Chappell Roan's NSFW Dress On The Grammys Red Carpet Has Fans Doing A Double-Take

Awards season is the time to dabble in the most daring of looks—something Chappell Roan and her team took very seriously.

At this weekend’s 68th Grammy Awards ceremony, Roan earned nominations for Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for "The Subway," her hit single released in late July. One of her fellow nominees in both categories was Sabrina Carpenter, who lost the Best New Artist race to Roan in 2025.

Fearless on the red carpet, Roan has built a reputation for turning step-and-repeats into something closer to performance art. Whether she’s channeling Miss Piggy drag or snapping back at disrespectful photographers, she’s made awards season appearances feel less rigid and far more entertaining.

This year was no exception. The "Hot to Go" pop star stepped onto the Grammys red carpet in a red, sheer, flowing cape custom-made by Mugler and styled by Genesis Webb. Her tattoos were done by Jenny Collins, also known as Puppy Puppy Playtime. When the cape came off, the full look was revealed: a custom maroon Mugler gown held up entirely by nipple rings.

You can view the look here:

Inspired by the fashion house’s iconic 1998 nipple-ring dress, the gown featured a sheer, invisible bodice with maroon fabric draped from faux nipples, flowing into a dramatic train and revealing black panties underneath. For interviews, Roan re-draped the cape and styled her long red hair forward for a more demure angle, a knowing contrast to the gown’s barely-there construction.

This year’s look outdid even that widely praised first appearance.

Actor Jamie Foxx and his family stopped the singer on the red carpet for an awkward hello:

At least no one stepped on her dress on the way out, because...ouch. And as the gown became instant headline fodder, Roan made it clear the outrage wasn’t keeping her up at night.

She addressed the moment in a post shared to Instagram after the ceremony:

“Giggling because I don’t even think this is THAT outrageous of an outfit. The look’s actually so awesome and weird. I recommend just exercising your free will it’s really fun and silly 😀 Thank you for having me @grammys and those who voted for me!!”

You can view her NSFW post and photos of the red carpet look here:

Roan returned to the Grammy Awards this year as both a presenter and nominee, following her breakthrough moment at last year’s show when she won Best New Artist. When she took the stage to present Best New Artist to Olivia Dean, Roan opted to change into a one-strap tan chiffon gown.

Her makeup for the night was done by Andrew Dahling using MAC Cosmetics.

Dahling explained the beauty inspiration in a statement to BuzzFeed:

“It’s a Mugler medieval fantasy for the carpet. We wanted the look to be sultry and smoky, with a little ’90s influence to honor the era this archival gown comes from. A taupe smoky eye with a touch of shimmering liner, paired with what I’m calling a nude-red lip. Sultry, smoky, with a touch of glam.”

Within minutes of her arrival, the look dominated social media timelines, sparking everything from enthusiastic applause to pearl-clutching discourse.

You can view the mixed reactions below:

While Roan was not scheduled to perform at the ceremony, she was announced in advance as a presenter. In the week leading up to the Grammys, she was also honored at the music industry nonprofit We Are Moving the Needle’s 2026 Resonator Awards, where Heart’s Nancy Wilson presented her with the Harmonizer Award.

Roan addressed the recognition during her acceptance speech:

“I kind of think that it’s just an artist’s—and anybody who has money—it’s kind of your duty to give it away. I don’t really know what else there is to harmony other than giving. So, thank you for recognizing me.”

Roan has been outspoken on social justice issues since the start of her career, notably calling out music labels during her 2025 Best New Artist acceptance speech and urging them to support artists with livable wages and healthcare.

At last year’s Grammys, she cycled through multiple looks: a grey Acne Studios ready-to-wear dress for her acceptance speech, a tulle gown featuring Degas ballerinas from Jean Paul Gaultier’s spring 2003 couture collection on the carpet, a 2024 couture Thom Browne blue layered dress once inside, and a custom Zana Bayne look for her performance of Pink Pony Club.

Roan didn’t take home any awards, but Kendrick Lamar won five, surpassing Jay-Z as the most-awarded rapper in Grammy history. This year’s Superbowl Half-Time showstopper, Bad Bunny, won album of the year, marking the first time a Spanish-language album has taken the top prize.

The remaining Big Four awards went to Olivia Dean for Best New Artist, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell for Song of the Year for "Wildflower," and Lamar and SZA for Record of the Year.