Today we continue with my 50 of the Most ICONIC Red Carpet Looks EVER list. I did my research. The looks in this list are all based on looks that stars wore on red carpets all over the world. Now while some might think of Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Katherine Hepburn, Rita Hayworth, and Twiggy when they think of iconic fashion moments. That is true, but you won’t find any of them on these lists. If you’re ready to ask me why I have an answer. Mostly their iconic fashion moments all were created for them by the costume designers contracted by the studios they worked for. I wanted to include only the looks that weren’t planned in conjunction with the studio for their impact. They might have been pulled together by high paid stylist, but not in a way that a studio would craft a look for their star based on the image they wanted them to have. Now this look is only ranked from the oldest to the newest and not based on how iconic I think that the look is. So let’s get into it.41) Sonam Kapoor in Ralph & Russo Couture at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival: The Cannes Film Festival is a place where cultures come to be celebrated and collide. So it makes sense that we often see stars wearing looks that pay homage to their heritage. Sonam Kapoor has long been one of the biggest fashionista’s to come out of India and usually pays homage to Indian culture in one or another on the red carpets in Cannes when she attends. In 2016 she brought the drama giving us east meets west glam with this white custom Ralph & Russo Couture asymmetrical caped gown. She commanded the red carpet wearing this gown which finds its Indian inspiration in the hand done embroidery. She always owns Cannes but making sure she delivered the requisite Cannes “Go Big or Go Home” drama while still paying homage to her roots definitely made this look ICONIC to me. 42) Michelle Obama in Atelier at the 2016 Italian White House State Dinner: Over the course of her time in the White House Michelle Obama delivered plenty of major fashion moments. Most of her eight years was spent championing emerging and established American designers, but 2016 she threw some major couture into the mix with looks from Gucci, Givenchy, & Atelier Versace. In 2016 I was working as a campaign organizer on Hillary Clinton’s Presidential Campaign. I will never forget sitting in my campaign office making voter contact calls while on a quick mental health break I was scrolling through Instagram and I saw a grainy video showing Michelle wearing this rose gold custom Atelier Versace draped chainmail gown I let out the loudest gasp and screamed yesssssssssss. I never would have expected this look from Michelle, but it really was her putting on her armor in the midst of a contentious campaign. I think that the subtle hint of going to battle is what made this look instantly iconic to me. 43) Evan Rachel Wood in Altuzarra at the 2017 Golden Globe Awards: In 2017 Evan Rachel Wood made a pledge to wear pants for all her red carpet appearances, and she lived up to that. It was easily her black Marlene Dietrich inspired custom Altuzarra white tie tuxedo that she wore to kick off that initiative that I think is one of the most successful menswear inspired moments ever on the red carpet. Everything about this look screams masculine meets feminine and Evan Rachel Wood definitely really sold it to me. 44) Zendaya in Dolce & Gabbana at the 2017 Met Gala: Zendaya has always been one of my favorite stars to see on the red carpet. As much as it pains me to feature anything Dolce & Gabbana on this website, but I really feel like this hand painted parrot print Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda gown that Zendaya wore for the Rei Kawakubo themed Met Gala was her big princess I have arrived moment. It wasn’t her first Met Gala red carpet but it was her biggest. Everything about this look screamed excellence from head to toe. She showed us that glamour doesn’t have to be defined by plain gowns with embellishments. This is only the third look that features a print that made my list of ICONIC red carpet looks list. 45) Aishwarya Rai in Michael Cinco Couture at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival: Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai has been a fixture on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet for almost two decades. When she showed up for the red carpet at the Palais de Festivals in 2017 wearing this larger than life Michael Cinco Couture ‘Cinderella’ ball gown she took my breath away. The glamour of this look was everything. It commands attention. It deserves that attention. When I think of the Cannes red carpet anymore I think of this gown and it is easy to see why.

Read Part 1 here, Part 2 here, Part 3 here, Part 4 here, Part 5 here, Part 6 here, Part 7 here, and Part 8 here.