The annual Primetime Emmy Awards brought television’s biggest stars together in Los Angeles on September 14, 2026, delivering an evening of major wins, emotional speeches, and plenty of red-carpet glamour.
But for some celebrities, the fashion spectacle was far from over when the ceremony ended.
Held at the Peacock Theater, the ceremony celebrated television’s biggest achievements, with stars stepping out in carefully planned looks designed to make an impression on the vibrant blue carpet.
But once the cameras moved away from the official event, a different kind of fashion unfolded at the night’s most exclusive afterparties.
As celebrities traded their Emmy gowns and tuxedos for party-ready ensembles, some opted for sheer fabrics, daring cuts, dramatic silhouettes, and even an actual Emmy trophy look, as the vibe shifted dramatically from curated artistry to bold self-expression.
Unsurprisingly, the dramatic outfit changes didn’t go unnoticed, with social media quickly lighting up with reactions ranging from amused to outright savage.
One user wrote, “I don’t understand all the n**edness. Leaves no mystery at all… Ugh.”
Another added, “Granny diaper moment… You forgot your pants btw,” while a third commenter complained that the stars had “virtually no taste or originality even with stylists!”
From barely-there ensembles to completely unexpected outfit swaps, here are the most questionable looks from the 2026 Emmy afterparties that had everyone talking.
#1 Joy Sunday
Joy Sunday earned her first-ever Emmy nomination for her role as Detective Jodie Plumb in HBO Max’s DTF St. Louis.
Although she did not take home the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, the series received 13 nominations overall, making it a major night for the rising actress.
She has also become widely known for playing Bianca Barclay in Netflix’s Wednesday, which helped establish her as a rising star.
Sunday attended both the main ceremony and the HBO Max Post-Emmy Reception at San Vicente Bungalows.
For the afterparty, the actress wore a daring sheer silver gown from Casablanca, styled by Darryl Glover.
She layered the metallic ensemble over black lingerie and paired it with crystal-embellished Christian Louboutin sandals, giving her a much sultrier afterparty aesthetic.
Joy also gained widespread attention earlier in the evening when a clip of her meeting Lady Gaga for the first time on the main event’s carpet went viral.
Her visibly excited reaction to encountering the superstar quickly resonated with fans online, turning the candid moment into one of the night’s most talked-about clips.
Image source: Christopher Polk/Deadline via Getty Images
#2 Chase Infiniti
Chase Infiniti had plenty to celebrate at the 2026 Emmy Awards after earning her first-ever nomination for her breakout performance as Agnes MacKenzie in Hulu’s The Testaments.
Although she did not take home the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, the nomination marked another major milestone in her rapidly rising career.
As she headed to the Netflix After-Party at Chateau Marmont, Infiniti changed into a black silk dress with semi-sheer lace detailing that leaned into the popular lingerie-inspired “nightie” trend.
Chase’s after-party transformation quickly caught attention as she mingled with fellow celebrities throughout the evening.
She was spotted enjoying the packed poolside celebrations and sharing a fun moment with Zendaya and Tom Holland.
Moreover, following her breakout performances in The Testaments and One Battle After Another, fans have increasingly compared Chase with established fashion and film stars, with some even calling her “the next Zendaya.”
However, her lingerie-inspired look didn’t land well with viewers, many of whom expressed boredom with the trend.
One person wrote, “So many of these outfits look like lingerie and uncomfortable loungewear.”
Others expressed, “I remember when ladies never appeared in public in their nightgowns.”
“It looks like it’s too small, and it is puckering. I think it’s a little tight in my opinion.”
Image source: Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Netflix
#3 Kaia Gerber
Kaia Gerber attended The Walt Disney Company’s 78th Emmy Awards afterparty at Vibiana in Los Angeles, alongside her The Shards co-star Igby Rigney.
The model and actress skipped the main Emmy blue carpet, making her first appearance of the night at the post-ceremony celebration.
Gerber, who is the daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber, is set to star in Ryan Murphy’s upcoming series The Shards.
Since the show had not yet entered the Emmy eligibility cycle, she was not nominated for an award that night.
For the afterparty, Kaia wore an all-white Alaïa ensemble styled by her longtime stylist Danielle Goldberg.
The look featured a sculptural top and low-rise midi skirt leaving much of her midriff exposed.
She completed the outfit with black heels and an elegant chignon, creating a sharp contrast between the all-white ensemble and her dark footwear.
Fans were not impressed with the bold ensemble, with one user asking, “Seriously?! Underwear! What happened to class??”
Another commented, “Why? She was probably freezing all night for no reason.”
A third person wrote, “An outfit for going to the beach, not an afterparty!”
Others questioned the styling, with one commenter asking, “Where is the rest of her outfit? I wonder…”
Another joked, “She couldn’t afford the whole dress!!!! Had to skip the top. How very sad…”
Gerber has also been the subject of wider public discussion recently.
In a September 2026 Vogue cover story with her The Shards co-star, Homer Gere, the internet quickly picked up on the unusual connection between the two stars.
Homer is the son of Richard Gere, who was famously married to Kaia’s mother in the early 1990s.
Critics pointed to the cover as another example of Hollywood nepotism, though Gerber openly addressed the elephant in the room, saying she and Homer quickly bonded over their similarly unusual upbringings.
Kaia also spoke candidly about her past struggles with extreme eating habits and the pressure of being constantly compared with her supermodel mother.
She said that public negativity surrounding her appearance can worsen her mental health struggles.
Image source: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images
#4 Kaley Cuoco
Although she was not personally nominated, Kaley Cuoco attended the ceremony to support her fiancé, Tom Pelphrey, and cheered him on as he took home Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in Task.
The emotional win quickly became one of the night’s sweetest moments, with Pelphrey dedicating part of his acceptance speech to the pregnant actress and their unborn baby girl.
He called Cuoco his “favorite actor in the room” and his “crown jewel,” leaving her visibly emotional.
Cuoco also made a statement in a custom baby-pink maternity gown by Christian Siriano, styled by Brad Goreski.
Designed to flatter her growing baby bump while keeping her comfortable during her second trimester, the romantic look was completed with Anita Ko diamonds and soft, tousled hair.
Rather than changing into a separate afterparty outfit, Kaley kept the same glamorous gown for the HBO Max Primetime Emmy Awards Afterparty, where she continued celebrating her man’s big win with him.
While the maternity look received plenty of attention, some viewers were less convinced by the styling and focused more on the star’s facial expressions and appearance in photographs.
“I was watching her pose, and I’m not sure why she was making these faces lol. She’s so pretty. I just don’t get what she did with her lips!” one skeptical user wrote.
Another asked, “Why is she making these faces??? Or is this her actual smile? I’m confused.”
“I like her but she was making these weird facial poses. This could have been a lovely pic, but that facial expression is odd,” a third commenter said.
Some viewers went further, with one speculating about cosmetic procedures: “She used to be beautiful! What do these filers do to a face! Such a pity!”
Image source: Christopher Polk/Deadline via Getty Images
#5 Fiona Dourif
Fiona Dourif had plenty to celebrate after earning her first-ever nomination for her performance as Dr. Cassie McKay in The Pitt.
Although she lost Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series to Allison Janney, Dourif still ended the night with a major win as The Pitt took home Outstanding Drama Series.
The medical drama led all shows with 25 nominations, making the night particularly significant for Fiona and her co-stars.
She attended the celebrations with her boyfriend, Dr. Sam Kozloff, and the couple made a rare public appearance together, revealing during a red-carpet interview that they originally met at a silent meditation retreat.
For the star-studded HBO Max Post-Emmy Reception, she brought a darker edge to her afterparty look, wearing a voluminous black gown by Thomas Hanisch.
The actress later joked about ditching her “excruciating heels” for comfortable dancing shoes as she continued celebrating The Pitt’s victory.
Beyond her Emmy success, Dourif has recently embraced another part of her Hollywood background.
The daughter of Child’s Play star Brad Dourif, Fiona has openly described herself as proud to be a horror “nepo baby” and has spoken warmly about working alongside her father on the Chucky television series.
Image source: Araya Doheny/Getty Images
#6 Shailene Woodley
Shailene Woodley had plenty to celebrate at the afterparty after winning her first-ever Emmy for her performance in Paradise.
She took home Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series at the Creative Arts Emmys, marking the only Emmy win for Paradise out of its seven nominations this year.
Woodley later attended The Walt Disney Company’s Emmy Awards Celebration to mark the achievement and support the series.
For the main event, Shailene made a bold statement in a colorful Balenciaga Fall 2026 Haute Couture look styled by Karla Welch.
However, she took a much more casual approach for the afterparty, making one particularly unexpected change.
Rather than changing completely, the actress kept the same gold-encrusted Balenciaga trousers and statement jewelry from her Emmy look but swapped the plunging periwinkle top for a graphic T-shirt featuring musician Laurie Anderson‘s 1986 film Home of the Brave.
The unexpected combination quickly became a talking point, with some viewers wondering why she had chosen such a casual piece for an awards afterparty.
One user said, “This looks like when I’m cleaning my room and find a bunch of random shirt that I put on as I go.”
Another commented, “Unfortunately, I do not see the vision, and she definitely didn’t understand the assignment.”
“I wonder what will be next. Jog pants for red carpet events?” a third person joked.
One comment read, “I seriously don’t wonder who got the worst dressed after looking at this awful!”
Another netizen called it “the worst outfit I have ever seen on a celebrity.”
Others expressed, “Why would someone intentionally dress badly where millions of people are going to see them? I just can’t understand it. Whatever happened to put your best foot forward?”
The intense fashion debate came after Shailene found herself in the headlines over comments made by her ex-fiancé, NFL star Aaron Rodgers, about their brief 2021 engagement.
Rodgers claimed that just days after proposing, Woodley requested to “go f**k another man” before they wed, alleging that she stopped wearing her ring shortly after.
Sources close to the actress reportedly reacted with alarm, questioning why a married man would publicly bring up a years-old ex.
Woodley, however, chose not to engage with the claims, instead laughing off a reporter’s question about the allegations as she arrived at a pre-Emmys fundraiser previously.
Image source: Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
#7 Jeff Hiller
Jeff Hiller attended the Apple TV Emmy Awards Celebration at NYA Studios West alongside his Widow’s Bay co-stars Matthew Rhys, Stephen Root, and Kate O’Flynn.
Hiller was also an official Emmy nominee this year, earning recognition for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Larry in Pluribus.
Although he ultimately lost the award to Ernest Harden Jr. for The Pitt, Widow’s Bay enjoyed a major night of wins.
For the afterparty, Jeff wore the same Bode suit he wore on the main red carpet, embracing the eclectic style that has become part of his fashion persona.
The embroidered jacket, playful detailing, thick-rimmed glasses, and bow tie gave the look a distinctly quirky feel.
But Hiller’s outfit was hardly the most memorable part of his night.
The actor eventually made his way into the DJ booth, where he helped hype up the crowd and keep the dance floor moving.
He also became part of a separate Emmy-night discussion after viewers complained that the ceremony’s opening musical number, hosted by Mariska Hargitay, gave Jeff and Jennifer Coolidge little opportunity to show off their comedic talents.
Viewers heavily critiqued the production for ‘wasting’ Hiller’s immense comedic talent on a brief, flat bit.
Image source: Eric Charbonneau/Apple TV via Getty Images
#8 Louisa Jacobson
Louisa Jacobson is an American actress best known for playing Marian Brook in the hit period drama The Gilded Age.
The youngest daughter of Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep and sculptor Don Gummer, she trained at Yale School of Drama.
Before landing her breakout television role, she built her career in theater, appearing in productions including Native Son and Romeo and Juliet.
She later made her feature-film debut in Materialists alongside Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans.
Louisa attended the award show to support The Gilded Age, which scored eight nominations at this year’s ceremony, including Outstanding Drama Series.
Although Jacobson was not personally nominated and did not take home an individual award, she still had plenty to celebrate with the period drama.
She made her appearance at the star-studded HBO Max afterparty, where she opted for a bold menswear-inspired look.
The actress wore a royal purple velvet suit, leaving the jacket unbuttoned and adding red accessories for a striking contrast.
Image source: Christopher Polk/Deadline via Getty Images
#9 Kate O’Flynn
The Widow’s Bay breakout star Kate O’Flynn won her first-ever Emmy on her first nomination, taking home the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
The victory marked a major career milestone for O’Flynn, who has spent more than two decades building a respected career on the British stage.
For the main ceremony, Kate wore a textured black-and-peach evening gown from Elie Saab’s Fall/Winter 2026-27 collection, styled by Julia Brenard.
Unlike many of the evening’s stars, she did not bother changing for the afterparties.
Instead, she took the same glamorous gown straight into the celebrations, where her brand-new Emmy trophy became the most important accessory of the night.
Kate was spotted dancing and celebrating with her trophy in hand alongside Widow’s Bay co-star Matthew Rhys and series creator Katie Dippold.
Rhys even joined in on the fun, playfully using the pair’s trophies as antennae during the festivities.
During a Live From E! red-carpet interview, O’Flynn gave a hilariously passionate shoutout to the late Tina Turner as her dream dinner guest.
Her quirky, high-energy response quickly went viral on TikTok, with users loving her charmingly unfiltered “Lancashire lass” personality.
Image source: Eric Charbonneau/Apple TV via Getty Images
#10 Megan Stalter
Megan Stalter arrived at the ceremony as a first-time nominee, earning recognition for her performance in the fifth and final season of Hacks.
She was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series but ultimately lost the award to Kate O’Flynn for Widows Bay.
Rather than simply wearing a glamorous awards-show gown, Stalter transformed herself into a life-size Emmy trophy.
Working with her longtime stylist Kat Typaldos, she covered her skin and hair in metallic gold paint and completed the look with a tiny gold top, matching shorts, gold heels, and enormous sculpted wings.
She even carried a giant golden sphere with orbiting elements above her head to mimic the iconic Television Academy statuette.
Unlike many celebrities who changed into a more relaxed outfit for the afterparties, Megan stayed completely in character, taking the elaborate look to the late-night celebrations.
One person joked, “This is ridiculous! I laughed at this one, because it’s designed for people to laugh at it.”
Another commenter wrote, “Hideous but got people talking about her so I guess that was the goal.”
Image source: David Jon/Getty Images
#11 Carrie Coon
Carrie Coon earned her fourth career Emmy nomination for her performance as Bertha Russell in The Gilded Age.
She was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, although the award ultimately went to Rhea Seehorn for Pluribus.
Coon attended the ceremony alongside her husband, actor and playwright Tracy Letts, before heading to the HBO Max Primetime Emmy Awards Afterparty.
For the afterparty, Carrie hit the red carpet in a floor-length white dress with a distinctive crinkled texture, adding colorful beaded drop earrings and a shiny silver clutch.
The look, curated by her longtime creative collaborator and celebrity stylist Alicia Lombardini, featured a deep plunging neckline that left her midriff completely bare.
Coon was also photographed in a hilariously expressive, high-energy moment standing between her husband and legendary actor Christopher McDonald.
Following the ceremony, she took to Instagram to share a personal photo dump captioned, “Some snaps from #Emmy night. Old friends, new friends…” which also featured the viral behind-the-scenes image.
Image source: David Jon/Getty Images
#12 Kristen Bell
Kristen Bell had a very different plan for the night after the ceremony wrapped up.
While other stars headed to exclusive afterparties and changed into second looks, the Nobody Wants This actress skipped the festivities altogether and went straight to bed.
Bell attended the ceremony alongside her husband, Dax Shepard, representing the Netflix comedy series Nobody Wants This, which was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Although she did not receive an individual acting nomination or win an Emmy, she attended as an executive producer on the series.
Before calling it a night, Kristen walked the blue carpet in a romantic white slip dress from Alberta Ferretti’s Resort 2027 collection, styled by her longtime stylist Nicole Chavez.
Bell later revealed her actual post-Emmy outfit on Instagram Stories: a cozy pair of pajamas.
Rather than making another red-carpet appearance, she reportedly planned to be in bed by 9 p.m.
The bedtime theme was particularly amusing given that Kristen recently revealed that her daughters, Lincoln, 12, and Delta, 10, are among her toughest fashion critics.
She said the girls had recently roasted her for wearing an open-back red slip dress to a premiere, telling their mother it was “too bold” for a mom.
Image source: kristenanniebell
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