The Best Golden Globes Dresses Ever

best golden globes dresses j lo michelle yeoh — (Image credit: Getty Images)

By comparison to bigger award shows (the Oscars) or bigger fashion events (the Met Gala), the Golden Globes can feel like award season's underdog—but some of the most gorgeous (and fun!) dresses of the season can be found there. It's an underrated fashion destination: without fail, you'll catch some of the year's best couture on the red carpet. Not to mention, the Globes red carpet is where to look if you're on the hunt for edgy and daring award season looks, thanks to the stars who don't hold back (hi, Cher!). Ahead, the 32 best Golden Globes gowns of all time.

Anya Taylor-Joy

Anya Taylor-Joy has given us some capital-g Gowns in her time on the red carpet, but this Dior two-piece proved that she could even pull off potentially the most challenging red carpet color ever: yellow! It's so close to her skin tone, but juuust vivid enough. Exceptional.

Viola Davis

Bright yellow might be the trickiest color to pull off, but it was also the perfect standout dress for Viola Davis to win her first Golden Globe ever. Think about it: It matches the award, and with its chic one-shoulder shape and sequin detail, she was visible from a mile away.

Cynthia Erivo

Not only is this a wild color, but the shape is architecturally fascinating. Cynthia Erivo is game to wear the seemingly unwearable, and she absolutely nails it in this Valentino Haute Couture "scuba" dress. Apparently she also wore the highest of heels!

Taylor Swift

When you invite Taylor Swift to a major awards event, two things happen. 1) She shows the heck up, in this case in a sequined green Gucci dress (looking like a snake, one of her major emblems!!). 2) The fans immediately start speculating about the message she's sending—in this case, whether she was about to release Reputation (Taylor’s Version).

Gemma Chan

Whoever dresses Gemma Chan for awards ceremonies has my utmost respect and admiration. This Valentino Couture could look like a pinned navy duvet (also check out the fashion shorts underneath!), but Chan wears the heck out of it.

Ana de Armas

Instead of a safer black, Ana de Armas opted for a deep blue sparkly Ralph Russo gown, with simple but vivid makeup and matching blue jewelry (sapphires courtesy of Tiffany Co., which—the dream!). She looks every inch a star.

Blake Lively

Take Old Hollywood glamour, then add some modern details (pocket flaps, gold chainmail, and a deep v-neck, oh my!). That's Blake Lively's red carpet style in a nutshell, although this might be the most successful execution with Atelier Versace.

Amal Clooney

Long, formal gloves (hopefully in a contrasting color) can really elevate a red carpet look—which Amal Clooney apparently realized before the rest of us. Can you believe that this was her awards season debut? She looks like a pro in Dior Haute Couture!

Danai Gurira

Danai Gurira somehow looks like a cross between a present and a candle, and yes I do mean in the most complimentary way possible. It helps that she is presenting this custom Rodarte with the correct level of dramatic, yet unserious posing.

Claudia Schiffer

This red Valentino makes a lot of "best of" lists, and for good reason. I am a sucker for glamorous Y2K red carpet fashion, and Claudia Schiffer is giving this so much posing that you forget the matching bag and shoes might otherwise skew a little prom-y.

Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney Weaver is iconic no matter what she's wearing, but this one-shoulder dress is particularly representative of her cool-modern style. I don't have an ID on the dress (alas!), but it's simple, perfectly tailored, and edgy in all the right ways.

Janelle Monae

If you're familiar at all with Janelle Monae's style, you'll know 1) she likes to keep things black and white, but graphic as heck, 2) she's got a sense of whimsy, and this polka-dotted Armani Prive gown fits the bill, and 3) she wears everything with exuberance and joy.

Donna Summer

Donna Summer was marrying her persona as a singer to her fashion way before others were. Her love of sequins and sparkles is on full display here (bonus for the matching jewelry and eyeshadow!), and we love a gold purse.

Emma Stone

This two-toned Lanvin look (wine and raspberry colored—a nice combo) is perfect '70s inspo on Emma Stone here, but thanks to the edgy eagle belt and modern makeup, it doesn't feel too costume-y. Tell me your secrets!

Julia Roberts

Not the only time Julia Roberts makes this list, she pairs this Dolce Gabbana black dress with a collared shirt underneath. Frankly, she would have looked amazing without the shirt, but it's an amazing high-low moment (and she must have been comfy!).

Anna Paquin

Anna Paquin is no stranger to awards ceremonies, but this is a level up, even for her: She matches the background perfectly in this gold Stella McCartney dress, which also matches her blonde hair to perfection. Keeping the accessories minimal makes sense—the dress is the star.

Cher

This is Exhibit A of how the Golden Globes can be a place for trendsetters to push the boundaries of fashion. Ever the iconoclast, Cher showed up to this formal event...in a patterned crop top and fur coat (Sonny is in a full suit!). I treasure her.

Lady Gaga

I have a few Lady Gaga outfits to choose from (and this cornflower blue Valentino is as big and bold as it gets), but I happen to love this Marilyn Monroe tribute with my whole soul. It's Atelier Versace, and the padding plus the platinum blonde is Monroe perfection.

Jennifer Aniston

I'm ranking this simple Jennifer Aniston vintage Valentino gown highly because she doesn't always hit us with a daring sartorial moment—this is a deep v-neck for the actor, and I absolutely adore it. Proof positive that black doesn't have to be boring.

Julia Roberts

By now, this is one of those iconic looks that wasn't appreciated at the time (gender neutral or "masculine" fashion wasn't a thing for our leading ladies) but is now reclaimed as one of the greatest of all time. I give you: Julia Roberts in a men's suit!

Courteney Cox

The honeycomb-esque structure on this golden dress is the kind of detail that makes a good dress great. Metallics were big in the '90s, and Courteney Cox goes big by channeling the trend from head to toe (to magnificent effect).

Sienna Miller

Grecian gowns are always a surefire hit on the red carpet, but it can be tough to set yourself apart. Enter style maven Sienna Miller in Marchesa, who looks like her top half is covered in hammered gold (it dips low in the back, too!).

Elizabeth Taylor

Technically this is the night before the Globes, but I had to include Elizabeth Taylor wearing a literal tiara and looking like a queen! She's with her third husband Mike Todd (who gave her the jewels; He would later die tragically a year after they married).

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez looks like this might be an audition for a Terminator movie: Her golden gown looks like it's molten liquid dripping down her body. This was only nine years after she debuted that green low-cut Versace dress, and this one gives it a run for its money.

Jennifer Lopez

It's hard to top this iconic J. Lo dress—one that established her early on as a fashionable presence on the red carpet. This was her Golden Globes debut, and it's unclear who made this dress, but the skin-baring color-blocked gown immediately made it into the list of best dresses from the event.

Ruth Negga

I mean...it looks like she's wearing armor! It's custom Louis Vuitton, and it's got the coolest breastplate and center zipper details. Her stylist told Vogue, "Ruth is gamine and garçon, so it didn't feel random to us.” May we all look this cool!

Julianne Moore

One of the more unforgettable gowns Julianne Moore has ever worn (and she's worn a bunch), the ombre sequins and fringe on this stunning dress were a special touch by Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy. It's custom and it suits her perfectly.

Angelina Jolie

This floor-length jewel-encrusted gown was body-con excellence on a young Angelina Jolie. Fun fact: When Jolie was being interviewed pre-ceremony, she joked that if she won a Globe she would jump in the pool—and she did, and she did!

Lupita Nyong'o

Lupita Nyong'o has given us a whole Pinterest board of red carpet looks, but this characteristically simple red Ralph Lauren was a particular standout. It's both off the shoulder and cape-adjacent, with the train flowing down around her.

Michelle Yeoh

If you're going to the Golden Globes and you're pretty sure you're about to win an award (in this case for Everything Everywhere All at Once), do it like Michelle Yeoh in a tiered midnight blue Armani Privé gown and a bunch of blingy jewelry.

Beyonce

This made it close to the top of our best Bey red carpet looks of all time. It's Elie Saab, and it's in one of Beyoncé's signature colors (gold, obviously). The beauty is in the deceptive simplicity, with the Art Deco-esque pattern on the sequins making the most gorgeous shape.

Marilyn Monroe

Obviously it's impossible to see in this photo, but Marilyn Monroe's dress here is a beautiful emerald green. According to Vogue, it was by underrated designer Norman Norell, and Monroe apparently loved him—wearing him to her wedding to Arthur Miller, too.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.