A Look Back At ’90s Red Carpet Style
We’re revisiting the looks and the icons from the end of the 20th century.
When you hear the words “red carpet” today, you might think of extravagant dresses, tailored tuxedos, and no shortage of diamond jewellery. However, in the 1990s, the red carpet was a whole different ball game. Punctuated by low-rise jeans, crop tops, chokers, and slip dresses, the ’90s was a time of sartorial experimentation where anything seemed to go. While some celebs showed up to award shows and film premieres outfitted in elaborate satin gowns, others opted for more laid-back looks, like jean jackets and beige pantsuits.
Even though it’s been over 20 years since the turn of the millennium, there’s no doubt that the red carpet dressing of that time still heavily influences fashion today. In honour of that inimitable era, we rounded up some of the most unforgettable red carpet moments of that time. From Elizabeth Hurley’s headline-making Versace dress (you know the one) to Celine Dion’s backwards Dior suit, click ahead to revisit the best of ’90s red carpet style.
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Daryl Hannah
In 1990, Hannah showed up to the Academy Awards wearing a fitted gold gown with an exaggerated mermaid hem, a white fur stole, elbow-length gloves, and a pair of matching glasses.
Madonna
The singer walked the 1991 Academy Awards red carpet dressed in a Bob Mackie-designed ensemble. Mackie custom-made the outfit for the songstress after they collaborated on a Vanity Fair cover.
Daryl Hannah
The award-winning actor turned heads at the 1991 Academy Awards once again when she waltzed in wearing a sky-blue gown paired with a white scarf, blue-toned jewelry, and a pair of silver shades.
Cindy Crawford
Crawford wore a striking black and white outfit, complete with a beret, to the 1992 Emmy Awards.
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Geena Davis
Davis’s red carpet fashion was truly something else in the ’90s. Case in point: the 1992 Academy Awards, where she wore a ruffled white dress that featured an asymmetrical hem.
Drew Barrymore
The tinted sunglasses, the Mickey Mouse bag, the jean jacket with contrast stitching—what’s not to love about Barrymore’s laid back look? This outfit was for the 1993 premiere of the thriller Silver.
Claudia Schiffer
Schiffer looked pretty in pink while at the 1994 Academy Awards. Here, she’s seen posing next to her then-fiancée, the magician David Copperfield.
Tyra Banks
Banks wore a stunning silvery-blue spaghetti strap gown to the 1994 CFDA Awards.
Elizabeth Hurley
Hurley wore a striking black Versace gown punctuated with oversized gold safety pins to the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral. Decades later, the dress remains one of the most talked-about red carpet looks.
Naomi Campbell
Campbell, pictured here walking next to fellow supermodel Christy Turlington, rocked a white crochet mini-dress to attend the New York City red carpet premiere of Wolf.
Liv Tyler
Tyler chose a black dress with see-through sleeves for the 1995 MTV VMAs red carpet.
Kate Moss
Moss looked cool in all-black suiting while posing for the cameras at the 1995 VH1 Fashion and Music Awards.
Nicole Kidman
Kidman wore a sparkly silver dress to the 1995 premiere of Batman Forever.
Drew Barrymore
Barrymore stunned in a silky baby blue minidress with a daisy hair clip at the Batman Forever red carpet. The young actor played Sugar in the Joel Schumacher-directed movie.
Halle Berry
Berry wore a simple yet striking silver-blue gown to the 1995 People’s Choice Awards.
Sharon Stone
Stone wore a gorgeous Vera Wang look (with pockets!) to attend the premiere of her movie Last Dance.
Oprah Winfrey
Winfrey was glowing at the 1995 Academy Awards dressed in a silky coffee-colored getup with a gold clutch and plenty of diamond accessories.
Uma Thurman
Thurman kept it casual at the French Kiss premiere in a beige-coloured suit with black accessories.
Mary J. Blige
Who could forget Blige’s all-leopard print look that she wore at the Grammys?
Kate Winslet
Winslet sported a gorgeous pink Vivienne Westwood gown with a diamond necklace while attending the 1996 Oscars. She was nominated that year for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Sense and Sensibility.
Naomi Campbell
Campbell looked like royalty dressed in an off-white boatneck gown at the 1996 Academy Awards.
Fran Drescher
The sitcom star stunned in a white halter-top gown and floral headpiece at the 1996 Golden Globe Awards.
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Grace Jones
Jones proved it’s all about the details when she walked the red carpet at the Evita premiere in 1996.
Winona Ryder
Ryder wore a strapless black gown in 1996 to attend the Fire and Ice Ball at Warner Brothers Studios in Los Angeles.
Diana Ross
Ross stunned in a satin black and white mermaid gown while walking into the 1997 Grammys.
Reese Witherspoon
Witherspoon arrived at the Nowhere premiere in a spaghetti strap cami, black column skirt, and thick choker.
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
The Smith family went all out for the Los Angeles Men in Black premiere by wearing matching suits and shades.
Rose McGowan
McGowan’s statement-making naked dress from the 1998 VMAs is still talked about today. Maja Hanson designed the barely-there mesh ensemble.
Cher
The singer and actor wore a goddess-like gold gown with matching headpiece for the 1998 Academy Awards.
Kate Hudson
For the 1998 MTV Music Awards, Hudson donned a see-through two-piece set that is still on-trend today.
Cameron Diaz
Diaz looked ethereal when she arrived at the 1998 Oscars in a dress designed by Stella McCartney for Chloé.
Meg Ryan
Ryan and Dennis Quaid looked chic at the 1998 Academy Awards, dressed in black ensembles and tinted shades.
Jennifer Lopez
Lopez was the epitome of Y2K style when she attended the 1998 MTV VMAs wearing a chainmail silver crop top with a floor-length leather skirt.
Salma Hayek
It’s been over 20 years, and we still can’t get over Hayek’s temporary butterfly tattoos she used to accessorize a simple strapless black gown. In a 2020 interview with Vogue, she said, “I didn’t have that much jewellery at the time, so I decided to wear some tattoos, and I thought butterflies would be nice.”
Mariah Carey
For the 1998 Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, Carey decided on a gold crochet mini-dress with matching gold heels.
Chloe Sevigny
Sevigny stepped out in an off-the-shoulder black dress with matching pumps at the 1999 premiere of Boys Don’t Cry.
Julia Roberts
Roberts looked elegant dressed in a strapless black gown at the Runaway Bride premiere in Los Angeles.
Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt
Name a more quintessential ’90s couple—we’ll wait. For the 1999 Primetime Emmy Awards, Pitt wore an all-black outfit, while Aniston opted for a brown beaded gown designed by Randolph Duke.
Kate Hudson
Hudson wore a drape-neck white dress to attend the premiere of 200 Cigarettes. Here, she’s posing with her brother and fellow actor: Oliver Hudson.
Mariah Carey
Carey arrived at the 1999 Oscars wearing a lacy white number with a small train. She released her seventh studio album, Rainbow, several months later.
Lucy Liu
Liu looked like a vision dressed in a black and red silk gown made by costume designer Joseph Porro for the 1999 Emmy Awards.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Parker played one of the most stylish characters on TV—and she’s a fashion icon on her own. Here, she’s seen walking the red carpet for the 1999 Emmy Awards wearing a yellow sequined dress and pointed heels.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Paltrow went all out for the 1999 Oscars by donning a pastel pink spaghetti strap gown from Ralph Lauren with a matching chiffon stole and plenty of Harry Winston diamonds.
Salma Hayek
Here, Hayek’s pictured wearing a fuzzy cropped cardigan with a light silver skirt while attending the premiere of My Life So Far.
Angelina Jolie
Jolie stole the show in a silver sequined Versace dress for the 1999 Golden Globe Awards. She famously jumped in the pool at the Beverly Hilton Hotel while still wearing the designer gown after receiving an award for her role in Gia.
Celine Dion
Dion’s backward suit she wore to the 1999 Academy Awards is still mentioned years later. The ivory set, which John Galliano designed for Dior, was accessorized with diamond-encrusted Ray-Bans and a sculptural hat. Although the outfit wasn’t appreciated much at the time (people thought it wasn’t glamorous enough), it is revered today.
This article originally appeared in Harper’s BAZAAR US.