Fashion 100 Best Dresses of the Decade By InStyle Editors InStyle Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter Our editors and writers comprise decades of expertise across the beauty, fashion, lifestyle and wellness spaces in print and digital. We prioritize journalistic integrity, factual accuracy, and also having fun with every story we share. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on March 19, 2018 @ 03:55PM Pin Share Tweet Email Trending Videos From barely-there figure-flaunters to sophisticated sheaths, the last 10 years have been great for gowns. Take a walk down memory lane (via the red carpet!) with InStyle fashion director Hal Rubenstein. RELATED VIDEO: The Most Naked Dresses of All Time 01 of 100 Kate Hudson in Versace SGranitz/WireImage WHERE 75th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It had a level of extravagance that just had you gasping. The combination of her golden skin, golden hair and the yards of gold lace-I was stunned." -Hal Rubenstein, Fashion Director 02 of 100 Anne Hathaway in Armani Prive Mario Anzuoni/Landov WHERE 81st Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "The huge, iridescent paillettes came down at a diagonal and created a great mermaid effect. This dress almost matched her skin tone and was like a burst of light underneath her." 03 of 100 Charlize Theron in Vera Wang Rob Beccaris/WireImage WHERE 72nd Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "Vera understands real, sexy, old-fashioned, 'knock 'em dead' glamour. The color is just great and, of course, the diamonds are perfectly placed. It's Old Hollywood without looking old." 04 of 100 Eva Mendes in Dior Steve Granitz/WireImage WHERE 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This look has one moment of extravagance and shows that proportion is everything. If that wonderful fold at her hip was two inches wider or longer it might have failed-but it was so right. The Van Cleef & Arpels necklace is a spectacular complement." 05 of 100 Penelope Cruz in Atelier Versace Steve Granitz/WireImage WHERE 81st Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "Three things: A refined moment with her hair and makeup, a va-va-va-voom moment where the dress fits so close to her body and a big glamour moment with the intricate train that goes on forever." 06 of 100 Gwen Stefani in Valentino Paul Smith/Featureflash/Retna WHERE 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "Here's the rocker chick wearing the most unlikely dress of the night. It's all about going against the grain and throwing people off." 07 of 100 Jessica Alba in Dolce & Gabbana Evan Agostini/Getty Images WHERE 58th International Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, FranceWHY WE LOVE IT "The movement of the fabric against her great body is sexy and, as sparkly as the dress is, there's something very withholding about it." 08 of 100 Kate Winslet in Atelier YSL Steve Granitz/WireImage WHERE 81st Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This dress shows the sexiness of a real woman who makes no apologies for her curves." 09 of 100 Sarah Jessica Parker in Chanel Fernando Allende/CelebrityPhoto WHERE 55th Annual Emmy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "There's something so happy about this dress. Those fabulous, weightless layers of organza-it's like cotton candy or a pink meringue souffle. They didn't bother with hair and makeup because the dress was such an eye-popper." 10 of 100 Drew Barrymore in Alberta Ferretti Dave Allocca/Startraks Photo WHERE Grey Gardens premiere in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "Drew was channeling a femme fatale with the twenties hair and bee-stung lips. It had that unabashed boudoir feel that Alberta does so well." 11 of 100 Joy Bryant in Donna Karan Gregg DeGuire/WireImage WHERE The Skeleton Key premiere in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "Everything comes dead center to the waist and starbursts out from there. It's about a woman being proud of her curves." 12 of 100 Reese Witherspoon in Nina Ricci Frazer Harrison/Getty WHERE 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This was Reese's first moment out after her split with Ryan Philippe: Strapless, short, yellow, unadorned and showing her body. I love the unexpectedness of it. It was a brilliant strategy and it really worked." 13 of 100 Jennifer Lopez in Versace Fitzroy Barrett/Globe Photos WHERE 42nd Annual Grammy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "Her bravado is unbelievable. It's funny because you want to tear the dress apart, yet when she showed up you couldn't take your eyes off her." 14 of 100 Cate Blanchett in Prada Dave Hogan/Getty Images WHERE BAFTA Awards in LondonWHY WE LOVE IT "Prada took a classic flash of glamour and added the little lingerie moments against a quiet T-strap shoe." 15 of 100 SJP in Richard Tyler Jim Smeal/WireImage WHERE 57th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It was layer upon layer of beaded tulle and was this wonderful blush color that perfectly matched her skin tone." 16 of 100 Uma Thurman in Jean Paul Gaultier Frank Micelotta/Getty Images WHERE 53rd Annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, FranceWHY WE LOVE IT "There's something very calm about the dress in the sense that it's not about the usual Hollywood drama. It's as if you took old scarves and sewed them all together." 17 of 100 Halle Berry in Valentino Jeffrey Mayer/Wireimage WHERE 57th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "The red stones jump out like a shower of little roses accenting the smallness of Halle's waist. They were like two fires burning from the middle and bottom of the dress." 18 of 100 Charlize Theron in Narciso Rodriguez Steve Granitz/WireImage WHERE El Captain Theatre in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "She looked like a glamorous savage. The torn beading and asymmetrical hem gave it an element of sophisticated grunge." 19 of 100 Penelope Cruz in Ralph Lauren KMazur/WireImage WHERE 72nd Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "Ralph's clothes never upstage the woman wearing them. He took his classic shape, pulled it off the shoulder and added an incredibly sheer shawl." 20 of 100 Demi Moore in Donna Karan Evan Agostini/ImageDirect/Getty Images WHERE Costume Institute Gala in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "There's almost a deconstructed extravagance or luxury in this dress. The one shoulder gives it a goddess quality." 21 of 100 Kate Beckinsale in Givenchy Jon Furniss/WireImage WHERE Pearl Harbor premiere in LondonWHY WE LOVE IT "It has this perverse, milkmaid-hits-the-red-carpet quality that I love. Also, the belt was made of this unbelievably thick, saddle-like leather." 22 of 100 Michael Michele in Hermes SGranitz/WireImage WHERE Ali premiere in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "You can imagine someone wearing it on a red carpet or while walking around barefoot at home. I think any woman who bought this dress would wear it forever." 23 of 100 Julianna Margulies in Oscar De La Renta Fitzroy Barrett/Globe Photos WHERE 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This was a true fairy-tale princess gown. It looks as if somebody captured the heavens and wrapped it into a dress." 24 of 100 Nicole Kidman in Jean Paul Gaultier Dave Hogan/Getty Images WHERE Moulin Rouge premiere in LondonWHY WE LOVE IT "I like dresses that cover up everything but one asset. In this case, it's her legs. It's just so smart and brilliantly accessorized." 25 of 100 Jennifer Lopez in Alexander McQueen Theo Wargo/WireImage WHERE MTV Video Music Awards in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "This was very 19th century swashbuckler. The big heavy locket and the curly hair make it a great look from top to bottom." 26 of 100 Jennifer Connelly in Vivienne Westwood Dave Hogan/Getty Images WHERE BAFTA Awards in LondonWHY WE LOVE IT "The dress looks classic but there's a deliberate off-centeredness. This little twist makes the dress far more interesting and idiosyncratic." 27 of 100 Heather Locklear in Michael Kors Gilbert Flores/Celebrity Photo WHERE 59th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "The beige and turquoise highlighted her tan while the diamonds and rhinestones lit up her hair and eyes. There's something cheeky about throwing so much onto something little." 28 of 100 Oprah Winfrey in Bradley Bayou Gilbert Flores/Celebrity Photo WHERE 54th Annual Emmy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "There's something queenly and regal about the dress just as there's something very regal about Oprah. She's like the Czarina of the world." 29 of 100 Halle Berry in Collette Dinnigan SGranitz/WireImage WHERE Die Another Day premiere in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "There's something about the combination of the Peter Pan haircut, the uneven hem and the sheerness of the beading. She looks like a fabulous sprite!" 30 of 100 Kate Beckinsale in Gucci SGranitz/WireImage WHERE 8th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It was this weird mix of virginal and sensual. When she moved it was like it became a fabulous night gown." 31 of 100 Kate Hudson in Valentino KMazur/WireImage WHERE 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This is one of my favorite Valentino dresses ever. It's not what you'd expect on a red carpet because it's so riveting and untamed. The vibrant colors evoked Kate's free spirit." 32 of 100 Gwen Stefani in Vivienne Westwood KMazur/WireImage WHERE 45th Annual Grammy Awards in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "This is just too cool for school. It's very strong and dramatic with the white cape that fit perfectly. She was definitely having a Marilyn moment." 33 of 100 Selma Blair in Behnaz Sarafpour Carmen Valdes/Ron Galella/WireImage WHERE Costume Institute Gala in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "There's something very modern fairy-tale princess about this dress that's simple and reserved. Selma has that natural minimalist reserve about her too." 34 of 100 Renee Zellweger in Carolina Herrera Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage WHERE 55th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "The sheer panel in the front was teasing while the red belt gave it an old-fashioned elegant structure. It's a very interesting juxtaposition." 35 of 100 Victoria Beckham in Dolce & Gabbana Gregg DeGuire/WireImage WHERE MTV Movie Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This entire dress is a corset from top to bottom. It's like the greatest undergarment you've ever seen." 36 of 100 Diane Lane in Oscar De La Renta SGranitz/WireImage WHERE 75th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "I like the idea of the fringes and that wide wrap that comes right across the arms. It's incredibly flattering on a woman." 37 of 100 Kate Hudson in Jean Paul Gaultier Mirek Towski/Filmmagic WHERE How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days premiere in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "Sometimes it's all about the right placement of beading and gathering. This had a very Charleston moment to it—it has that sort of flapper insouciance." 38 of 100 Scarlett Johansson in Calvin Klein eter Kramer/Getty Images WHERE Costume Institute Gala in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "It has the neckline that someone in the court of Versailles would've worn- pushed up just enough to make it irresistible." 39 of 100 Natalie Portman in Stella McCartney Rabbani and Solimene Photography/WireImage WHERE Costume Institute Gala in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "The dress is a whole series of V's and triangles on the neck piece, daecolletage and hem that create a perfect sense of balance." 40 of 100 Julia Roberts in Armani SGranitz/WireImage WHERE 76th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "Julia is more likely to show up on the red carpet in a tuxedo. Seeing her dressed this way was a very Hollywood moment." 41 of 100 Nicole Kidman in Chanel Hahn-Khayat-Nebinger/Abaca WHERE 76th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "There's something completely weightless about this dress. It looks as if it just floated down and landed on her. It's like whipped cream!" 42 of 100 Kelly Rowland in Dolce & Gabbana Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage WHERE 18th Annual Soul Train Music Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "I've always envisioned that at the heart of Dolce & Gabbana there is a hot Sicilian woman. This is the Dolce & Gabbana dress." 43 of 100 Jennifer Lopez in Michael Kors Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo WHERE 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "The crisscross accents her chest and the belt accents her waist. Kors picked a summer-squash orange to play off Jennifer's golden skin tone." 44 of 100 Thandie Newton in Miu Miu Gregg DeGuire/WireImage WHERE The Chronicles Of Riddick premiere in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This dress was about pure proportion. There's a great balance in the way the dress starts wider at the top and then becomes wider at the bottom." 45 of 100 Kristen Davis in Prada Gilbert Flores/Celebrity Photo WHERE 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This almost had the look of a dress turned inside out. It has a boudoir effect that makes it sexy without being revealing." 46 of 100 Sheryl Crow in Narsico Rodriguez KMazur/WireImage WHERE 32nd Annual American Music Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "Narciso is so brilliant at understanding fitting. His dresses take on a transformational sorcery that make every woman's body look their best." 47 of 100 Gwen Stefani in Vivienne Westwood KMazur/WireImage WHERE Billboard Music Awards in Las VegasWHY WE LOVE IT "There is something ramshackle and grungy about it and yet at the same time it's so 'I want to party.'" 48 of 100 Jennifer Garner in Valentino Steve Granitz/WireImage WHERE 76th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This is probably the most glamorous Jennifer has ever been on the carpet. The diagonal going across the bodice is incredibly fitted." 49 of 100 Kate Bosworth in Louis Vuitton SGranitz/WireImage WHERE The Louis Vuitton United Cancer Front Gala in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It was a very unexpected collection for Vuitton. It's a modernizing of the old fashioned sense of femininity." 50 of 100 Bridget Moynahan in Narciso Rodriguez Fernando Allende/Celebrity Photo WHERE I, Robot premiere in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "Narciso is a romantic minimalist. He took a pared down shape and used embroidery to give it great panache. This look is almost urban romantic." 51 of 100 Kelly Ripa in Oscar De La Renta Barry Talesnick/IPOL/GLOBE PHOTOS WHERE American Image Awards in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "This is Oscar at his prettiest. The little drop waist with the big full skirt-it's like a variation on a young girl's party dress." 52 of 100 Ellen Pompeo in Prada, 2004 Dave M. Benett/Getty Images WHERE Prada store opening in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "The fabric had a beautiful movement. You could actually see the intricacies of the hand painting." 53 of 100 Hilary Swank in Guy Laroche SGranitz/WireImage WHERE 77th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This was a really smart move on Hilary's part. There are few things sexier than a dress with a very high front and a low back. It's a deliberate attention-getter." 54 of 100 Kate Hudson in Roberto Cavalli Tim Whitby/WireImage WHERE The Skeleton Key premiere in LondonWHY WE LOVE IT "The slightest sway made the whole dress vibrate with light. It was incredible on the red carpet because it was reflecting and splashing light all over the place." 55 of 100 Gwyneth Paltrow in Stella McCartney Carlo Allegri/Getty Images WHERE 77th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "Between the train and Stella's simple tailoring this dress is incredibly glamorous." 56 of 100 Salma Hayek in Prada Carlo Allegri/Getty Images WHERE 77th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "There's something about this dress that's so siren-like and very Latin. A woman would go out to dance the cha-cha wearing this." 57 of 100 Eve in Louis Vuitton INFGoff WHERE Louis Vuitton Boutique in Paris, FranceWHY WE LOVE IT "This dress just screams innocence with the white eyelet lace plus the peep-toes. It beautifully plays against type." 58 of 100 Kristen Scott Thomas in YSL Badi-Ftw-Sam/Starface/Retna WHERE 58th Annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, FranceWHY WE LOVE IT "She looked like a knockout yet there's a certain level of reserve to the dress. You could wear it in a 19th century costume drama." 59 of 100 Scarlett Johansson in Roland Mouret Jason Merritt/FilmMagic WHERE 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This dress is all about the bodice. It has a very '50s movie star, Lana Turner feel." 60 of 100 Sienna Miller in Dior George Pimentel/WireImage WHERE Venice Film Festival in VeniceWHY WE LOVE IT "This was a perfect example of how a beautifully draped dress should move. I think every woman in the world would look good in this dress." 61 of 100 Hilary Swank in Calvin Klein Carlo Allegri/Getty Images WHERE 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "The square neckline is like a picture frame while the darting and bodice pushes everything up. I love the strong bronze color against her skin." 62 of 100 Halle Berry in DvF Dave Allocca/Startraks WHERE On the USS Kearsager to kick off Fleet Week in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "It looks fresh, simple and happy. I can't imagine a woman putting this dress on and not being in a good mood." 63 of 100 Amy Adams in Carolina Herrera Frazer Harrison/Getty Images WHERE 78th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "To pick chocolate brown for your first red carpet is very unconventional but it has these wonderful ribbons that framed her body beautifully." 64 of 100 Sienna Miller in Burberry Evan Agostini/Getty Images WHERE Costume Institute Gala in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "It looks like a shower of gold coins. It's the personification of retro, cool and English." 65 of 100 Kyra Sedgwick in Bottega Veneta Kevin Mazur/WireImage WHERE 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "On a night where everyone else would be wearing glitter, there's something very reserved and almost contrary about this dress." 66 of 100 Nicole Kidman in Balenciaga Frank Micelotta/Getty Images WHERE 78th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "The incredible ornate beading gives it a romantic feel yet the dress itself is very tightly wound. I love the juxtaposition." 67 of 100 Maria Bello in Donna Karan L. Cohen/WireImage WHERE 5th Annual Awards Season Diamond Fashion Show in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It's such a happy yellow without being gooey. It's a lot more intricate and sophisticated than it looks at first glance." 68 of 100 Anne Hathaway in Marc Jacobs George Pimentel/WireImage WHERE 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It's as if he stole the stars from the sky for this dress. It's a clear, summer night blue and is just completely garnered with stars." 69 of 100 Joy Bryant in Ralph Lauren George Pimentel/WireImage WHERE 31st Annual Toronto International Film FestivalWHY WE LOVE IT "This shows the quiet luxury of a cashmere dress. There's so much hidden it makes you want to know the woman more." 70 of 100 Keira Knightley in Gucci Stuart Atkins/Rex USA WHERE Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest premiere in LondonWHY WE LOVE IT "She looked like a siren from the golden age of Hollywood. The whole thing draped so beautifully." 71 of 100 Sienna Miller in Marchesa Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEImages WHERE Marchesa's Bergdorf Goodman Anniversary Dinner in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "There's something very neat about the dress. The design is so feminine and light-hearted that it looks more innocent than it is." 72 of 100 Natalie Portman in Lanvin rian Ach/WireImage WHERE Lower Manhattan Cultural Council's Annual Spring Benefit in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "It's a perfect choice for a young actress who's transitioning. It's young but still very urban." 73 of 100 Rachel Weisz in Vera Wang Dan MacMedan/WireImage WHERE 79th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This may have been one of the most beautiful necklines I have ever seen. It's strapless but it swoops." 74 of 100 Ellen Pompeo in Versace George Pimentel/WireImage WHERE 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It looks like a dress that you'd wear to a New Year's Eve party on the Starship Enterprise. I love the futurism." 75 of 100 Helen Mirren in Alexander McQueen Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank WHERE The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "You see just enough of her arms, legs and neck. We all know there's aging gracefully-this is aging beautifully." 76 of 100 Sandra Bullock in Alberta Ferretti Jamie McCarthy/WireImage WHERE Costume Institute Gala in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "We don't always think of Sandra as a girlie girl. Alberta's unabashed femininity works for her and softens her in a beautiful way." 77 of 100 Drew Barrymore in Donna Karan Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage WHERE Music and Lyrics premiere in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "There's such a womanly air to this look with the beautiful draping and the complement of that huge stone necklace. The combination of the two gave her an elegance that I'd never seen in her before." 78 of 100 Katie Holmes in Lanvin Frank Micelotta/Getty Images WHERE 13th Annual Critics' Choice Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "I love the grazing yet sculptural quality of the dress and the fact that it's not the standard, bodice-hugging chiffon. It's a modernized Grecian gown." 79 of 100 Cate Blanchett in Armani Prive Steve Granitz/WireImage WHERE 80th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It's tight, dense and drenched in these wonderful gunmetal crystals. It's the intensity of that dark sparkle and the sheer density of the dress that made it so great." 80 of 100 Kate Bosworth in Jil Sander Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic WHERE The 11th Hour premiere in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "Simple clothes are the hardest to pull off. There's a beautiful sort of pristine quality to the dress and I love the way the top of it folds." 81 of 100 Rihanna in Gucci Steve Granitz/WireImage WHERE Nickelodeon's 20th Annual Kids' Choice Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It's young and cute yet it doesn't look childlike. A bold graphic is a hard thing to pull off." 82 of 100 Cameron Diaz in Dior Couture Gilbert Flores/Celebrity WHERE Costume Institute Gala in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "The huge turquoise stone necklace with this rollercoaster tiered dress that tumbles all over the place-she jumped in with both feet and instead of getting wet, she made a big splash." 83 of 100 Penelope Cruz in Chanel Steve Granitz/WireImage WHERE 80th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "She has a wonderful sense of balance. It's a big dramatic gown with a sort of frilliness in the middle." 84 of 100 Marion Cotillard in Jean Paul Gaultier Steve Granitz/WireImage WHERE 80th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This was like Bottecelli's 'The Birth of Venus.' It was a great introduction for Cotillard. No one is going to repeat this dress." 85 of 100 Maggie Gyllenhaal in Dries Van Noten Bryan Bedder/Getty Images WHERE The Dark Knight premiere in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "It's a floral yet there's something dark and mysterious about it. It's not the kind of glamour that jumps out and screams at you." 86 of 100 Natalie Portman in Christian Lacroix Bauer-Griffin WHERE The Other Boleyn Girl premiere in LondonWHY WE LOVE IT "It's a wonderfully sensuous color on her and the embroidery only enhances the 19th century appeal. I love the off-the-shoulder romance about it." 87 of 100 Cate Blanchett in Dries Van Noten Kevork Djansezian/AP WHERE 80th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It was an unbelievable deep, rich, royal purple with extraordinary beading on the bottom and a neckline made out of sterling silver." 88 of 100 Rihanna in Zac Posen Chris Pizzello/AP WHERE 50th Annual Grammy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This is what you call a real party dress. It moves, it flares, it spins-it's just what you'd want to wear dancing all night." 89 of 100 Tilda Swinton in Lanvin Steve Granitz/WireImage WHERE 80th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It's deliberately asymmetrical. It's deliberately unbalanced. The black velvet draped around her ghostlike skin gave the look a haunting, gothic sexiness." 90 of 100 Cate Blanchett in Balenciaga Don Arnold/WireImage WHERE The Curious Case of Benjamin Button premiere in Sydney, AustrailiaWHY WE LOVE IT "It's the uniqueness of the fabric that's so stunning because it's doing sparkle in a completely modern way. The technology of this dress is extraordinary." 91 of 100 Keira Knightley in Rodarte Ian West/Abaca WHERE 65th Annual Golden Globes in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "The innocence of this dress coupled with Keira's hair and makeup made her look incredibly virginal. She looked like a girl going to her first party." 92 of 100 Amy Adams in Proenza Schouler Abaca WHERE 80th Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It's so sculpted and you can see the construction of the dress when it fully fans out. The color plays against the milky quality of Amy's skin." 93 of 100 Linda Evangelista in Lanvin DPA/Landov WHERE Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, FranceWHY WE LOVE IT "It would've been a spectacular gown in the '20s, it's a spectacular gown now and it will be a spectacular gown in 50 years. It's a traffic-stopping dress." 94 of 100 Kyra Sedgwick in L'Wren Scott Mathew Imaging/WireImage WHERE 60th Annual Emmy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "This is a great formfitting dress that doesn't look like she's trying too hard. The beading from the straps across the chest gave it a sexy element without being too revealing." 95 of 100 Keira Knightley in Vera Wang Frank Micelotta/Getty WHERE 81st Annual Academy Awards in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It's intricately draped and gathered then splashes out with just enough train. In this dress, a woman shows up on the red carpet a new-comer and walks away a star." 96 of 100 Freida Pinto in Christian Lacroix Steve Granitz/WireImage WHERE 66th Annual Golden Globes in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "It was a completely unexpected and surprisingly mature choice. You need a really cool sense of self to wear a dress like this and pull it off." 97 of 100 Julianne Moore in Tom Ford Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images WHERE 66th Annual Venice Film Festival in VeniceWHY WE LOVE IT "I love the deep 'V' on the decolletage and then the full V in the skirt. Also, the color is just perfect." 98 of 100 Kate Moss in Marc Jacobs Kevin Mazur/WireImage WHERE Costume Institute Gala in New York CityWHY WE LOVE IT "Marc can be elaborate, romantic, grunge or hard, but when he does minimal I think he excels. You really see the power of his dress-making." 99 of 100 Emma Watson in Burberry Prorsum Landov WHERE London Fashion WeekWHY WE LOVE IT "You don't want to overdress or dress beyond your years on the red carpet. I love that this dress is so kicky and young!" 100 of 100 Camilla Belle in Alexander McQueen WHERE Push premiere in Los AngelesWHY WE LOVE IT "There is an absolute fabulousness about this print. It's this Rorschach pattern that V's in two directions coming exactly into her waist. The print, as extravagant as it is, is incredibly flattering."