100 Best Dresses of the Decade

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.

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Kate Hudson in Versace

SGranitz/WireImage

WHERE

75th Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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

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Anne Hathaway in Armani Prive

Mario Anzuoni/Landov

WHERE

81st Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Charlize Theron in Vera Wang

Rob Beccaris/WireImage

WHERE

72nd Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Eva Mendes in Dior

Steve Granitz/WireImage

WHERE

68th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Penelope Cruz in Atelier Versace

Steve Granitz/WireImage

WHERE

81st Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Gwen Stefani in Valentino

Paul Smith/Featureflash/Retna

WHERE

61st Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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.”

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Jessica Alba in Dolce & Gabbana

Evan Agostini/Getty Images

WHERE

58th International Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France
WHY 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."

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Kate Winslet in Atelier YSL

Steve Granitz/WireImage

WHERE

81st Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles
WHY WE LOVE IT "This dress shows the sexiness of a real woman who makes no apologies for her curves."

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Sarah Jessica Parker in Chanel

Fernando Allende/CelebrityPhoto

WHERE

55th Annual Emmy Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Drew Barrymore in Alberta Ferretti

Dave Allocca/Startraks Photo

WHERE

Grey Gardens

premiere in New York City
WHY 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."

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Joy Bryant in Donna Karan

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

WHERE

The Skeleton Key

premiere in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Reese Witherspoon in Nina Ricci

Frazer Harrison/Getty

WHERE

65th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Jennifer Lopez in Versace

Fitzroy Barrett/Globe Photos

WHERE

42nd Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Cate Blanchett in Prada

Dave Hogan/Getty Images

WHERE

BAFTA Awards in London
WHY WE LOVE IT "Prada took a classic flash of glamour and added the little lingerie moments against a quiet T-strap shoe."

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SJP in Richard Tyler

Jim Smeal/WireImage

WHERE

57th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles
WHY WE LOVE IT "It was layer upon layer of beaded tulle and was this wonderful blush color that perfectly matched her skin tone."

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Uma Thurman in Jean Paul Gaultier

Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

WHERE

53rd Annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France
WHY 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."

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Halle Berry in Valentino

Jeffrey Mayer/Wireimage

WHERE

57th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Charlize Theron in Narciso Rodriguez

Steve Granitz/WireImage

WHERE

El Captain Theatre in Los Angeles
WHY WE LOVE IT "She looked like a glamorous savage. The torn beading and asymmetrical hem gave it an element of sophisticated grunge."

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Penelope Cruz in Ralph Lauren

KMazur/WireImage

WHERE

72nd Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Demi Moore in Donna Karan

Evan Agostini/ImageDirect/Getty Images

WHERE

Costume Institute Gala in New York City
WHY WE LOVE IT "There’s almost a deconstructed extravagance or luxury in this dress. The one shoulder gives it a goddess quality."

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Kate Beckinsale in Givenchy

Jon Furniss/WireImage

WHERE

Pearl Harbor

premiere in London
WHY 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."

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Michael Michele in Hermes

SGranitz/WireImage

WHERE

Ali

premiere in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Julianna Margulies in Oscar De La Renta

Fitzroy Barrett/Globe Photos

WHERE

56th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Nicole Kidman in Jean Paul Gaultier

Dave Hogan/Getty Images

WHERE

Moulin Rouge

premiere in London
WHY 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."

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Jennifer Lopez in Alexander McQueen

Theo Wargo/WireImage

WHERE

MTV Video Music Awards in New York City
WHY 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."

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Jennifer Connelly in Vivienne Westwood

Dave Hogan/Getty Images

WHERE

BAFTA Awards in London
WHY 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."

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Heather Locklear in Michael Kors

Gilbert Flores/Celebrity Photo

WHERE

59th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Oprah Winfrey in Bradley Bayou

Gilbert Flores/Celebrity Photo

WHERE

54th Annual Emmy Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Halle Berry in Collette Dinnigan

SGranitz/WireImage

WHERE

Die Another Day

premiere in Los Angeles
WHY 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!"

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Kate Beckinsale in Gucci

SGranitz/WireImage

WHERE

8th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles
WHY WE LOVE IT "It was this weird mix of virginal and sensual. When she moved it was like it became a fabulous night gown."

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Kate Hudson in Valentino

KMazur/WireImage

WHERE

60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles
WHY 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."

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Gwen Stefani in Vivienne Westwood

KMazur/WireImage

WHERE

45th Annual Grammy Awards in New York City
WHY 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 City
WHY 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 Angeles
WHY 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."

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Victoria Beckham in Dolce & Gabbana

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

WHERE

MTV Movie Awards in Los Angeles
WHY WE LOVE IT "This entire dress is a corset from top to bottom. It’s like the greatest undergarment you’ve ever seen."

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100 Best Dresses of the Decade

1 of 100

Kate Hudson in Versace

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Anne Hathaway in Armani Prive

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Charlize Theron in Vera Wang

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Eva Mendes in Dior

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Penelope Cruz in Atelier Versace

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Gwen Stefani in Valentino

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Jessica Alba in Dolce & Gabbana

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Kate Winslet in Atelier YSL

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Sarah Jessica Parker in Chanel

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Drew Barrymore in Alberta Ferretti

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Joy Bryant in Donna Karan

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Reese Witherspoon in Nina Ricci

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Jennifer Lopez in Versace

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Cate Blanchett in Prada

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SJP in Richard Tyler

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Uma Thurman in Jean Paul Gaultier

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Halle Berry in Valentino

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Charlize Theron in Narciso Rodriguez

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Penelope Cruz in Ralph Lauren

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Demi Moore in Donna Karan

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Kate Beckinsale in Givenchy

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Michael Michele in Hermes

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Julianna Margulies in Oscar De La Renta

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Nicole Kidman in Jean Paul Gaultier

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Jennifer Lopez in Alexander McQueen

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Jennifer Connelly in Vivienne Westwood