22 Red Carpet Looks That Decided Who Our Fashion Icons Would Be From A Young Age

Girls who grew up watching celebrity red carpet events in the late '90s and through the early '00s can agree that the girls gave us a lot to envy.

CBS Television / Via giphy.com

And these are the styles that are coming back! Been gorgeous, been flawless, and been slaying red carpet fashion over decades.

CBS Television / Via giphy.com

Here are some of the outfits we were en-vy-ing on the hottest stars of the day.

1.Elizabeth Hurley absolutely slaayyyyyeedddd in 1994 in this Versace safety-pin dress at the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral. That fresh-faced glam let the dress do ALL the talking!

2.As a couple's outfit, this was hectic. Pamela Anderson in 1999 had the mother of all hats custom made by Ivy Supersonic, pairing it with a white corset top and sheer black bejeweled pants.

3.A well-tailored suit was everything in the late '90s, and Gwyneth Paltrow proved that in a red velvet Tom Ford for Gucci suit at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards. It was such a good look that she wore it again at the Gucci Love Parade in November 2021.

4.On anyone else, Halle Berry's 2002 Oscar dress would look as if they got caught in a curtain. On Halle on her big night, however, it was EVERYTHING.

5.Many attempted the formal crop top–maxi skirt combo, but few did it justice like a late-'90s Salma Hayek.

6.Doing the most while wearing the least was a pop star specialty, but no one did it like Mariah Carey, especially at the 1997 VMAs.

7.You knew that any event featuring TLC was bringing fashion and fun, and the 1999 VMAs were no exception. The black patent leather looks during the FanMail era were unmatched.

8.This event brought out the big guns, as evidenced by Lil' Kim's iconic purple, pasty-centric look.

9.Whether you were team tracksuit or alllll about the little Gucci dress, there was no denying that there was a Spice Girls outfit for you to be completely obsessed with. These looks from the 1997 Billboard Music Awards are a perfect example.

10.No conversation about girl group fashion would be complete without Destiny's Child being mentioned. The ladies always had original fashions that honored their individual styles, but still put in work as they posed together.

11.Every girl dreams of the perfect ball gown, and Gwyneth Paltrow got to wear it to the 1999 Academy Awards. The pink Ralph Lauren dress is one of her most iconic looks ever.

12.Jennifer Lopez didn't need crazy hair or glam because THEEEE Versace dress did all the talking.

13.If anyone gave that perfect ball gown a run for its money, it's Penélope Cruz in Dior haute couture at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. This one was major for all the goth fashion queens, tbh.

14.Jennifer Aniston looked like she got ready in 20 minutes flat in all the best ways. This effortless combination of a diamond necklace, pulled-back hair, and a gorgeous, simple Prada dress was killer.

15.Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen have been working the red carpet for as long as they've been walking. Their looks always complemented each other but still showed off their personal sense of style.

16.Pink has killed red carpet fashion for decades, and she brings the same confidence to a T-shirt that she does to a high-fashion dress.

17.Beyonce?'s breakout at the 2004 Grammys as a solo artist gave us fashion inspiration for years, and this gold gown that perfectly matched the FIVE awards she brought home that night was E V E R Y T H I N G.

18.Gwen Stefani could rock the most offbeat outfits, but she also had a sweet spot with retro pinup looks. This vintage Vivienne Westwood polka-dot dress she wore to the 2003 Grammys was perfection.

19.Blake Lively was the queen of a fresh-faced, sunshiny look in her early days of fame. She wore yellow like no one's business, and it was just the beginning of her fantastic fashion reign.

20.Christina Aguilera was the master of making prom dresses look cool, as illustrated by this 1999 look. The bare midriff was Totally Mature, but this look was still innocent and playful, too.

21.Mya has never been afraid of fierce fashion, and she was one of the best to work the asymmetrical hem–tall boot combination, despite her petite stature, as this 2001 pose demonstrates.

22.Nicole Kidman looked statuesque and flawless — like a big, perfect gift bow — in 2007 in this breathtaking Balenciaga gown.

Whose red carpet fashion could you not get enough of? Comment below!