These Photos Of Olivia Wilde’s Wardrobe Malfunction Are Extremely Relatable

I hardly ever wear long dresses, but when I do, I usually get tangled — and now I can say that Olivia Wilde and I have something in common. On Saturday, Sept. 17, as part of the Don’t Worry Darling press tour, Wilde walked the San Sebastian International Film Festival red carpet in a beautiful Valentino Couture gown. The fit of the gown combined with its length created a few wardrobe malfunctions during which Wilde’s legs and feet appeared to be caught in or on its long, shimmering train. While an assistant quickly stepped in to sort the sequined situation, the actor did endure a few awkward pauses while trying to keep herself from stumbling. Luckily, Wilde stayed on her feet. (Were she and I to switch places, I probably wouldn’t be able to say the same thing, but the Don’t Worry Darling director handled the situation like a true pro.) It was candid, endearing, and incredibly relatable.

Wilde’s wardrobe malfunction or, as I like to call it, a rare authentic “stars, they’re just like us” moment, in the midst of a whole lot of drama, was a win for Wilde. Before you shake your head, hear me out. Given that Wilde was attending the film festival to promote her movie Don’t Worry Darling, which has spent the past few weeks mired in behind-the-scenes drama, this not-that-serious wardrobe malfunction arrived at exactly the right time.

While no one has escaped the Don’t Worry Darling gossip entirely unscathed — Florence Pugh has been accused of giving Wilde the cold shoulder, Chris Pine is believed by some to be entirely checked out, and half the internet is convinced Harry Styles spit on Pine — Wilde has been on the receiving end of some of the worst online vitriol. Despite having nothing but positive things to say about Pugh in the press, Wilde was seen speaking unfavorably of the Midsommar star to Shia LaBeouf (in a video LaBeouf himself waited over a year to leak). Unnamed sources have repeatedly gone to outlets like Page Six to accuse her of being unprofessional on the set.

Wilde also can’t escape the rumors that she was unfaithful to longtime love Jason Sudeikis with none other than DWD’s leading man, Styles. The One Direction alum has a particularly devoted fanbase that cares deeply about his personal life, which usually puts Stylers at odds with whomever he’s dating, so you can guess how the commentary surrounding her usually goes on Twitter and TikTok. The promotion for her second directorial effort has been a wild ride for Wilde, no pun intended. I mean, at one point on the San Sebastian red carpet, she even lost a (very fabulous) shoe.

It seems likely that a lot of the reaction Wilde has received lately is due to the misogyny that exists online and the double standards people have when it comes to women in Hollywood who hold powerful positions. Sure, Wilde is an older woman dating a younger man who happens to be starring in a movie she’s directing, but come on. Wilde might not be perfect, but how many male directors date younger women who appear in their movies? I mean, folks just started talking about Leo’s 25-and-under dating rule with genuine skepticism.

All this is to say that Wilde has experienced more than her fair share of being dehumanized on the internet. Hopefully seeing Wilde get a bit tangled up in couture will help remind anyone quick to vilify her that she’s just a woman trying to live her life, promote her movie, and walk a red carpet without taking a tumble.