Washington, Nov10 : Dame Helen Mirren was taken aback when she was awarded the best-dressed actress at a prestigious award ceremony – because the dress she was wearing cost just 7.45 pounds.

The 62-year-old revealed that she was forced to put on the bargain dress at the eleventh hour when the zip of her expensive designer Grecian gown broke.

"(The zip) wouldn't move up or down. My make-up was melting, my husband was trying... I was so hot and bothered,” Contactmusic quoted her, as saying.

“Eventually I had it cut off me. Instead I found a dress that I got from an outlet store for GBP 7.45.

"It was a wardrobe malfunction but that little red dress made all the best-dressed lists even though the other was more beautiful," she added. (ANI)