Fashion The 50 Best-Dressed Women of 2018 Who won fashion in 2018? Meet this year’s most outrageously elegant originals. By Eric Wilson Eric Wilson Eric Wilson is an experienced journalist who was InStyle's first Fashion News Director. He was previously a fashion critic for The New York Times and is currently in Hong Kong where is the editorial director of the Tatler Asia Group. InStyle's editorial guidelines and Jennifer Ferrise Jennifer Ferrise Jennifer Ferrise is a Manhattan-based writer who covers all things celebrity, fashion, beauty, and pop culture. She was previously InStyle's senior features editor. InStyle's editorial guidelines Published on October 3, 2018 @ 12:29PM Pin Share Tweet Email We all know that a timeless sense of style is not just about what you wear, but how you wear it. And this year, Hollywood's most outrageously elegantly originals certainly dressed the part. From Jennifer Lopez and her near constant rotation of shock and awe street style to Zendaya's elegance, we're counting down the 50 stars that turned their #OOTDs into an art form — and stealing their style secrets along the way. "The key to a memorable look? A great fit," says Diane Kruger, who lands on our list for her beautiful, boundary-pushing dresses like the voluminous floral Valentino number that she wore to the German Film Awards. "I'm never unsure about an outfit once I made my final decision. If it's altered to perfection, I always feel strong and beautiful." For Sarah Paulson, who thrilled throughout awards season and the Ocean's 8 red-carpet tour with a range of neon gowns by Marc Jacobs, Prada, and Valentino, it's all about keeping it effortless. "My style mantra is 'non-obvious dressing for the win,'" she says. "When you are trying too hard to make a mark, it doesn't feel as authentic. Style should be dictated by your mood — it's a way of expressing yourself without words." Actress and up-and-coming fashion star Lily Collins puts her fashion strategy simply: "As long as you wear something with confidence, it will always be in style." Well said. Keep scrolling to see our complete list of the 50 best-dressed stars of 2018. For more stories like this, pick up the November issue of InStyle, available on newsstands, on Amazon, and for digital download Oct. 12. 1. Jennifer Lopez Felipe Ramales / SplashNews.com Whether she's redefining couples-style goals with A-Rod or turning heads in yet another jaw-dropping Versace gown, one thing's for sure: Jenny from the block (seen above in Gucci) has never looked better. 2. Cate Blanchett ANGELA WEISS/Getty Images Sophisticated and avant-garde, Blanchett (in Missoni) is right at home in velvet, feathers, sequins, and pretty much anything else she throws on. Let's just say we wouldn't want to follow her on the step and repeat. 3. Zoë Kravitz Swan Gallet/WWD/REX/Shutterstock Daytime pastels, peekaboo cropped tops ... It's hard to predict what fashion's resident cool girl will try next — and that's just how she likes it. "Her style is very connected to her mood," says stylist Andrew Mukamal of the star in Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. 4. Zendaya Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images When it comes to sartorial choices, Zendaya (in Dice Kayek Couture) always goes with her gut. "She loves looks that feel light," says stylist Law Roach. "When she puts something on and we have an aha moment, that's when we know it's a winner." 5. Rihanna SplashNews.com Forget the slinky dresses. Now that RiRi's a power player in the fashion and beauty worlds, she's dressing like a boss. Her daily uniform of oversize jackets and joggers (by Vetements and Off-White C/O Virgil Abloh) is both badass and entirely original. 6. Sarah Paulson Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Of all the boldly colored gowns Paulson wore this year, one shone brighter than the rest for the star. "My neon green Prada (above) was extraordinary," she says. "I felt like an extra-terrestrial in couture." 7. Kristen Stewart Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images Stewart does Coco proud when she leaves the heels at home and brings her rebellious tomboy spirit to Chanel's latest offerings. 8. Charlize Theron PG/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images In Givenchy. 9. Liya Kebede Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images In Sonia Rykiel. 10. Nicole Kidman Mike Coppola/Getty Images In Givenchy. 11. Yara Shahidi Dan MacMedan/Getty Images In Ralph Lauren Collection. 12. Millie Bobby Brown Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images In Calvin Klein By Appointment. 13. Kerry Washington Larry Busacca/Getty Images In Atelier Versace. 14. Margot Robbie Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images In Louis Vuitton. 15. Ruth Negga James Devaney/Getty Images In Michael Kors Collection. 16. Tracee Ellis Ross Courtesy Tracee Ellis Ross In Christopher Kane. 17. Laura Harrier Jared Siskin/Getty Images In Sies Marjan. 18. Jane Fonda VALERIE MACON/Getty Images In Brandon Maxwell. 19. Madeline Brewer Rachel Murray/Getty Images In a Giorgio Armani suit. 20. Constance Wu Amanda Edwards/Getty Images In Ralph & Russo Couture. 21. Lily Collins Marc Piasecki/Getty Images In Miu Miu. 22. Priyanka Chopra Lee/Stewart/Gotham/Getty Images In Dion Lee. 23. Whoopi Goldberg Kevin Mazur/Getty Images In Christian Siriano. 24. Elle Fanning Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Getty Images In Valentino Haute Couture. 25. Judith Light Phillip Faraone/Getty Images In Gucci. 26. Brie Larson brielarson/Instagram In Scotch & Soda. 27. Gemma Chan Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images In Oscar de la Renta. 28. Carolyn Murphy Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images In Gabriela Hearst. 29. Janelle Monáe Kevin Mazur/Getty Images In Nicolas Jebran. 30. Naomi Campbell Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images In Calvin Klein 205W39NYC 31. Michelle Monaghan George Pimentel/Getty Images In Reem Acra. 32. Emily Ratajkowski emrata/Instagram In a white suit. 33. Naomi Watts Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images In Dolce & Gabbana. 34. Naomie Harris David M. Benett/Getty Images In Roksanda. 35. Reese Witherspoon BG004/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images In Draper James. 36. Ciara Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images In Tom Ford. 37. Lupita Nyong'o Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images In Atelier Versace. 38. Emma Stone Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images In Louis Vuitton. 39. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley Mike Coppola/Getty Images In Christopher Kane. 40. Thandie Newton Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images In Osman. 41. Tessa Thompson Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images In Dior. 42. Christy Turlington Burns Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images In H&M Conscious Exclusive. 43. Diane Kruger Franziska Krug/Getty Images In Valentino. 44. Christine Baranski Neil Mockford/Getty Images In Gabriela Hearst. 45. Emma Watson Chris Allerton/REX/Shutterstock In Ralph Lauren Collection. 46. Danai Gurira Karwai Tang/Getty Images In Jean-Louis Sabaji. 47. Gwyneth Paltrow Greg Doherty/Getty Images In Retrofete. 48. Gabrielle Union Sean Zanni/Getty Images In Prada. 49. Nicki Minaj Gotham/Getty Images In Balmain. 50. Greta Gerwig Steven Ferdman/Getty Images In Gucci.