Amy Adams's best looks, from glittering red carpet gowns to elegant printed midi dresses

For dreamy red carpet dressing, you can’t go wrong with Amy Adams’s best looks. 

Adams made her film debut in the dark comedy Drop Dead Gorgeous in 1999 and got her first major role in Steven Spielberg's biopic Catch Me If You Can in 2002. However, her breakthrough came in the 2005 comedy-drama Junebug, followed by fantasy film Enchanted in 2007.

The star - who has a daughter with her actor husband Darren Le Gallo - featured on several big releases from the 2010s, including American Hustle, Big Eyes, Nocturnal Animals and Arrival, as well as the TV series Sharp Objects. During her glittering career, she has won two Golden Globe Awards and six Oscar nominations. So it's safe to say she's frequented many a red carpet - from the Oscars to the Golden Globes - where she always showcases the most stunning of ensembles.

Amy Adams's best looks

Many of her most memorable outfits are her best red carpet looks - think sweeping princess-like gowns or slinky sparkling frocks. However, we have also seen her dress with a cooler, more relaxed edge - in statement midi dresses and sleek tailoring - at glitzy showbiz events, providing ideal smart-casual inspiration.

1. The teal Oscars gown

Adams channelled classic Hollywood style at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills in 2019. The actress wore a silky teal blue long-sleeved gown designed by Alexandre Vauthier, which featured diamond buckle detailing and elegant gathering at the waist.

Midi wrap dress from Sosandar at M&S

RRP: £79 | This slinky satin dress from Sosandar is fun and feminine - and the colour is divine. The wrap style and ruched skirt are also extremely flattering, giving an instant hourglass effect.

Green silk dress from Ghost

RRP: £179 | When it comes to satin or silk dresses, you can't go wrong with Ghost. While this dress isn't teal, the beautiful forest green is another go-to colour for Adams. Understated and chic, this is a versatile day-to-night frock that you'll wear on repeat.

Long sleeved satin dress from SilkFred

RRP: £58 | This classic wrap dress suits just about every figure and is perfect if you're looking for an elegant yet relaxed fit. The multiway tyer can be adjusted, depending on how low you want the neckline to fall.

2. The butterfly-print Valentino dress

At the screening of the film Arrival during the BFI London Film Festival in 2016, Adams looked chic in a white Valentino gown. The floor-length dress featured an asymmetric neckline and a bold butterfly print on the skirt.

3. The elegant floral midi dress

We love a mid-length shirt dress for an easy smart-casual look. Adams stepped out in a multi-coloured floral number while out in New York in 2018. She accessorised with a small cream handbag and strappy black heels.

4. The gold Tom Ford gown

Adams wore perhaps the ultimate party dress to the premiere of film Nocturnal Animals at the Venice Film Festival in 2016. The star wowed on the red carpet in a gold sequinned one-sleeved Tom Ford design, which perfectly highlighted her hourglass figure.

5. The tailored Max Mara look

A beige jacket is a handy component of any capsule wardrobe. Adams wore one draped over her shoulders at the Max Mara fashion show in Stockholm, Sweden in 2023. The star paired it with an all-black look, including wide-legged trousers and a structured handbag.

6. The cool printed midi dress

Adams looked effortlessly stylish as she arrived to film for the Katie Couric Show at the ABC Lincoln Center Studios in New York in 2013. The actress wore a flowing long-sleeved midi dress, featuring an eye-catching geometric print, which she accessorised with a pair of black strappy heels.

7. The black Calvin Klein midi dress

You can't go wrong with a simple black midi dress - especially one that creates such a feminine and powerful silhouette. Adams looked the epitome of chic in a long-sleeved Calvin Klein number to attend the Los Angeles premiere of HBO series Sharp Objects in 2018. She finished off the look with sleek locks and a dramatic smokey eye - an easy makeup look that never fails to impress.

8. The strapless white Oscars gown

Adams dazzled on the Oscars red carpet in 2019. The actress wowed in a white strapless, form-fitting Versace gown, which featured a small train. She finished off the look with a statement diamond necklace and wore her hair wavy.

9. The blue Antonio Berardi dress

All eyes were on Adams as she attended the premiere of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice in London in 2016. Her stunning blue strapless Antonio Berardi gown featured elegant ruffled detailing and a thigh-split, and she finished off the look with her hair worn in a sleek ponytail.

10. The ruched one-shouldered cocktail dress

We love a one-shouldered sleeve to give a dress an interesting edge. Adams wowed in the asymmetric design at a film gala in New York in 2009. Her black knee-length frock featured elegant ruching, and she finished off the ensemble with black open-toed heels and silver drop-down earrings.

11. The silver Tom Ford dress

Adams turned heads at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills in 2017. The star dazzled in a silver gown designed by Tom Ford, which featured long sleeves, a form-fitting silhouette and a plunging neckline. She finished off the look with her hair styled into a curly bouncy blow-dry.

12. The draped red gown

While Adams often opts for a more neutral colour palette when it comes to eveningwear, here she proves she also knows how to wear red with ease. The star wowed in a red gown by Andrew Gn for the premiere of the film Vice in Beverly Hills in 2018. It featured cut-out sleeves and subtle pleating

13. The dramatic black Oscars gown

Adams looked every bit the certified film star at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills in 2018. The actress turned heads in a sweeping black long-sleeved Christian Siriano gown, which featured an asymmetric neckline and a dramatic thigh-split. She finished off the chic look with a sleek ponytail and silver hooped earrings.

14. The off-the-shoulder white Versace gown

In a rather angelic look, Adams wowed in white on arrival at the Critics' Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California in 2016. The actress dazzled in an off-shoulder Versace gown, which featured a cut-out neckline and a small train. The dress was the star of the show and she kept accessories minimal, opting for a slicked-back ponytail and simple earrings.

15. The deep purple Dolce & Gabbana gown

Adams brought the glamour to the red carpet of the premiere for Disney's film Disenchanted in Los Angeles in 2022. The star's long-sleeved purple gown was designed by Dolce & Gabbana, and she finished off the ensemble with her signature wavy hair.

16. The herringbone corset dress

In a slight departure from her trademark feminine style, Adams stepped out in a more structured look at the premiere of the film Dear Evan Hansen in Los Angeles in 2021. Her black strapless herringbone corset dress was designed by Thom Browne, and featured subtle button detailing for a cool result.

17. The tulle grey Oscar de la Renta gown

Adams looked every bit the leading lady on the red carpet at the Oscars in 2013. The actress wore a pale grey strapless gown by Oscar de la Renta, which featured extensive ruffled detailing on the voluminous skirt. She finished off the look with diamond earrings and an elegant up-do.

18. The black sparkly Oscar de la Renta gown

You can't go wrong with a bit of sparkle in an evening look. Adams shimmered on the red carpet of the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills in 2009 in a sweeping black strapless Oscar de la Renta gown, featuring intricate sparkly, lace detailing.

20. The green Proenza Schouler Oscars gown

It's safe to say Adams knows what colours suit her - and forest green beautifully complements her pale skin tone and red hair. The actress looked stylish in green on the red carpet at the Oscars in 2008, wowing in a strapless, form-fitting Proenza Schouler gown, which featured an elegant fishtail train. She finished off the glamorous look with a gold bracelet and earrings.

21. The relaxed trouser suit

While she may have a penchant for dresses, Adams is also a fan of good tailoring. The star stepped out in a chic pale pink trouser suit - which she paired with a pretty ruffled blouse - at an event to discuss her film Arrival in New York in 2016. Who said the best tuxedos for women need to be black?

22. The black Céline gown

Adams commanded attention on the red carpet at the Screen Actors Guild Award in Los Angeles in 2019. The star wowed in a black strapless Céline gown, which featured peplum detailing at the waist and a daring thigh-split. She finished off the elegant look with black platform heels.

23. The trench and shirt dress combo

A trench coat can make an ideal stylish cover-up for in-between temperatures. Adams wore the classic outerwear in a chic navy shade, over an emerald green shirt dress, to visit the Los Angeles studios of Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2019.

24. The chic backless LBD

Adams harnessed the powers of the LBD - or little black dress - at a film event in New York in 2008. The star looked chic in the backless knee-length design, which she accessorised with strappy gold heels and dewy make-up.

25. The draped Versace gown

The Vanity Fair Oscar Party welcomed a Versace-clad Adams in 2016. The actress looked stunning in the floor-length gown at the star-studded event in Beverly Hills. She accessorised the frock, which featured elegant draping, with a simple red lip.

26. The blazer and midi dress combo

Adams looked like she meant business in an all-black look at the photocall for Nocturnal Animals at the Venice Film Festival in 2016. The star wowed in a blazer jacket over a slinky strapless midi dress, and accessorised with statement earrings and black and gold footwear.

27. The floral Carolina Herrera dress

Florals really can work for evening, as Adams proved at Julie & Julia premiere in New York in 2009. The actress stunned in a floor-length, halterneck-style Carolina Herrera dress, which featured a pretty monochrome print.

28. The purple Giambattista Valli gown

Adams exuded Hollywood glamour at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles in 2009. The star stepped out in a strapless Giambattista Valli gown in a chic plum hue, which featured intricate gathering at the waist. She finished off the look with an elegant up-do and statement earrings.

29. The cobalt Antonio Berardi dress

Adams wowed in a cobalt blue gown by Antonio Berardi at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles in 2014. The floor-length, one-shouldered frock featured an asymmetric neckline and a thigh-split. She finished off the ensemble with a red lip and a pair of black open-toed heels.

30. The sparkling Golden Globes gown

Adams dazzled at the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills in 2017. The actress sparkled in a floor-length, strapless gown sequinned gown designed by Tom Ford, which she paired with sleek locks and silver drop-down earrings.

31. The pretty floral midi dress

For a fundraising event in Los Angeles in 2005, Adams looked chic in a strapless floral midi dress. The star accessorised the pretty frock with a small pink handbag, strappy gold heels and an elegant up-do.

32. The princess-like 2013 Golden Globes gown

Adams turned heads on the red carpet at the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills in 2013. The actress stunned in a pale pink strapless Marchesa gown, which featured lacy detailing and a voluminous fishtail skirt. She finished off the ensemble with a wavy up-do and minimal silver jewellery.