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Cher reveals why she wore her controversial 1986 Oscars look

Cher, 73, has revealed her motivation behind wearing one of her most controversial outfits: her 1986 Oscars look.

The singer wore a midriff-baring bralette paired with a low-rise skirt featuring side slits, thigh high boots and a towering feathered headdress.

The look was designed by her longtime designer and friend Bob Mackie.

“This was one of my favourite outfits,” she explained in a video produced for US Vogue, which discusses her 22 most stand-out fashion looks.

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Cher pictured at the 1986 Oscars with Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner Don Ameche. [Photo: Getty]
Cher pictured at the 1986 Oscars with Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner Don Ameche. [Photo: Getty]
Cher pictured at the 1986 Oscars. [Photo: Getty]
Cher pictured at the 1986 Oscars. [Photo: Getty]

“I came to Bob with an idea. I said I want to have a mohawk, [but] that is not actually Indian. I want it to be so over-the-top that it’s next week. The beautiful shawl was cashmere. I loved the whole thing.”

Explaining the rationale behind the look, Cher said it was intended as a defiant nod to the organisers of the Oscars, the Academy Awards committee.

“I had the idea mostly because the Academy didn’t really like me,” she said.

“They hated the way I dressed and I had young boyfriends so they thought I wasn’t serious. So I came out and said, ‘as you can see I got my handbook on how to dress like a serious actress.’”

Cher with her Best Actress Oscar in 1987. [Photo: Getty]
Cher with her Best Actress Oscar in 1987. [Photo: Getty]
Cher, fashion designer Bob Mackie and Cher's friend Paulette Betts attend The Met Gala in 1974. [Photo: Getty]
Cher, fashion designer Bob Mackie and Cher's friend Paulette Betts attend The Met Gala in 1974. [Photo: Getty]

But this outfit didn’t stop Cher winning the Best Actress Academy Award one year later for her role in ‘Moonstruck’ – an honour she collected wearing a similarly revealing sheer beaded gown.

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Cher also spoke about the “naked dress” Mackie created for her 1974 Met Gala.

“If you look at it, it looks like it’s stuck to me, and that’s because it is,” she said in the video.

“When I put it on, Bob sprayed it and it just sticks to your skin so it looks like your skin is beaded. I think people were a little taken aback.”