The Most Iconic Dresses in Red Carpet History

Drew Barrymore at 8 years old attending the Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in a pink princess style dress.

Madonna's "Boy Toy" bridal lingerie look made its way to the very first MTV Video Music Awards. Despite Madonna's notable style evolution, we always trace her back to this cheeky embellished outfit.

Cher wore this outrageous Bob Mackie look to the ceremony to combat critics who suggested she wasn't nominated for Mask because her fashion sense could not be taken seriously. Those spikes speak volumes.

Julia Roberts attended the Oscars in an Armani plain taupe gown along with her boyfriend, Kiefer Sutherland.

Cindy's memorable Versace number featured a sexy, halter-style bodice. The supermodel famously accompanied Richard Gere to the award ceremony.

Marisa Tomei attended the Oscars in a white Chanel dress with black piping and black gloves.

Elizabeth Hurley attended the Four Weddings and a Funeral premiere in a black Versace dress.

Kate's slinky slip dress was designed by Calvin Klein. While the iconic supermodel wore so many pieces like this one, the backless feature and barely-there straps stand out in our mind.

Mira Sorvino attended the Oscars in an Armani gown.

Susan Sarandon attended the Oscars in a gold Dolce & Gabbana dress.

Sharon Stone attended the Oscars in a lilac Vera Wang evening skirt paired with a Gap button-down shirt out of her then-husband's closet.

Gwyneth won the award for best actress in Shakespeare In Love wearing this sugar pink Ralph Lauren creation that came accessorized with a delicate shawl.

Celine Dion attended the Oscars in a white John Galliano backward tuxedo.

J Lo's tropical print Versace gown with a deep, deep plunging neckline still inspires Halloween costumes today.

Charlize Theron attended the Oscars in an orange Vera Wang gown.

Julia won the award for Erin Brockovich in this Valentino design, which her niece, Emma, famously refers to as "the skunk dress."

Ah, the iconic Marjan Pejoski bird dress that is now re-created and instantly recognizable upon first glance, however odd the style move might have been.

Halle's Elie Saab design featured a voluminous burgundy train and a sheer bodice stitched with flowers over her breasts. It was modest and sexy all at once.

Cameron Diaz attended the Golden Globes in a short Chanel Haute Couture party dress.

Salma Hayek wore a Carolina Herrera gown at the 2003 Oscars.

Sienna's Grecian Matthew Williamson gown might not have been her most fashion-forward dress, but it was definitely inspired. Sienna lived out the theme, accessorizing with a gold cuff and dainty drop earrings.

Hillary Swank wore a navy Guy Laroche gown at the 2005 Oscars.

Michelle's Vera Wang dress popularized the marigold shade, whether or not people liked it.

We'll never forget the floor-trailing Balenciaga bow stitched onto Nicole's column gown.

Penélope Cruz wore a black feather-trimmed Chanel gown at the 2008 Oscars.

Olivia Wilde wore a beaded silver cap-sleeve prom dress to the 2008 Emmys.

Anne Hathaway wore a glittery Armani Prive beaded column dress at the 2009 Oscars.

Blake Lively wore a red Versace gown with a plunging neckline to the 2009 Emmys.

Zoe Saldana attended the 2010 Oscars boldly in a Givenchy Couture gown.

Sandra Bullock attended the 2010 Oscars in a metallic Marchesa gown with a lace bodice.

Cate's Givenchy cap-sleeve gown featured beautiful embroidery with pops of chartreuse and a stunning fit. It's still one of our favorite red carpet dresses of all time.

Mila won countless best dressed polls following the ceremony thanks to this purple lace Elie Saab design.

Emma Stone wore a peachy minimalist Calvin Klein Collection dress at the 2011 Golden Globe Awards.

It seems that now, every time a star flaunts her thigh in a slit, people say, "she pulled an Angelina." That's in reference to the sexy, luxurious Versace dress she wore to the 84th Academy Awards.

We might never forget how the bright purple feathers of Beyoncé's Givenchy train followed her up the Met Gala steps.

Gwyneth Paltrow wore an all-white Tom Ford gown to the 2012 Oscars.

Jennifer Lawrence famously tripped on her way up the stairs in this tremendous Dior dress (she was accepting her Oscar for best actress in Silver Linings Playbook), but all the better angle for us to enjoy the diamond chain she wore faced to the back — an effortless style move we'll always appreciate.

Kim debuted her baby bump in this floral Givenchy dress with a slit and gloves. Some internet memes refer to it as "the sofa dress," but we do think it was a bold move, albeit encouraged by Anna Wintour.

Kerry bared her baby bump in a Prada crop top we certainly won't forget. It was the ultimate maternity style move that reflected pride and a smart yet playful fashion sense.

Oh, the memes that were sparked by Lady Gaga's Azzedine Alaïa look. Those red leather gloves will go down in history as some very special red carpet accessories.

Taylor definitely had a phase where she liked to bare her legs in chunky platform heels, and this ombré Elie Saab look is a prime example. We'll never forget the signature color combination here: bright blues and fuchsia shoes — unexpected, but very Taylor.

Lupita twirled and twirled in this embroidered Gucci number, which Beyoncé later wore to show off her baby bump.

When Selena showed up to accept her award for favorite pop/rock female artist, she had just taken a hiatus from her career. Her simple red Prada dress spoke volumes. It marked a clean slate for the star, both sartorially and professionally.

Solange is known to be a fashion risk-taker. She showed up to the 2017 Grammys in this gold pleated Gucci gown and won her first Grammy of the night for best R&B performance for "Cranes in the Sky."

Bella Hadid wore a delicate, icy, sparkly naked dress by René Caovilla to the 2017 amfAR Gala.

Those who know the Met Gala know that Rihanna's looks are always the star of the show. In 2017, Rihanna wore this extravagant floral dress from Commes des Garcons' 2016 collection. She paired the look with thigh-high strappy heels from Dsquared2.

Tracee Ellis Ross attended the 2018 Emmys in a hot-pink Valentino Haute Couture gown.

Thanks to Tommy Hilfiger, Zendaya lit up in a Cinderella ballgown and even had a fairy godmother to complete her look.

Cardi B attended the 2019 Grammy Awards in a Thierry Mugler dress that emulated an oyster shell.