Dakota Johnson's Inappropriate Outfits That Nearly Ended In Disaster

Before Dakota Johnson stepped in front of a movie camera, the "Fifty Shades of Grey" star was Hollywood royalty. Her father, Don Johnson, was in the '80s megahit, Miami Vice," while her mother, Melanie Griffith, won a Golden Globe for her performance in 1988's "Working Girl." A couple of decades into her own career, though, Johnson has established herself as a legitimate A-lister and a powerhouse actress in her own right. Her turns in "Suspiria" and "The Peanut Butter Falcon" won praise, and even "Madame Web" — arguably her biggest box office failure — reached that rarefied so-bad-it's-good status, like the campy, cult classic, "The Room."

As good as she is on the screen, though, one mustn't overlook her carefully cultivated image as a relatable person and a bona fide smoke show in real life. However, Johnson's desire to express herself in other ways — particularly through the clothes she wears — has occasionally raised eyebrows for the ways in which her fabulous fits incite the masses. Whether it be on the red carpet for one of her movie premieres, during a late-night talk show guest spot, or while making an appearance at an international fashion show, Johnson has developed something of a reputation for revealing more of herself than one might expect. Here are her inappropriate outfits that almost ended in disaster.

Although Johnson had already garnered notice for her work in films like "The Social Network" and "21 Jump Street," her big breakout as a Hollywood actress came when she was cast as Anastasia "Ana" Steele in the adaptation of E. L. James' 2011 erotic romance novel, "Fifty Shades of Grey," opposite Jamie Dornan's Christian Grey. Just like the book — and the literary series it spawned — director Sam Taylor-Johnson's film excelled at getting its audiences all hot and bothered. So did Johnson at the movie's London premiere in February 2015. Joining Dornan and her other costars for the event, Johnson elected to hit the red carpet in an off-white slip dress from Saint Laurent featuring a plunging neckline, as noted in Vogue.

Johnson spoke of her character's quiet strength and evolution during an interview on the red carpet, saying via CelineChl, "She's a young woman who carries herself with grace and strength and is an innocent person. And then you kind of watch her go through something incredibly profound as a woman. You see her turn into a woman and explore her emotions and her sexuality, and it's a beautiful story and something unique and different." Much of the same could probably be said for Johnson herself in her breakout moment, the borderline inappropriate dress notwithstanding.

Dakota Johnson was back to her bewitching ways when she turned up for the Los Angeles premiere of the second film in the "Fifty Shades" franchise, 2017's "Fifty Shades Darker." After the first film went on to capture more than $569 million at the international box office, per Box Office Mojo, "Fifty Shades Darker" showed that lightning could indeed strike twice, as it crossed the $380 million mark as a sequel (against a $55 million budget). And Johnson got the fireworks started with another double-take-inducing frock at the L.A. event.

As noted by Fashionista in 2020 as part of the outlet's "Greatest Outfits in Fashion History" feature, Johnson again elected to adorn her torso in only the lightest of coverings, sporting a blush-toned, spaghetti-strapped Valentino Haute Couture gown for the occasion. The simple yet elegant styling from the fashion house's Spring 2017 Haute Couture collection was the sole brainchild of Italian designer Pierpaolo Piccioli, and featured another in what would eventually become an extended series of dramatically low necklines that got fans and critics alike talking.

"Madame Web" was an equally wild moment in time for Dakota Johnson, fans of the "Spider-Man" universe, and comic book movies. When the film was released in 2024, Sony's Spider-Verse was riding higher than it had since the Tobey Maguire days, thanks to Tom Holland and the franchise's well-received crossover back into the wider Marvel universe that spawned it. And with a bankable star like Johnson at the top of the call sheet, one might have expected it to be an ideal side story to bridge the gap between 2021's "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and the iconic web-slinger's next grand cinematic adventure. Instead, it landed with a thud, but the bad vibes surrounding the film — before it became a cult favorite — didn't stop Johnson from stopping the proverbial presses with a barely-there look for its premiere.

Johnson bore just about all of her bits on the film's black carpet, rocking a practically transparent, crystalline slip from Gucci, as reported by E! News. As if making a splash with the dress wasn't enough, Johnson posted pictures of the fit on her Instagram account, which invited comments from those who felt she was too cheeky with the wispy ensemble. "This should be considered pornographic content and such posts should be deleted from the internet," quipped one IG commenter on the platform.

Although Dakota Johnson has a clear knack for riling the public at large with her sometimes controversial but always cool red-carpet looks, she's also on a run of making multiple late-night talk show hosts blush by sneaking some more-revealing-than-they-intially-appear looks onto network television. Case in point: the tiny red dress she wore during an appearance on James Corden's chat program back in 2020. As reported by Page Six, Johnson hit the couch on Corden's soundstage in a $1,450 Magda Butrym mini in red. And, right as the pair were getting into the interview, Corden was compelled to comment on her state of dress.

"Look at this! Are you alright? Are you worried? You're alright. I think it's all right. Is it alright? Do you want my jacket?" a flustered Corden asked Johnson, via "The Late Late Show with James Corden" on YouTube, as she attempted to cross her legs and rest her clasped hands over the top of her exposed thighs. Ever the pro, and fully aware of the reputation she has wrought for herself after years of sporting incredibly scanty ensembles at big events, Johnson simply responded, "I'm okay. It's nothing nobody hasn't already seen," inciting laughter from the studio audience.

Although James Corden feigned concern about Dakota Johnson's wardrobe during her 2022 appearance on his show, the actress was genuinely imperiled by the malfunction of her tiny dress while guesting on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in support of her film, "Daddio," co-starring Sean Penn, in 2024. Never one to roll out of the house in anything less than traffic-stopping, Johnson walked out for her segment in a lineless, black Bottega Veneta viscose jersey dress with floral shoulder details that retails for nearly $4,000. And while the dress didn't have straps in the traditional sense, the mechanism to keep it properly affixed to her body obviously failed mid-interview, forcing Johnson to hold the garment up against her chest by hand.

"Dakota, your dress just came unhooked. Are you alright? Should I get some Scotch tape?" Kimmel asked, via "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on YouTube. "My dress just — it just fell off," Johnson replied, before resigning herself to her fate, adding, "Well, I'll just hold it." So, for the remainder of what was otherwise a perfectly pleasant, standard-fare talk show appearance, Johnson kept a firm grip on the delicate metal pieces with her left hand. The malfunction may have even yielded some additional box office for her film. 

One mustn't be the most observant viewer of Dakota Johnson's continuing exploits to notice a recurring theme in her wardrobe choices for her myriad appearances; specifically, the way in which her outfits suggest coverage for her front side without actually providing much of it. It has even gotten to the point where the people who are around her find themselves fretting over whether whatever uber-revealing outfit she happens to be wearing in the moment is sturdy enough to hold up to the rigors of basic existence. Like James Corden and Jimmy Kimmel before him, "Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon openly wondered whether he might have to come to Johnson's rescue during a 2025 appearance on the show.

"This is the wrong outfit," Johnson admitted after taking her spot on the couch beside Fallon's desk, via The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on YouTube. Johnson, who was promoting her film, "Materialists," was wearing a plunging Ferragamo dressand discussion of the frock prompted her to admonish Fallon, saying, "My eyes are up here," per E! News. She later instructed Fallon to tell her if there was a problem, after which the host offered her a tissue to cover up. Later, after recounting the story of when her father, Don Johnson, had gifted him an olive-green Cardigan sweater, Fallon offered up the sweater for greater coverage, and the crisis was averted.

Rounding out Dakota Johnson's wardrobe misadventures on late-night TV is a 2025 appearance on "Late Night with Seth Meyers," just after her split with Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. Johnson walked out onto the stage in two see-through tulle pieces from Nensi Dojaka, according to InStyle, including a mesh, semi-sheer bodysuit and a Mila tulle midi skirt. In many ways, the look mirrored her fit from her previous appearance on the show — sheer black fabric giving way to the exposed limbs beneath it. At the start of the interview, a tuxedo-wearing Meyers joked that he had dressed up to match Johnson's daring ensemble. But as the SNL alum seemingly wore more clothing than usual, Johnson's frock left very little to the imagination.

Of course, Johnson has never been one to truly feel shy about her body. On a recent episode of the "Good Hang" podcast, Johnson told Amy Poehler that her mother, Melanie Griffith, had a hand in giving her that confidence, saying that she raised her "to be really, really proud of my body and love my body," via the Daily Beast, and adding, "I've always felt so grateful for that, especially in my work, because I can use it and it feels real."

If plunging necklines are the key feature of Dakota Johnson's perhaps less-than-appropriate duds, see-through materials are probably No. 2 with a bullet. She combined the two concepts — and threw in a corset for good measure — while attending the New York Film Festival premiere of her film, "The Lost Daughter" in 2021. As chronicled in Vogue, Johnson attended the event wearing a transparent corset top from Gucci's Aria collection. Meanwhile, her lower half was scandalously hugged by black leather pants. Although the ensemble was one that some would undoubtedly label inappropriate due to its form-fitting and revealing nature, it was arguably the perfect statement piece for a film that emerged from the ether to receive three Oscar nominations. 

Johnson's strapless bustier may not have been for the faint of heart, but the look did win over some of the internet's fashionistas. "Thanks to the styling genius of Kate Young, Johnson's outfit brought a novel twist to the corset look," opined The Zoe Report's Emma Childs, adding, "Her outfit was, if you will entertain this for a moment: FiftyShadesofGreycore."

Dakota Johnson was especially bold with her looks as "The Lost Daughter" made its debut. While the black, see-through bustier was a head-turner in the Big Apple, she took her wild fashion whims to a whole other level when the Maggie Gyllenhaal-directed gem premiered during the Venice Film Festival several weeks earlier. As noted by E! News, Johnson hit the red carpet in a sheer gown from Gucci that shone brighter than the stars who turned up for the event. The dress, which could be described as crystalline fringe or even chain mail, glimmered as it draped across the length of her statuesque frame. Meanwhile, beneath the long silvery strands was a bejeweled mesh that clung to her curves.

Johnson was joined at the event by Gucci's then-creative director Alessandro Michele and Italian director Luca Guadagnino, a veritable stamp of approval for the firm's longtime brand ambassador. Still, despite their presence beside her and the praise the collection received in the press, one can't help but wonder how Johnson continues to bear just about everything on the grandest stages of fashion and cinema.

Dakota Johnson was in rare form when she attended the LACMA Art + Film Gala at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in late 2021, as observed by Tom and Lorenzo. The actress hit the event in a custom-made — and, once again, bejeweled — Gucci crop top featuring a deep V-neck and a buckle detail just above the waist, as observed by Dakota Johnson's Closet on Instagram. Completing the look was a pair of silk, high-waisted Palazzo pants. However, like other racy ensembles Johnson has worn, the way in which her top covered only a smattering of her upper frame is what raised alarm bells for fashion observers.

While Johnson's continued self-expression through daring fashion choices has been praised, and this fit was no different, some felt she had gone a bridge too far. "I've always thought that Dakota was the one client [celebrity stylist] Kate Young couldn't ruin but here we are," wrote one Red Carpet Fashion Awards commenter. Meanwhile, another commenter added, "First, the satin pants are awful. The top is quite unflattering as well. It's quite loose around the bust, and I wish it was tailored."

While years have passed since Dakota Johnson filmed her final scenes for the last installment in the "Fifty Shades" series, 2018's "Fifty Shades Freed," and her star has only grown in the interim, she'll undoubtedly continue to be linked to the series that helped launch her into the stratosphere. The "Fifty Shades of Grey" book series and their cinematic adaptations brought erotic fiction to the masses. Meanwhile, Johnson herself continues to bring a bit of the boudoir into her outfits.

As reported by Harper's Bazaar, Johnson went fully sheer at Gucci's Cruise 2024 show at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea. Johnson was snapped at the show wearing a bandeau top and a bejeweled black mesh slip, which revealed a lacy black underlay and her underwear beneath, something that looked like it came from the "Fifty Shades" set. She brought black leather into the equation, sporting a trench coat that only partially covered her risqué ensemble. While some people get wound up about Johnson's supposed shady side, the A-lister continues to give us plenty to talk about with the clothes she wears alone.