Controversial or Chic? The Most Memorable Fashion Moments of 2025

Love them or hate them, they’re iconic.

by Nicollette Heath

Graphic by Ian Nugent

Fashion is a form of art. We express ourselves through everyday outfits, make statements with daring pieces, and push the boundaries between ready-to-wear and avant-garde. But like any form of art, public opinions will vary. The more ambitious and innovative the design, the more polarizing it tends to be.

2025 had no shortage of polarizing moments in the fashion world. Between bleached eyebrows, sheer dresses, and the comeback of skinny jeans, this year’s experimental (or repurposed) styles stirred up plenty of controversy and strong opinions across social media. 

While some styles stayed confined to the runways and red carpets, others made their way into the biggest trend circles of this year. Now to dive into some of the most daring and memorable moments from the fashion scene of 2025:

Bleached Eyebrows

Brow trends always shake up the beauty scene, but this iteration took social media by a storm when Jenna Ortega debuted her bleach blonde brows for the season two premiere of Wednesday. The contrast of her darker makeup and hair with the barely-visible brows creates a hauntingly stunning look. 

While bleached brows never necessarily went out of style, this high-contrast take generated diverse opinions within the fashion community. However, Ortega’s stunning bleached brows continue to have an impact today. If you’ve been debating experimenting with new beauty styles, these might be worth a try — and the best part is that you can always dye them back!

Sheer Gowns and Garments

Transparence has been a common theme of red carpet looks in 2025. From Margot Robbie to Dakota Johnson, stars embraced the sheer gown trend on all types of carpets, including the Cannes Film Festival and the Vanity Fair Oscars’ afterparty.

These dresses are often adorned with intricate and elegant details like full-body lace or delicate beaded patterns. While sheer gowns have been this year’s “it” style for carpets, fashion lovers adopted other styles of sheer garments in 2025. Lace skirts and pants, for example, paired with a basic top and boots have become chic yet edgy options for a night out look.

The Return of The Skinny Jean

It seems that fashion has finally come full circle in 2025 with the long-awaited revival of the 2000s’ biggest trend: the skinny jean. However, the pairs spotted on runways are not just any skinny jeans, but the iconic ultra low-rise skinny jeans. 

This cut of jeans is controversial for many valid reasons: they’re difficult to style, it’s a challenge to find the correct fit, and they tend to be more uncomfortable than other styles of denim. However, it’s possible to adapt them into a 2025 wardrobe. Pair them with cozier or boho-chic pieces and high boots for a true 2010s Fall/Winter inspired look. Skinny jeans might not be the most popular cut of jeans, but with the right styling, even the most controversial jeans can be cute.

At the end of the day, it’s up to you and your personal taste what you wear and admire. Fashion is your own personal outlet of self-expression, and your style is how you present your unique and individual identity to the world. Treat it as an artform in which you create your most authentic self with each outfit. 

Keep an open mind and try styling something more experimental every once in a while — you never know what new styles you might like until you try them on!