Jennifer Garner Outfits That Completely Missed The Mark

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Jennifer Garner has that relatable girl-next-door look that made her a Hollywood darling, and her wardrobe totally reflects that. She's known to wear mainly solid colors on the red carpet while keeping her off-duty look easy with jeans and sweatshirts. When asked how she dresses for black tie events, Garner told internet personality Harry Jowsey in 2023, "I keep it pretty simple for the most part. So long as I just feel like myself, I really don't mind."

Garner, who rose to fame in the early 2000s as Sydney Bristow in "Alias," hasn't changed her style much over the years. Although she plays it safe, her 'fits are never boring, and the cobalt blue Atelier Versace gown she wore to the 2018 Academy Awards was one of her best looks yet. Unfortunately, not all of her ensemble choices have worked, and Garner has had some wardrobe fails that will go down in fashion history.

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When Jennifer Garner got dressed for the premiere of "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day," she most likely didn't think she'd have one of the most awkward red-carpet wardrobe malfunctions ever. Sadly, that's what happened when she unknowingly shifted the hem of her pleated black dress and revealed her nude-colored shapewear underneath, according to USA Today. Garner didn't appear to notice the fashion faux pas as she laughed with her co-star Steve Carell, but she must have been mortified when she learned of it later.

Aside from the brief showing of her briefs, Garner's look was uneventful, with her plain black Valentino dress with a crew neckline and short sleeves. She accessorized with a pair of black strappy peep-toe pumps and a clutch in — you guessed it — black. As one of the main stars of the movie, she could have chosen a livelier look, but perhaps she was just channeling her Mom character.

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The Baby2Baby Gala is one of the most star-studded charity events of the year, and celebrities come decked out in all their upscale finery. In 2024, Jennifer Garner kept her look predictably simple in a black floor-length frock that featured an oddly shaped paneling on the bodice. The dress was sleeveless, but the winged shape at the shoulders gave the illusion of capped sleeves. What's more, the top part ended right at her hips, making the whole 'fit look like a two-piece disaster. It's unclear who the designer was, but sorry — it was not their best creation.

Garner usually opts for more form-fitting pieces that show off her toned arms, but perhaps she was just experimenting with a new silhouette. "I have grown to love nice clothes and looking nice. I've been exposed to such a level of fashion and design that I have no right to wear, and I have to say, I've grown to reeeeaalllly like them. When it comes to the red carpet, I'm all in," she told Allure in 2014.

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Jennifer Garner's go-to color is often red, and she looked like a knockout in a flirty crimson dress with a ruffled hem at the Los Angeles premiere of "Family Switch" on November 29, 2023. Her choice of footwear was a pair of black sandals, but halfway through posing for photos, the mom of three ditched them for a pair of white sneakers with red and green accents. While the kicks did go with the Christmas theme of the family-friendly film, they looked out of place with Garner's fancy duds. We don't blame her for wanting to change into comfier shoes, but perhaps she could have waited until after the red carpet.

It turned out that the sneakers were limited edition Brooks just released for the holidays, and fans of Garner know that those are one of her favorite brands. She's often seen out and about running errands in them and even relying on them to train for "Deadpool & Wolverine" as Elektra. In fact, Garner loves Brooks so much that she teamed up with the company in August 2024 to gift educators with brand-new sneakers, as shared on TikTok. It's clear she has a special relationship with the brand, so we get why she wore the sneakers to the "Family Switch" premiere, but a more casual 'fit would have paired with them better.

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After Jennifer Garner split with Ben Affleck in 2015, she showed up to the 2016 Academy Awards in a gorgeous revenge dress. The "Yes Day" star stunned in a shiny black one-shouldered Versace gown with a sweetheart neckline and a trailing skirt that had gathered in the front. On her feet were platform sandals, which showed off her red-painted toenails. Despite her impending divorce from Affleck, Garner looked happy as she walked the red carpet solo, but she later revealed that her dress was causing her literal physical pain.

In an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" a few weeks after the Oscars, Garner revealed that the dress was made just for her and that she was put into a metal corset in order to get into it. "There were two Italian people who were talking very quickly, and the next thing you know, my ribs were compressed," she described. When asked if the corset was like a Spanx, she answered, "It's not like Scarlett O'Hara. There's metal inside it, and these people just kind of move your ribs, and they move your liver to the side, and they pop you in." At some point during the ceremony, Garner was so uncomfortable that she wanted to stand up but was afraid of being disruptive. Thankfully, she was able to wait until a commercial break and was able to get some relief in the ladies' room with the help of her friend. We're betting that dress will go in the vault forever.

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Once in a while, Jennifer Garner changes up her style and takes fashion risks, but it doesn't always land. In 2003, she walked the red carpet for the premiere of "Daredevil" in a long, lacy slip dress that looked more like a bedtime outfit than evening wear. The blush color didn't help the frock look less like a nightgown, and the thick lace hem looked like it came out of the Victorian era. Perhaps Garner is not into method dressing, but as Elektra, she would have been more in character with a racy red leather number. However, the "Ghost of Girlfriends Past" star opted to go the softer route with her Roberto Cavalli gown, which was definitely one of her riskier choices.

In an interview shared by Hollywood.com, Garner said of her character, "She is driven by vengeance and she's a very dark woman, but the great thing about this movie is it starts with her falling in love. I got to play the tenderness and the blissfulness of falling in love, and also her vengeful darker side." It seems she related more to Elektra's soft side if her premiere look is any indication.