Another year is drawing to a close, and 2025 brought us a lot to love in the red carpet department.
From a second “Wicked” press tour to Rihanna’s third pregnancy, there was no shortage of standout style moments over the past 12 months — and we took on the daunting task of selecting the 25 best from across awards season, film festivals and premieres aplenty.
Keep scrolling to revisit the year’s most memorable looks from stars like Teyana Taylor, Zendaya, Sabrina Carpenter, Sydney Sweeney and more.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement may have been the biggest pop culture news story of the year, and at February’s Grammys, the pop megastar’s look was practically a love letter to her “guy on the Chiefs.”
In addition to choosing a sparkling Vivienne Westwood corset dress and Casadei stilettos in the Kansas City NFL team’s signature color, Swift sported over 60 carats of Lorraine Schwartz rubies — including a custom leg chain adorned with a “T” charm, which she co-designed with the jeweler.
Fans instantly connected the accessory to a sultry lyric from her song “Guilty as Sin?”: “What if he’s written ‘mine’ on my upper thigh only in my mind?”
Jenna Ortega
The “Wednesday” star is a true red carpet risk-taker, and the barely-there, bejeweled top she wore to the Emmys in September might be one of her all-time best looks.
It’s from Sarah Burton’s first collection for Givenchy, and weighed between 20 to 30 pounds, according to her stylist, Enrique Melendez. Isabella Rossellini’s ageless “Death Becomes Her” character would be proud.
Ariana Grande
Thanks to the “Wicked: For Good” press tour, Grande was a popular presence on red carpets this year. While it’s tough to pick just one standout look from her Glinda-inspired wardrobe, the strapless Schiaparelli Haute Couture bustier gown she wore to March’s Oscars was an ethereal dream — and the next best thing to floating down the carpet in a gleaming bubble.
De Beers jewelry completed the fairytale-worthy fashion moment.
Cynthia Erivo
The Elphaba to Grande’s Glinda looked incredible in silver woven Givenchy at the SAG Awards in February. Plucked from the house’s Alexander McQueen-designed fall 1997 couture collection and finished with playful fringe at the collar and cuffs, it’s a fashion masterpiece, and Erivo’s one of the few stars with the charisma to carry it off.
Rihanna
Everyone’s favorite Bad Gal welcomed baby No. 3 this year, a daughter named Rocki. And Rihanna announced she was expecting in the most on-brand way possible: on the Met Gala step-and-repeat in May, clad in a custom menswear-inspired Marc Jacobs look.
Leave it to Rih to nail the night’s “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” theme while five months pregnant.
A$AP Rocky
Not to be outdone, Rihanna’s longtime partner — who served as one of the Met Gala’s celebrity co-chairs this year — celebrated his Harlem roots in a custom look from his own AWGE label. The parka was inspired by the Marmot jackets popular in Rocky’s upper Manhattan neighborhood, and the rapper accessorized with Christian Louboutin shoes, Ray-Ban shades and Bvlgari jewelry.
The real pièce de résistance, however? Rocky’s custom diamond-studded Briony Raymond umbrella shaped like a firearm, a sly nod to his gun trial victory several months prior.
Sydney Sweeney
Nobody knows how to make headlines like the “Housemaid” actress, and while talk of her great jeans was practically inescapable this year, we were more impressed by her red carpet looks — particularly her Miu Miu moment at the Met Gala.
Sweeney’s set to play Kim Novak in Colman Domingo’s directorial debut “Scandalous!”, about the Hollywood icon’s relationship with Sammy Davis Jr., and her black beaded gown was fittingly inspired by one of Novak’s looks from the 1967 film “The Legend of Lylah Clare.” It fit the star’s famous curves like a dream, proving once again that Sweeney and Miu Miu are a match made in fashion heaven.
Colman Domingo
As for Domingo — who might just be the best-dressed man in Tinseltown — he hit a high note at the Emmys in a custom blue checked jacket embellished with crystal fringe and paired with a polka-dot shirt and mahogany trousers, all from Valentino.
Never one to skip an opportunity to accessorize, he finished the look with Boucheron jewels and an Omega watch.
Lisa
From K-pop idol to TV star! The Blackpink beauty checked into “The White Lotus” this year, which meant joining the cast of the HBO hit for a fashion-packed promo tour.
And at the Emmys, she took our breath away in this cotton candy dream of a dress by Lever Couture. Styled with glittering Christian Louboutin pumps and pink sapphire pieces from Bvlgari’s Serpenti collection — a fitting choice, considering the role snakes played in Season 3 of the show — it made for a mesmerizing red carpet moment.
Teyana Taylor
When she wasn’t stealing scenes in “One Battle After Another” and “All’s Fair” this year, Taylor was killing it on the red carpet.
She wore at least a dozen notable looks over the past 12 months that could’ve made this list, but our personal favorite had to be this impeccably tailored Tamara Ralph Couture getup in crocodile-embossed leather from the London premiere of “All’s Fair.”
Sabrina Carpenter
Busy woman, indeed: 2025 saw this pint-sized pop queen tour two new albums, win a pair of Grammys and seriously level up her style game. We adored Carpenter’s powder blue, feather-trimmed JW Anderson gown she wore on music’s biggest night, but her Valentino look from September’s VMAs wowed us even more.
Comprised of a long-sleeved gown in sheer, sparkling red lace dress topped with a showgirl-worthy lavender feather boa and finished with a sprinkling of Tiffany & Co. jewels, this getup was as glamorous as it gets.
Selena Gomez
Engaged life looks good on Gomez, who channeled Cinderella at January’s Golden Globes in this pretty off-the-shoulder Prada gown crafted from crystal blue satin and paired with matching pumps and Tiffany & Co. diamonds. Fit for a princess!
Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner
That’s one way to put breakup rumors to rest. Chalamet and Jenner were in perfect style sync at the LA premiere of “Marty Supreme” in December, posing together on the step-and-repeat in matching orange leather Chrome Hearts looks that nodded to the color of the film’s ping-pong paraphernalia.
Chalamet paired his pantsuit and tangerine Timberland boots with a paddle bag stitched with the fashion brand’s logo, while Jenner coordinated by accessorizing her cutout dress with a cluster of silver cross pendants.
Zendaya
It is ever a best-dressed list without Zendaya? This year, the “Euphoria” actress look was gorgeous at the Globes in a saffron silk Louis Vuitton look with a voluminous train, matching heels and a jaw-dropping Bvlgari necklace set with a giant paraiba tourmaline.
Zoë Kravitz
The “Caught Stealing” star rarely puts a foot wrong on the red carpet, regardless of how many fashion risks she takes. Case in point? She somehow managed to make a butt cutout look incredibly chic at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in March.
Kravitz’s cheeky Saint Laurent look included strategically placed sheer panels dotted with delicate crystals and dates back to the house’s spring 1996 couture collection. Jessica McCormack jewels finished things off.
Hailey Bieber
Speaking of derrières on display, the Rhode founder let her Gucci thong play peekaboo at November’s GQ Men of the Year bash. The branded G-string was inspired by one from Tom Ford’s iconic spring 1997 collection for the luxury label, which has since become a collector’s item and popped up on the rumps of stylish A-listers like Kim Kardashian, Solange, Lori Harvey and more.
Demi Moore
Thanks to her critically acclaimed performance in “The Substance,” Moore was a red carpet mainstay during awards season this year. And while she topped countless best-dressed lists in looks from Armani Privé, Schiaparelli, Thom Browne and more, we’re partial to this spectacular custom McQueen gown covered with colorful crystal and sequin embroidery from February’s BAFTA Awards.
Dakota Johnson
Fringe for the win! Johnson dazzled at the Cannes Film Festival in May in this fantastic pink Gucci gown that looked even better in motion. Boucheron pendant earrings continued the swingy, sparkly theme.
Zoe Saldaña
The “Emilia Pérez” actress won her first Oscar this year, and given Saint Laurent co-produced the film, it’s no surprise its star wore the label almost exclusively during awards season.
Our favorite moment was unquestionably the chocolate sequined gown and matching silk taffeta cape Saldaña chose for the Golden Globes, which she teamed with a honeycomb-inspired Cartier necklace dripping with yellow diamonds.
Elle Fanning
The “Sentimental Value” star’s fondness for dreamy pastels and princess dresses have made her a red carpet favorite in recent years. Fanning knocked it out of the park yet again at the LACMA Art+Film Gala in November, clad in an ice blue lace Gucci gown styled with a fabulous, feathery matching cape and delicate Cartier diamonds.
Emma Stone
It’s hard to name a star who wasn’t at the filming of the “Saturday Night Live” 50th anniversary special in February, but it’s easy to pick the best-dressed A-lister in attendance.
In a nod to “SNL” boss Lorne Michaels’ infamous penchant for popcorn, Stone stuffed the structured pockets of her scarlet Louis Vuitton dress with the salty, crunchy snack. Coordinating lipstick and sandals were the perfect finishing touches to this playful look.
Jodie Turner-Smith
Mother(board) is mothering! Turner-Smith’s “Tron: Ares” promo tour was packed with stellar looks, but her Schiaparelli Haute Couture “robot dress” from the flick’s Paris photo call rose above the rest.
Embroidered with Swarovski crystals and computer chips — along with compact disc fragments, a digital camera, a calculator and even a cell phone — it was the ultimate in method dressing. A clear acrylic choker and transparent PVC pumps by Gianvito Rossi were the perfect cutting-edge complements.
Greta Lee
On the opposite end of the style spectrum, Turner-Smith’s “Tron: Ares” co-star was simply stunning in this ultraviolet Colleen Allen keyhole gown at the New York Film Festival in September. Wisely styled with minimal makeup and long, loose hair, it was an exercise in the visual power of soft, romantic minimalism.
Chappell Roan
“Your favorite artist’s favorite artist” attended her first-ever Grammys — where she took home the best new artist trophy — wearing a Degas-inspired vintage Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture dress that embodied her fantastical fashion sense. Her makeup was a work of art to match, and Roan finished things off with quirky John Fluevog footwear and jewelry from Anabela Chan and Djula.
Addison Rae
While the TikToker-turned-Grammy nominee might be best known for her Y2K-inspired street style looks, our jaws dropped when we saw her in this marvelous silver Atelier Versace gown at the Academy Museum Gala in October.
Hand-embroidered with delicate beadwork and finished with the house’s signature inverted heart-shaped neckline, it fit the Louisiana-born pop star like a glove.
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