The Best Celebrity Style Evolutions of All Time
You'll be amazed by these glow-ups.
Is there anything more fun than when a celebrity, whom we've known and loved in one style, debuts a totally new look? Whether it's a starlet who's transitioning from child actor to adult professional (like Zendaya and Jennifer Lawrence, amongst many others on this list) or a star who's ushering in a new era of their career—such as when the Olsens and Victoria Beckham became fashion designers—there's something wonderful about watching celebrities change up their style. Whether you're looking for outfit inspiration or you're trying to transform your own look, each of these celebs will show you just how it's done. Here, the best celebrity style evolutions of all time.
Blake Lively
Blake Lively has famously not used a stylist, citing good relationships with designers and an assistant who helps her source pieces, to help her get dressed. With that in mind, her evolution from teen star (complete with ripped, low-rise jeans) to mom and grown-up actor is an impressive one.
Ciara
Like many stars who came to prominence in the '00s, Ciara's original style was...of its time, let's say. But she came into her own and developed an ultra-glam wardrobe over time, including head-to-toe leopard and tons of great jewelry, as well as chic silhouettes.
Nicole Richie
Nicole Richie's early days of celebrity were squarely in the Y2K era (she wore a lot of low-rise pants and UGGs with pal Paris Hilton). But she evolved pretty drastically around the time she started her own fashion line, first going boho-chic and then leaning in on sophisticated chic in an amazing way.
Anne Hathaway
Technically, Anne Hathaway's early success began in the late '90s—the era of the "casual red carpet," as we see here. Hathaway's had decades of success in the limelight and her modern-day evolution is giving us "stylish adult and mom who's still got a touch of youthful lightness."
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga burst onto the scene with a unique, visionary style that was as button-pushing as it was avant-garde. As she's developed an interest in acting, she's leaned into a more classic, Hollywood vibe—though she still injects some of her trademark Gaga style (like her Bowie-esque red hair, for example).
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman's full embrace of her red hair in the '90s was really pleasant—she even rocked her natural curls on occasion. Over her impressive career, she's gone from "young, casual professional person" all the way to "red carpet pro with full glam."
Gemma Chan
You may only know Gemma Chan from her success in U.S. films like The Eternals and Crazy Rich Asians, but she's actually been acting since the late '00s. As such, her early style was simple and safe—but as time went on, she became impressively more daring and fashion-forward.
Angela Bassett
Iconic actor Angela Bassett has always had good style, making smart sartorial choices on the red carpet since the '90s. But she has dared to play with color, fun hairstyles, and bigger gowns, and just generally seems like she's having a lot more fun at events.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift experts could probably catalog in impressive detail how many style evolutions she's had over her multitude of "eras." You can very much see her progression as an artist through her clothing choices, from young country starlet to groundbreaking, international phenomenon.
Demi Moore
Demi Moore had classic '80s style in the bag, so to speak, with her Brat Pack era fashion. She's had many phases of her career, but her ultimate transition—to Hollywood pro who can rock a red carpet gown—has been lovely to see and feels extremely earned.
Emma Stone
It's not necessarily that Emma Stone has changed all that much about her look. Even in the early '00s at the start of her career, she was making the most of trends at the time. But now she favors a look that is essentially trend-less and fully classic.
Dua Lipa
You may not realize it, but Dua Lipa has been working on her show biz career for more than a decade (first as a model and then as a singer). She originally had great "British teen" style, but then transformed into an edgy, glam, extremely sparkly red carpet aesthetic.
Selena Gomez
Lots of us have known Selena Gomez since her Disney Channel days. When she first graced us with her presence on the red carpet, her outfits were appropriately youthful and fun; as she got older, she took sartorial risks but also elevated her choices in a major way.
Miley Cyrus
If you're looking for a star who totally revamped their style, look no further than Miley Cyrus. The erstwhile Hannah Montana with appropriate teen style became much, much more daring—then eventually landed at an awesome middle ground between edgy and classic.
Celine Dion
Many stars have utilized stylist and "image architect" Law Roach, but it was a surprise to see Celine Dion (who was always a reliably classic presence on the red carpet) working with him to become a full-on fashion force. It was a huge delight, to be honest.
Amal Clooney
Amal Clooney is an incredible lawyer, and as such, has always had smart professional style. But, thanks to her marriage to a movie icon (George Clooney), she also has magnificent red carpet style. Her classic looks tend to skew toward Old Hollywood glam.
Adele
From the moment we heard Adele's first songs in the '00s, we knew she was a unique talent. Her look has evolved with her sound (after all, she was an actual teen in that decade), and she only keeps getting more and more fashion-forward as she gets older.
Sophie Turner
Sophie Turner has often remarked about how she grew up on the Game of Thrones set, and it's true: She was 14 when the show started filming, so those early red carpet appearances were as a literal teen. She's since embraced a cool, casual but still extremely modern, style.
Pamela Anderson
When you think of "'90s bombshells," Pamela Anderson is probably high on the list. She's had impressive staying power in Hollywood, and her more modern red carpet fashion has leaned much more into quiet luxury, thanks to some very high-end gowns and even some tailored suits.
Taraji P. Henson
Taraji P. Henson made major fashion waves in 2015 with a starring role in the television series Empire. She'd had a casual red carpet style prior to that (and had been working for many years), but she started channeling Cookie Lyons couture in the '10s.
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez has made the red carpet a major part of her Hollywood career (see also: her 2000 Grammys dress), and as such, she's evolved from simple '90s style to smart and strategic high-fashion looks—including some incredible appearances at fashion weeks.
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie was a '90s movie bad*ss, with Hackers, Gia, andGirl, Interrupted in quick succession (swiftly followed by Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2001)—and her style matched her persona. As she's taken on more elevated roles, she's also evolved her red carpet style into classic, polished looks.
Cardi B
From hosting Love and Hip Hop: New York, to becoming one of the most successful rappers of all time, Cardi B has always had a unique, fun, playful sense of style. But she's also smartly developed relationships with designers and has regularly shown up on the red carpet in the coolest couture ever.
The Olsens
Fans of Full House literally met the Olsens as small kids; Mary-Kate and Ashley then went on to have long, successful on-screen careers as teens. When they retired from acting and founded luxury brand The Row, they really leaned into their fashion sensibilities—it was an impressive transformation.
Victoria Beckham
There are few people who have transformed their style more fully than Victoria Beckham. The former Posh Spice Girl workshopped a number of styles before launching her own eponymous fashion line and giving us gorgeous, simple, streamlined silhouettes.
Meghan Markle
From rising actor to red carpet regular to senior royal to post-royal icon, Meghan Markle has developed an impressively chic wardrobe that has spanned more than two decades at this point. Her minimalist-chic aesthetic remains professional and extremely enviable.
Andie MacDowell
The '80s model and '90s movie star has always had her own sense of style and fashion, including embracing her naturally curly hair and going casual on the red carpet. In more recent years, that's meant going fully gray and continuing to be her most authentic, stylish self.
Beyoncé
It cannot be overstated how iconic it was when '90s-era Destiny's Child members walked the red carpet wearing matching outfits. After she went solo, Beyoncé developed a star-worthy style to match, which has included leaning in on her signature color—gold, obviously.
Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence actually began working in television and movies in the '00s—which meant, naturally, that she had some pretty classic '00s style in her youth. Post-Hunger Games, she's embraced a more adult and classic style that feels appropriate for the grown-up star.
Margot Robbie
Like many Australian actors, Margot Robbie actually began her career in her native country (specifically in 2008 on the soap opera Neighbors). Right around the time she starred in Barbie, Robbie took her already-impressive red carpet style even further with edgier and cooler looks.
Zendaya
Working with Law Roach from teenager-hood, Zendaya has never been afraid to push fashion boundaries. Thus, she went from Disney starlet with age-appropriate style to one of the most fascinating and avant-garde fashionistas of her generation—or any generation, for that matter.
Rihanna
Our first introduction to Rihanna featured some very '00s fashion (which makes sense, since she wasn't even 20 when she hit it big). These days, the CFDA Style Icon Award winner dresses exactly how she pleases, from an enormous duvet dress at the Met Gala to bump-bearing maternity wear. And we love her for it.
