Ariel Winter misses dress code memo at Modern Family screening

Maybe she was hitting the club afterwards? Photo / Getty

This was one of NZH Lifestyle's top stories for 2017

As Ariel Winter heads in to 2018, she'll likely be hoping not to repeat the blunder she endured earlier this year when she clearly didn't get the dress code memo for the casual screening of Modern Family's season eight finale.

The cast all posed on the red carpet at the screening of the season eight finale in California in May, and most of them were dressed in appropriately smart-casual attire, reports news.com.au.

Spot the difference. Photo / Getty

Winter, however, had a different vision for her look.

The 19-year-old (who plays middle child Alex Dunphy on the hit sitcom) wore a beaded taupe mini dress with cut outs galore - chest, shoulders, legs - allowing plenty of flesh to peek through. The whole ensemble was reminiscent of something you might see on the MTV Awards red carpet.

She capped it off with a pair of sky-high spiky gold heels.

Fans and critics were quick to point out the contrast between her glam look and the rest of the casts' casual style. She later took to Instagram to hit back at her critics.

Winter left little to the imagination at the daytime screening. Photo / Getty

"Why TF does anyone care that I didn't dress casual like everyone else for the panel?" she wrote in an Instagram post. "Why do I have to be like everyone else?"

She continued: "Why can't people just let other people feel good about themselves and do what they want? WEAR WHATEVER YOU WANT PEOPLE!

"As long as you feel good about yourself that's what matters. I know I did. Don't ever let anyone stifle who you are and how your express yourself. Rant over."

Winter's latest sexy outfit comes after she appeared to go commando on the red carpet at a children's film premiere in Los Angeles last month.

Winter at the Smurfs premiere. Photo / Getty

The actress' dress showed off her curves and the sheer panelling certainly caught the eye of other people attending the premiere of Smurfs: The Lost Village.

She also shared several snaps to her Instagram account of the risque outfit that she wore to the Coachella music festival in April.