress
Sydney Sweeney has slayed subtle no-makeup looks and she's rocked full-on glamorous styles, showcasing her ability to change things up on a dime and still look phenomenal. The "Anyone But You" star proved this again when she showed up for the Vanity Fair Oscars After Party looking sophisticated in a familiar dress. It was a special homage as Sweeney donned the Marc Bouwer white satin halter gown Angelina Jolie had worn 20 years prior, paired with a diamond necklace from Messika.
Molly Dickson, Sweeney's stylist, spoke with Vogue the following day, saying, "When I saw the Angelina gown, I was with Syd and I showed her and she was like, 'Oh my God, we need to get that.' ... In the past couple years, archive and vintage pieces have become a lot more popular, not only for the sustainability but [because] it's a different way for actors to present themselves."
While the archival look was clearly intended as a flattering nod to the legendary star who had worn it first, unsurprisingly, some internet trolls weren't all too pleased with Sweeney's attempt. The comments on Entertainment Tonight's Instagram post showing Jolie's and Sweeney's looks side by side became an all-out battle of who wore it best. "Angelina owned that dress. Sydney wore it," one user wrote. Another commented, "I don't think Sydney did great. It makes her look soooooo much older. She should have waited another 10ish years to wear it."