Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
On a summer evening in 1994, Princess Diana stepped out for the Serpentine Gallery Party in London, clad in a leggy off-the-shoulder LBD by Christina Stambolian; that very same night, Prince Charles, admitted to having an affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles on national television.
The late royal’s iconic “revenge dress” didn’t just make headlines — it spawned an entire category of celebrity fashion.
In the years since, famous women ranging from “Vanderpump Rules” star Ariana Madix to supermodel Gisele Bündchen have purposefully selected statement-making styles for post-breakup public outings, boldly telegraphing their coolness and confidence in the face of romantic turmoil.
While these dresses can differ dramatically in color, length and silhouette, they all tend to put plenty of skin on display — the better to show an ex what they’re missing, of course.
Below, a look at some of the stars who have turned dressing for revenge into an art form.
Princess Diana
As her estranged husband opened up about his infidelities to an audience of millions, the Princess of Wales let her infamous Christina Stambolian mini do all the talking at the 1994 Serpentine Gallery Party.
“[Diana] chose not to play the scene like Odette, innocent in white,” Stambolian previously told the press, according to Tina Brown’s book “The Diana Chronicles.”
“She was clearly angry. She played it like Odile, in black. She wore bright red nail enamel, which we had never seen her do before. She was saying, ‘Let’s be wicked tonight!’”
The princess’ former stylist Anna Harvey once told Vogue that the style had been sitting in her closet for several years, having been deemed too daring until that very night.
“She wanted to look a million dollars,” Harvey said. “And she did.”
Ariana Madix
After news broke in March 2023 that the “Vanderpump Rules” star’s longtime boyfriend, Tom Sandoval, had engaged in a months-long affair with their close friend Raquel Leviss, Madix swore her look for the Bravo show’s Season 10 reunion would make her ex’s “eyes bleed.”
And she certainly followed through on her promise, selecting a red-hot Mônot outfit comprised of a cropped jacket and matching cutout skirt that showed off her amazing abs — and proved her point about being prettier and cooler than her co-stars.
Gisele Bündchen
Weeks after she and NFL great Tom Brady announced their divorce after 13 years of marriage in 2022, Bündchen looked good as gold at jewelry brand Vivara’s anniversary party in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Dressed in a shimmering metallic gown by local designer Reinaldo Lourenço, the newly single supermodel looked as stunning as ever.
Olivia Wilde
Don’t worry about her, darling. After her split from Harry Styles in 2022, the actress-turned-director dazzled at the People’s Choice Awards in a sheer black lace Dior gown styled with peekaboo briefs, a wide belt and no bra.
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Wilde later poked fun at her risqué look, joking that she only “kind of got dressed” for the big night.
Mariah Carey
The Grammy winner gave us another reason to be “so obsessed” with her at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards, where she arrived wearing a sexy black bra top and matching slit-up-to-there skirt.
At the time, Carey had just announced her separation from husband (and former Sony CEO) Tommy Mottola. In her 2020 memoir, “The Meaning of Mariah Carey,” the superstar wrote that Mottola exercised “crippling control” over her during their relationship, and that their marriage “nearly smothered me to death” before she left.
Call it emancipation by fashion.
Jennifer Lopez
The first time J.Lo and Ben Affleck got engaged in 2002, they never made it down the aisle. And just three days after the stars announced they’d parted ways in 2004, Lopez looked gorgeous and glowing at the Golden Globes in a Grecian-style orange gown by Michael Kors.
Fortunately, Bennifer finally got their happy ending nearly two decades later.
Elizabeth Hurley
Hugh who? After splitting from longtime love Hugh Grant in 2000, the “Bedazzled” beauty stuck it to her cheating ex by slipping into a stunning champagne-colored Valentino gown with a plunging neckline at an event hosted by the famed designer.
We’ll toast to that.
Emily Ratajkowski
One month after filing for divorce from Sebastian Bear-McClard in 2022, the “My Body” author attended W magazine’s 50th anniversary party in a see-through, sparkling fishnet dress by Tory Burch that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.
Styled with little besides visible lingerie, her nearly-naked look sent a clear message to her ex. No “Blurred Lines” here!
Bella Hadid
After Hadid and The Weeknd broke up (for the first of several times) in 2016, the “Blinding Lights” singer began dating Selena Gomez, with the new couple making their red carpet debut at the 2017 Met Gala.
But Hadid might have stolen the spotlight on the same steps, showing up in a sheer, skintight Alexander Wang catsuit with a dangerously low-cut back. Eat your heart out, Abel!
Reese Witherspoon
In her first red carpet appearance since her separation from Ryan Phillippe, the “Legally Blonde” beauty looked like a walking ray of sunshine at the 2007 Golden Globes in this unforgettable yellow Olivier Theyskens for Nina Ricci design.
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Julia Fox
Sure, Fox’s whirlwhind romance with Kanye West didn’t last long — the duo dated for about six weeks in early 2022 — but still, when the “Uncut Gems” muse made her runway debut for LaQuan Smith mere hours after their breakup made headlines, it was impossible to deny she was dressed for revenge.
Slinking down the catwalk in a curve-highlighting, cutout-covered black gown, the actress showed the fashion world she could hold her own as a style star, with or without a famous rapper on her arm.
