Sydney Sweeney Channels the Most Glamorous Wet T-Shirt Contest in a Liquid Chainmail Dress
The It girl's opaque streak has come to an end.
When a designer's runway show debuts a naked dress, it's all but guaranteed to resurface on a red carpet. Fashion girls—Sydney Sweeney included—flock to them like moths to a flame. (Extra points for a peek-a-boo bra or undies.)
Such was the case for Look 31 in Christian Cowan's Spring 2026 presentation, a collaboration with Elias Matso. Less than two months after New York Fashion Week, Sweeney and stylist Molly Dickson got their hands on the standout style for Variety's 2025 Power of Women event.
In Hollywood, celebrities occasionally line sheer selects with skin-color underlays to appear more modest. Sweeney, on the other hand, embraced the gown's risqué semblance, beginning with a T-shirt-looking bodice. Instead of a classic collar, the neckline was purposely stretched out to reveal her décolletage. Short sleeves were the top's only oversize detail. A half corset cinched her waist like she just won a wet T-shirt contest. Her unsupported bust emphasized the free-the-nip moment.
Sydney Sweeney was an angel in silver chainmail at Variety's affair.
Matso referred to it as the Twisted Crystal Mesh Tee, because its see-through silver exterior extended from top to bottom. The waist was the only section to be delicately pleated. Winding metallic mesh unfurled ever so slightly atop Sweeney's padded hips. Then, the skirt's shimmer continued straight down to the ground. Opting out of a train upped the design's T-shirt-ish charm. To make up for lost drama, Sweeney showcased the back's intricate corset, which laced down her spine.
A moment for the lace-up back, please.
The dress filled the dazzle quota tenfold, so Sweeney kept it simple in the accessory department. Diamond drop earrings—in white gold to match her gown—peeked out from underneath her freshly-cut bob. Statement necklaces were replaced by diamond cocktail rings. Sky-high Jimmy Choo sandals finished the metallic monochrome on a glamorous note.
Sydney was all smiles in her first naked number in a minute.
The Euphoria actor is famous for taking creative liberties with runway looks. (See her recent Miu Miu attire for proof.) This occasion was no different. On the runway, the model paired the T-shirt dress with a black scarf, tied atop their bob. Sweeney could've pulled off the wrap in spades, but alas, it stayed home. Perhaps it'll make an appearance on the street style scene instead.
A model wore Sydney's Christian Cowan gown in the Spring 2026 show.
Compared to Dakota Johnson and Margot Robbie, Sweeney's naked dresses have been slim to none this year. (What a surprising sentence to write in today's trend cycle.) Sheer skirts or overlays, she'll say "yes" to any day. But for the most part, opaque picks have been more her speed. If Sweeney's latest look suggests anything, however, it's that her hiatus has ended.
