There’s a famous saying that beauty is pain, and no one knows that better than female celebrities at red carpet events who are willing to do anything to pull off an outfit—including disrupting their breathing pattern. Although these outfits are absolutely gorgeous, they also look pretty constricting.

1. Kim Kardashian at the 2019 Met Gala

Kim has worn plenty of expensive outfits over the years, including a $500,000 custom Givenchy wedding gown and a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe, which required her to go on a crash diet to fit into; however, one of her most iconic looks was at the 2019 Met Gala, where she wore a custom latex Thierry Mugler outfit complete with water droplet effects, a ruched bottom, and a painfully small waistline. She revealed that she had to undergo corset-breathing lessons and wouldn’t be able to use the bathroom while wearing the dress.

2. Heidi Klum at the 2026 Grammys

Former supermodel and “Project Runway” host, Heidi Klum, isn’t afraid of rocking an outrageous look, and she’s known for her shocking Halloween getups. For the 2026 Grammys, she wore a custom nude-colored dress by designer Marina Hoermanseder that made her look like a human mannequin, sharing on Instagram that the outfit was “a leather mold handcrafted of my body and then lacquered to match my skin.” Footage of her taking stiff baby steps made it clear that she found it impossible to walk, breathe, or extend her arms fully.

3. Kendall Jenner at the 2022 Met Gala

At this Met Gala, she wore a dramatic Prada outfit to fit the theme of “In America: An Anthology of Fashion.” It consisted of a black mesh, semi-sheer top with a ruffled skirt, and on her way to the event (as seen on “The Kardashians”), Kendall said she had a panic attack due to how tight and heavy the skirt was, saying, “My skirt was so big and so heavy, there was so much stuff under it that I was literally out of breath.”

4. Elle Fanning at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival

This underrated actor and style icon is known for wearing long, feminine goals, so she didn’t surprise many when she wore a pretty-in-pink Prada gown with tiny, delicate flowers and a strapless bodice. However, it wasn’t that fun to wear, according to Elle, who told W Magazine that she fainted at the event as the dress constricted her rib cage. She said, “My dress was too tight. “My sister [Dakota Fanning] was sitting at another table, and she saw my chair just completely fall back. … It was the talk of the festival.”