Farrah Fawcett's Most Daring Outfits Ever

There will never be another Farrah Fawcett. She was a household name in the 1970s. The Hollywood icon cemented her status as a superstar thanks to her role on "Charlie's Angels," which she left after just one season. While the actor tragically passed away in 2009 after a lengthy battle with cancer, her iconic style remains timeless. The beauty kept hair salons in business with requests for her phenomenally feathered tresses, which The New York Times Magazine once called a "work of art that looked as if it had just come out of the sea and been tossed by the wind into a state of careless perfection." 

While most people associate the late Fawcett with her famously wavy 'do, she had equally eye-catching fashion. In fact, a lot of it was impressively edgy for the time, making her a trendsetter among today's more risky fashion. We're rounding up some of Fawcett's most daring outfits over the years, from her shockingly low necklines to her role as a pioneer of sheer. 

When meeting a member of the royal family, most people would opt for a buttoned-up look. But when Farrah Fawcett was on hand for a black tie dinner in honor of the then-Prince Charles back in October 1977, she wore quite the opposite. The superstar arrived at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in this iconic white halter-style dress with a dangerously low neckline. The neckline was so low, in fact, that it nearly reached her belly button. She's seen here flashing a confident smile while speaking with the future king of England. 

Fawcett was escorted to the fancy event by her then-husband, Lee Majors. The couple married in 1973 but separated in 1979 amid one of the messiest celebrity affairs of the 1970s and finalized their divorce three years later. Majors reflected on their time together with People back in 2019, noting that they were both at the peak of their fame and that at the time they were photographed so often that "it was hard to get around." 

Farrah Fawcett was never one to shy away from swimwear. Here she is rocking a stark white bikini during a Los Angeles photoshoot back in 1975, one year before she would do the photoshoot in the one-piece swimsuit that put her on the map (more on that next!) The beauty had been signed to Screen Gems since 1968 — just two weeks after she moved to Los Angeles. That same week she would meet her first husband, Lee Majors, and shortly after that she started booking jobs in commercials and on TV shows. 

Fawcett told People back in 1989, "I didn't come to Los Angeles expecting to be anything. I was led. Events happened, fell into place. I really gave no thought to my career." Despite those low expectations, she ended up booking a role on "Charlie's Angels" that aired in 1976 and changed the trajectory of her life.

Did you know Farrah Fawcett's iconic red swimsuit photo remains the best-selling poster of all time? The legendary photo, which saw Fawcett sporting a spaghetti-strapped, plunging red one-piece, was released in 1976. She found the idea of a poster "cute" and told The Washington Post back in 1977 that "the reason I decided to do a poster was, well, if you don't sign a deal to do one, somebody does one anyway, and then you get nothing."

It turned out to be a good decision, and the facts behind the shoot are pretty fascinating in retrospect. The photos were shot at Fawcett's Los Angeles home, and she did her own hair and makeup. The red bathing suit was plucked from her own closet. Photographer Bruce McBroom told Entertainment Weekly that it wasn't Fawcett's first choice. When speaking to the outlet in 2019, McBroom shared, "We'd been there all day. I said, 'You know how you look best. Is there anything else that you've got that we haven't shot?'" She returned in the now-iconic red suit, which he noted "was like it was spray-painted on her." 

Farrah Fawcett arrived at the 1978 Academy Awards in this stunning gold chainmail design by Stephen Burrows. W Magazine called this look one of the most memorable dresses in Oscar history and for good reason. The frock combines two of her most common and daring fashion choices — spaghetti straps and a dangerously low neckline — while also taking things one step further, as it's entirely backless. The shimmering color not only matched the Oscar statuette, but it also complemented her golden locks. 

Fawcett was on hand to present the award for best film editing at the ceremony. That same year marked the release of the star's first movie after leaving "Charlie's Angels," entitled "Somebody Killed My Husband." It was sadly a box office bomb at the time. People magazine reported that some even referred to the film as "Somebody Killed Her Career." 

In 1979, Farrah Fawcett was busy promoting her latest project, a comedy called "Sunburn." While doing interviews in Atlanta, Georgia, that August, Fawcett opted for one of her favorite silhouettes — an incredibly low neckline. This time, it almost backfired, as the plunging bodice of the white frock nearly resulted in a wardrobe malfunction while she was seated. She accessorized the minidress with a stack of bracelets and big hoop earrings.

This same year, Fawcett separated from her then-husband, Lee Majors, though their divorce would not be finalized for three more years. Their split was marred by some controversy as Fawcett connected with one of her ex-husband's close friends, Ryan O'Neal, with whom she would have a long and tragic relationship. Majors was reported to be deeply hurt by his ex's romance with his former pal, and that it damaged all of the friendships within the love triangle. Fawcett's professional life wasn't faring much better, as the release of "Sunburn" only continued her streak of movie flops.

After leaving "Charlie's Angels, Farrah Fawcett found no one would hire her. She ended up appearing in a string of box office bombs. Among them? The 1980 sci-fi flick "Saturn 3" is largely considered to be a rip-off of the wildly successful "Alien," which was released the previous year. The film saw Fawcett act opposite Kirk Douglas and Harvey Keitel, but the star power didn't pay out at the box office. "Saturn 3" was a financial flop — despite Fawcett appearing topless in one scene. 

Those who saw the film might have a hard time placing Fawcett's black ensemble. She donned this funky and futuristic one-piece for a promotional photoshoot, but it didn't end up making it onto the big screen. The short-sleeved design included a super low scoop neckline and a zipper down the front. She accessorized the black and silver number with knee-high boots and gloves and posed suggestively, but this space-ready look didn't pay off. 

In the '80s, sweetheart necklines were a major trend, and Farrah Fawcett rocked one at an Oscar party in 1986. The beauty arrived at Irving Lazar's lavish Academy Awards event in Los Angeles in this racy little skin-tight frock, which included a bold printed fabric and a sweetheart neckline that took quite a dive. She accessorized with golden bangle bracelets and wore her hair in wild waves. 

The actor was in a committed relationship with Ryan O'Neal in the '80s. The couple welcomed a son, Redmond O'Neal, in 1985 but made headlines for their unconventional lifestyle choices. Fawcett reportedly had no desire to marry O'Neal, despite him asking repeatedly over the years. A source told People at the time (via The Cut), "The baby and the refusal to get married are both part of a new productive cycle: Farrah's decision to take charge of her career and life."

While today's red-carpet fashion includes plenty of thigh-high slits, sheer panels, and cutouts, it doesn't come close to the daring nature of Farrah Fawcett's dangerously low necklines. Just look at this sparkly golden gown she wore to the New York City premiere of "Chances Are" in 1989. The beauty was on hand for her longtime partner, Ryan O'Neal, who starred in the flick, but she stole the spotlight when she arrived in this spaghetti-strapped frock. The cut of the dress was so low, she appeared to be just a sneeze away from a wardrobe malfunction. 

Fawcett and O'Neal were nearing a decade together by this time. Fawcett once spoke very sweetly of her boyfriend to People, calling him "the greatest ego booster I've ever had," and adding, "I think our personalities are well suited." 

In 2000, Farrah Fawcett hit the big screen as part of a star-studded ensemble cast in "Dr. T and the Women." The romantic comedy saw her starring alongside Richard Gere, Helen Hunt, Laura Dern, Shelley Long, and more big names, but Fawcett certainly got the world's attention when she arrived at the film's premiere. The beauty opted for — what else? — spaghetti straps, this time with a tiny skintight white tank top. Slinky golden pants and a fur-trimmed coat completed her eye-catching look.

Three years before this premiere, Fawcett had called it quits with longtime love Ryan O'Neal after catching him cheating with a much younger actor, then-25-year-old Leslie Ann Stefanson. The cheating was made public over a decade later, after Fawcett's death, when O'Neal awkwardly had to fess up in a court of law. The actor was on trial in Los Angeles over ownership of one of Fawcett's Warhol paintings in 2013 when he had to answer questions about the infidelity and admit she walked in on him with another woman. "She was hurt. She was in shock," O'Neal said on the stand, according to Page Six. 

The MTV Video Music Awards, which brought out some of the worst-dressed stars in 2025, have long been known for their scandalous red carpet. So Farrah Fawcett was a great star to have on hand in 2004. The actor turned up in this white and gold minidress that featured a detail way ahead of its time — sheer paneling! The sleeveless frock included a totally sheer neckline that scooped down to just above the star's navel and showed off her bra underneath, and it didn't stop there. The design also added even more sheer fabric when it came to the hemline, giving us a glimpse of Fawcett's toned legs. 

That same year, Fawcett starred in her final film role, playing Mrs. Crowley in the comedy, "The Cookout." She would tragically pass away just five years later in 2009. The star was 62 years old when she succumbed to a lengthy battle with cancer. Longtime off-and-on love Ryan O'Neal was by her side and even proposed to her just before she died. According to ABC News, he told Barbara Walters in a documentary entitled "Farrah's Story" that she finally agreed to marry him.