We’re a little behind on this one because our Christmassing got a little out of hand this year, but don’t you worry, kittens. There was no way we’d let a year pass without offering up some opinions on the red carpet. As always, there’s a reason this isn’t a “best dressed” list and that’s because we think such things are arbitrary and taste-based, so “Favorites” makes much more sense to us. To that end, we picked the looks that we liked or found the most exciting, rather than the most chic or trendy ones. If we have one overriding observation regarding the state of the red carpet in 2025, it’s that it’s TIRED. We never had to work so hard to come up with twenty favorite looks. The effort level seems to have plummeted across the board while the number of promotional events has risen, which tends to support the idea that you can only dress up a star so many times before they declare themselves over it. Fortunately, the following people put in the work. You can click the caption above each entry to see what we wrote at the time.
Tessa Thompson in Schiaparelli at the Gotham Film Awards
Just flawless. This seems to have been the year she discovered that she looks amazing in silver, because she wore it a lot.
Michelle Yeoh in Givenchy at the Wicked: For Good New York Premiere
Insane fun. She’s normally so elegantly restrained that it’s a genuine hoot to see her yanking the spotlight away from her co-stars.
Jamie Campbell Bower at the Stranger Things Season 5 LA Premiere
Because it’s not always about gowns, high-end labels or trends. Sometimes, it’s about a person realizing the exact look that works best for them and executing it flawlessly.
Demi Moore in Gucci at the LACMA Art + Film Gala
You may be shocked to see a sheer gown among our picks, but we’ve always said they’re fine so long as they give us something interesting to look at (besides underwear). This fits that bill nicely and supports one of our favorite red carpet story arcs: the longtime pro who freshens up her look.
Jenna Ortega in Givenchy at the Emmy Awards
What we love about Jenna Ortega’s red carpetry is that she understands how to do theme-dressing in a way that doesn’t feel too gimmicky or costumey, even when she’s literally recreating a costume; in this case, Isabella Rossellini’s deathless look in Death Becomes Her. We think part of the reason it appeals is because she’s paying homage to actors and genres, rather than using fashion in a purely mercenary or promotional way.
Jesse Williams at the Taormina Film Festival
The men were singularly disappointing this year, as most of them defaulted to dressing like a priest or an accountant. It was hard to find chic, elegant takes on menswear, even harder to find unique or interesting ones. This might be our favorite men’s suit of the year.
Bella Ramsey in Alexander McQueen at the Season 2 premiere of The Last of Us in London
As with Jamie Campbell Bower’s Goth Sex God style, sometimes it’s about a person finding the exact right look for them. Bella has consistently played around with gender tropes in their style, never committing to either a masculine or a feminine vibe, and usually just splitting the difference. That doesn’t always result in the most interesting of looks, but we love how they managed to make this Nana’s Upholstery jacket look chic and appropriate for them.
Anna Sawaii in Armani Prive at the SAG Awards
Does this really need further explanation? Pure stunning.
Brian Tyree Henry in Orange Culture at the Met Gala
On a night when so many paid gorgeous tribute to Black dandies, his was one of the few attempts to pay homage to the master, Andre Leon Talley. This is sumptuous and regal, but also kind of hot.
Janet Jackson in Stéphane Rolland at the British Museum Ball
Goddess moment. As gorgeous as the dress design is, it’s the hair that pulls the whole look together.
More to come in Part TWO (promise)!
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Red Carpet Rundown: STRANGER THINGS New York Season 5 Final Celebration
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Ali Larter and Demi Moore at the LANDMAN Season 2 FYC Event in Los Angeles
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Red Carpet Rundown: The Critics Choice Association’s 2025 Celebration of Black Cinema & Television Awards
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