Nicole Kidman’s Backless Little Black Dress Brought New Drama to the Wardrobe Staple

The best little black dresses prove that the stereotypically simple things in our closets are far from boring. Since its inception, the LBD has taken many forms. There's, of course, Princess Diana's iconic revenge dress. More recently, Zendaya in a surrealist dark Schiaparelli gown, Rihanna's RiRi spin on the staple, and now Nicole Kidman in a backless (!), side-less (!!) Versace dress. The actress wore the sultry piece for the premiere of her new show Expats at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Kidman’s skin-baring ensemble further solidifies her as the fashion risk-taker we love her for. (Remember her viral Miu Miu mini skirt moment?)

Kidman’s Versace number looked hand-crafted to fit her—the tailoring on the gown was that good. For starters, it had a sleek neckline with a cowl-like illusion via structured draping. Attached to the bodice on each arm was one thin strap piecing the dress together. The dress was completely open on the back and sides (the bottom of the back brushed her tailbone!). In addition to its all-over openness, the dress had a high-leg slit that showed off her matching black pumps. Its final unique touch was a pop of kelly green fabric found on the inside paneling of her dress.

Kidman, working with stylist Jason Bolden, opted for little accessories to give the dress its well-deserved moment. She added drop earrings, a silver watch, and other small dainty additions to up the outfit’s shine. For glam, Kidman strategically wore her hair to the side to show off the plunging back of the dress. She kept the makeup easy with a bronzy eye and cheek. 

We know Kidman is not new to a risque fashion moment, but we can’t help but be slightly concerned that she was cold! (Ahem, Kendall Jenner in a minidress in the snow?) Did the carpet have heaters? New York got snow in the past week! Someone, get these celebrities a coat! 

Expats is set to release later this month on Prime Video. The series, created by Lulu Wang, follows Kidman’s character and her close group of friends living in Hong Kong. Oh, and we can’t forget to remind you of the highly anticipated return of Big Little Lies, which Kidman has confirmed is in the works for a third season! 

We're adding Kidman’s risque look to the latest list of her best-ever style moments. The actress continues to embrace her preference for more daring, skin-baring pieces even when it comes to the LBD—and we're thrilled about it