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Here’s Why So Many Female Celebrities Went Barefoot on the Red Carpet at Cannes

The seemingly minor act actually has years of cultural significance.

Ananya Panchal

Jennifer Lawrence, Kristen Stewart and Julia Roberts.

Jennifer Lawrence, Kristen Stewart and Julia Roberts.

In 2016, actress Julia Roberts famously walked the red carpet barefoot at the Cannes Film Festival in support of women who were turned away the year before for wearing flats. Ever since, some female celebrities have followed suit and kicked off their fancy shoes before walking the red carpet to protest the festival’s outdated dress code.

“People get very upset if you don’t wear heels or whatever … I feel like you can’t ask people that anymore—it’s a given,” Kristen Stewart said in 2018. “If you’re not asking guys to wear heels and a dress, you cannot ask me either.”

At this year’s festival, held May 16 through May 27, Jennifer Lawrence walked the carpet before the screening of Bread and Roses in a marvelous red Dior gown and lifted it up to reveal thick black flip-flops underneath.

Vogue wrote an article about the act, and tons of people have taken to social media to support the barefoot actresses in their acts of solidarity for women who have faced sexism or unfair treatment in the industry.

“Its weird how they can do that for women while men are always in flats. If this is not sexism I dont know what it is,” someone commented.

“I f------ love this so much 👏,” another applauded.

“If actors who identify as male or non-binary do not have to wear high heels then actors who identify as female should not have to wear high heels,” one person added.

“What a great protest tradition,” one fan agreed.

“What if someone has back issues or weak ankles? Forcing them to torture their feet for fashion seems like punishment,” someone else chimed. “Flats should be allowed.”

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit, where she covers fashion, beauty, pop culture and the internet’s favorite personalities and trends. She joined the brand in 2022 after roles at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. Panchal loves to write about fashion in all its forms—from standout runway moments and evolving street style to the best accessories to elevate each season’s wardrobe (she rarely goes anywhere without a stack of jewelry and a coffee in hand). A self-proclaimed beauty fanatic, she’s always on the hunt for must-have products and loves breaking down viral trends. Her favorite series at the moment is spotlighting female founders and the stories behind the brands they’ve built—especially those shaping the future of fashion, wellness and tech. She is based between New York City and San Francisco and, when she’s not writing, can be found rewatching One Tree Hill, playing sudoku, trying new restaurants or ranking her favorite Disney Channel Original Movies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism with a minor in criminal justice from Boston University.

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