The 20 Best Golden Globes Dresses of all Time
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Movies, music and Peak TV are well and good, but our favorite part of awards season is ogling the stunning dresses. So, we patiently wait for the 81th annual Golden Globe Awards—hosting duties are still up in the air, but the show is definitely airing on Sunday, January 7. This ceremony, the kick-off to awards season, is nicknamed "the party of the year" and has a Hollywood reputation as being the place where stars relax and hobnob, thanks to the more casual dinner theatre vibe in which stars cluster at tables overflowing with food and drink. And what a crowd this year: 2024 noms have major star power, including three songs from Barbie, Taylor Swift nominated in the cinematic and box office achievement categories, and Selena Gomez all in the mix. Plus, the Hollywood Reporter said that not only has the voting pool of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association evolved, but the show has new producers helming 72 live cameras to give CBS audiences an unprecedented look at the goings-on. And again...there will be 'FITS. With all that up ahead, let's indulge in a quick recap of the 20 best Golden Globes dresses of all time.
1. Marilyn Monroe, 1962
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The blonde bombshell collected the “Henrietta” award at the 1962 Globes wearing a sequined Norman Norell gown that’d be just as stylish now as it was then.
2. Audrey Hepburn, 1990
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The effortlessly chic 60-year-old Hepburn won the Cecil B. DeMille Award while wearing an elegant white silk sheath with exaggerated shoulders, courtesy of an unknown designer.
3. Jennifer Aniston, 2004
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The same year Aniston said goodbye to Friends, she donned a stunning black Valentino gown that was both classic and daring. (Remember, this was, like, ten years before “side boob” was a thing.)
4. Nicole Kidman, 2005
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Kidman peacocked, both literally and figuratively, when she snagged the award for Best Actress in a Drama Motion Picture in a slinky bias-cut Gucci number. The plume details and rich hue were an unexpected choice for an actress who typically goes neutral.
5. Keira Knightley, 2006
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We love how Knightley’s crepe satin Valentino pairs a simple column silhouette with a flashy kimono belt and tassels.
6. Eva Mendes, 2009
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Mendes frequently gravitates toward feminine pieces with flourish. This Christian Dior is proof that all white plus oversize bows need not look bridal.
7. Angelina Jolie, 2011
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Angie stole the show back in ’11 when she appeared like a Kelly green (Versace) goddess in a sea of black and white.
8. Lupita Nyong'o, 2014
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Who says you have to have superpowers to flaunt a cape?
9. Julianne Moore, 2015
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Sequins, feathers, sass…this Givenchy gown truly has everything.
10. Jennifer Lawrence, 2016
We love the way this Dior number plays with proportion and sex (those side cutouts!) and nods to the crop-top trend that seemed to be everywhere that year.
11. Jessica Biel, 2017
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It takes guts to rock a décolleté, and Jessica Biel did just that in this stunning Elie Saab ensemble.
12. Catherine Zeta-Jones, 2018
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Although everyone wore black dresses to the 75th annual Golden Globes, Catherine Zeta-Jones’s sheer gown was undoubtedly memorable.
13. Lady Gaga, 2019
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Decked out in a lengthy train and matching bolero, a star was born in Lady Gaga’s Valentino Couture number at the 2019 Globes.
14. Sandra Oh, 2019
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Not only did Oh take home the award for Best Actress in a Drama TV Series for Killing Eve, but she also looked incredible in this white Atelier Versace.
15. Zoë Kravitz, 2020
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Zoë Kravitz stepped out in a stunning gown by Saint Laurent and proved there’s no such thing as too many polka dots.
16. Anya Taylor-Joy, 2021
The Queen’s Gambit star turned heads in Dior Haute Couture—and we can see why. However, she didn’t get to walk the red carpet because it was a virtual ceremony.
17. Scarlett Johansson, 2020
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ScarJo not only lived up to her name in a crimson silk faille strapless gown from Vera Wang at the 2020 Globes, but also she gave us all a glimpse at her back tattoos, which show a branch of roses and a lamb.
18. Billy Porter, 2020
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This Alex Vinash suit was custom-made for Billy Porter and took three months to design. It featured a custom feathered train that required an assistant to carry and arrange on the red carpet and that zipped off to allow the actor and singer to sit down.
19. Natalie Portman, 2017
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When Natalie Portman walked the red carpet in support of her nomination for Jackie, the biopic about Jackie Kennedy, she wore a yellow dress by Prada that channeled a famous gown that the First Lady wore in 1961. But we're seeing even older fashion echoes in the long-sleeved gown, which has an Empire waist that skillfully flatters the actress's baby bump: Portman is giving Elizabethan era elegance.
20. Jennifer Coolidge, 2023
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Accepting her award for best supporting actress in a limited series, the White Lotus star delivered a heartful speech that made show creator Mike White cry. Her sequin Dolce & Gabbana dress with a slightly off-the-shoulder neckline was a dignified yet snazzy backdrop to the engaging star's winning night.
