The internet has a new talking point, and it’s Sydney Sweeney’s latest red carpet appearance. The actor’s decision to wear a virtually sheer gown to a high-profile industry event has sparked the kind of polarized online debate that now accompanies any major celebrity fashion risk. The conversation surrounding her Christian Cowan dress reveals less about the garment itself and more about our ongoing cultural anxieties over female celebrity, sexuality, and agency.
On one side of the digital divide, fans and supporters framed the look as a powerful expression of body confidence. Comments comparing Sweeney to classic Hollywood icons like Marilyn Monroe sought to place her within a lineage of celebrated glamour. This perspective views her choice as a positive assertion of control, a woman comfortable in her skin and unbothered by traditional expectations of modesty, especially at an event honoring her professional accomplishments.
god took his time with sydney sweeney pic.twitter.com/blGOMdADbh
— ً (@sydneysfiles) October 31, 2025
The critical reactions, however, often echoed familiar tropes. Accusations that the look was “shameful” or reduced her to a “sex object” reflect a persistent discomfort with public displays of female sexuality that are not curated for a male gaze, but are instead seemingly for the woman’s own pleasure. The argument that such displays are at odds with “true” feminism creates a false binary, suggesting that empowerment can only look one way and that a woman cannot be both serious and sensual.
Caught in the middle of this is Sweeney’s own stated intent. In her own words, she dresses for herself and to feel strong. The intense public dissection of her choice, from both admirers and detractors, ultimately proves her larger point: that women in the spotlight are constantly being defined by others. The sheer dress became a Rorschach test for societal values, but for Sweeney, it was likely just an outfit that made her feel powerful as she was honored for her work—a nuance often lost in the frantic rush to have an opinion.
