by After several years of pandemic-related social restrictions, we were somewhat hungry for some big celebrity style, but 2022 has more than made up for it. When Fashion Week and Awards Season returned to their usual schedule, we got to enjoy plenty of celebrity fashion, and it truly felt like the A-lists and their design teams were making up for lost time.
Whether they were diving into the archives for a nostalgic red carpet moment, nailing a complicated theme, or simply making everyday wear look effortlessly chic, the world’s most stylish celebrities were here to entertain and inspire us with their impeccable wardrobes.
Below, in no particular order, we round up our 10 best-dressed women of 2022.
Michael Obama
Ever since she first set foot in the White House, Michelle Obama has been praised for her style and has been seen by many as an inspiration on how to master dress codes, uplift emerging designers, and dress where they should. Work. This year, however, we’ve seen a different side of Obama, one where she’s been able to embrace a more casual (and dare we say “cooler”) look.
The former First Lady has made a number of public appearances in the second half of 2022 while promoting her new book The Light We Carry — and we’ve seen her adopt a far more fashionable wardrobe than she has in the past.
From double denim to head-to-toe leather, lots of sequins and even sportswear, Obama has taken a new path with his wardrobe, away from the suffocating dress codes of politics, and towards a more comfortable and freer way of dressing. He wore Ganni, Balmain, Brandon Maxwell and even animal Versace. It seemed like he was enjoying fashion more than ever—and he was fine with it.
Taylor Russell
There’s always at least one breakout star on the red carpet every year, and in 2022, it was undoubtedly Taylor Russell. The Canadian actress — who starred in one of the year’s most talked about films, Bones and All, opposite Timothy Chalamet — used her promotional tour to fit herself on the fashion map.
Clearly unafraid to take risks on the red carpet, Russell has embraced bold, fashion-forward silhouettes from the likes of Schiaparelli, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen and Loewe. In many ways, she’s a breath of fresh air in Hollywood, happy to step out of her comfort zone and tackle some of the season’s hottest trends. This has made her one of the hottest faces to watch on the red carpet and we’re sure this is just the beginning.
Hailey Biber
When it comes to effortless street style, Hailey Bieber has long built her reputation as one of the most influential names to know. The model — who’s also inspired countless beauty trends this year — has carved out a niche for herself when it comes to street style, often drawing on a muted color palette, expert tailoring, and a perfectly refined aesthetic. In 2022, with a new stylist on board, she firmed up her uniform and took it to the red carpet, with much success.
In short, the model – who is now led by designer Karla Welch – has elevated her wardrobe. She began to embrace minimalism with her evening gowns, opting for skintight, form-fitting gowns from the likes of Saint Laurent. It’s all about subtle sophistication, and it works for her.
Tessa Thompson
It could well be argued that the Venice Film Festival had its biggest and most successful year yet, at least certainly in terms of fashion. That was in large part thanks to stars like Tessa Thompson and Jodie Turner-Smith (more on that later) who created some of the year’s biggest and most unexpected red carpet moments; the first in the dramatic Elie Saab, the plump Marc Jacobs and the sculptural Armani Privé.
But it wasn’t just in Venice that Thompson shone. While promoting Westworld and Thor: Love and Thunder, the actress stood out in a number of memorable looks, including a liquid-look cut-out dress by Armani and a maxi sheer gold gown by up-and-coming label Interior.
Much credit goes to Thompson and his stylists, Wayman Deon and Micah McDonald, for creating some of the most exciting red carpet gowns of 2022.
Anya Taylor-Joy
Some actresses clearly like to dress up for the red carpet, and Anya Taylor-Joy is one of the best examples of that right now. Whether attending awards shows, sitting front row at fashion week or a movie premiere, she never sticks to a simple fashion formula and always strives for a complete look, which is what makes her so fun to watch.
This year, Taylor-Joy has been playing with her own signature style, embracing different aesthetics for different events. We’ve seen her pair a black veil with a sheer Dior ball gown, dare to wear giant wedge heels at Schiaparelli, embrace latex at Alexander McQueen, and even step out in Dior’s giant hoop skirt. Very few could take off all these clothes.
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway isn’t new to the Hollywood scene, but 2022 has seen her enjoy something of a fashion renaissance, which has delighted her fans. Though much of the internet likened it to her Devil Wears Prada character Andy Sachs’ makeover, she was actually much thinner than that; her stylist Erin Walsh simply finished off her look.
The actress turned heads in Cannes wearing a beautiful white sequined Armani Privé gown and Gucci mini dress with statement sunglasses, while also playing with Valentino pink and wearing a David Koma dress at one point very tight at the WeCrashed premiere.
At every opportunity, he radiated confidence. Hathaway seems to be in a new phase with her own personal style and we can’t wait to see where she takes it next.
Jodie Turner-Smith
Another star impressing in Venice this year was Jodie Turner-Smith, who has become a favorite on the fashion scene for wearing vibrant colors, unexpected silhouettes and a variety of brands, and for embracing the joy that clothing can wear.
Her red carpet looks this year included an absolutely perfect Met Gala ensemble (she dressed for “Gilded Glamor in a beaded and fringed bodysuit with a full skirt by Gucci), the most colorful wardrobe at the Venice Film Festival we’ve ever seen (rainbow gowns by Christopher John Rogers, a bright blue custom design by Harbison, and a Balmain denim ball gown all featured), and capped off the year by hosting the Fashion Awards, where she took the stage in various pieces on-trend, including some glamorous Gucci greens.
All in all, Turner-Smith’s fashion has been a joy to watch in 2022.
Florence Pug
It was a big year for Florence Pugh, who starred in some of the most talked about films of the year, meaning she had a lot of press to deal with, and there’s no denying she did it in style.
The British actress seems to have found her style rhythm easily, tackling every event with such confidence. Her style is so unapologetically his – it’s often feminine (she loves a pretty taffeta dress) but there’s always an edge to what she wears, whether it’s her slicked back hair, dark makeup or accessories as a vampire.
The look he made the most headlines with makes that point perfectly. Pugh wore a Barbie-pink Valentino gown to the house’s couture show in July; she was feminine, puffy and made of tulle, but she was also completely see-through. When the trolls decided to criticize her “two cute nipples,” she had the perfect response.
“It’s always been my mission in this industry to say, ‘fuck it and fuck it’ whenever someone expects my body to turn into an opinion about what’s hot or sexually attractive…Grow up. Respect people. Respect bodies. Respect all women. Respect human beings.”
Without apologizing her.
Rihanna
It’s impossible to talk about celebrity style in 2022 without mentioning Rihanna. The singer — who announced her first pregnancy in predictably glamorous style in January — has completely upended the rules of maternity style, paving the way for pregnant women everywhere to dress exactly how they want.
While pregnant, Rihanna opted to wear sheer, bodycon, or skintight ensembles that refused to hide her body. While that perhaps shouldn’t be considered particularly groundbreaking in 2022, and she’s certainly not the only star to shun traditional maternity fashion in recent years, her commitment to showing the world her changing body and embracing her sexuality during pregnancy is definitely something to be noted.
From that sheer Dior negligee to crop tops and low-rise jeans, Rihanna embraced her own style while pregnant and paved the way for all of us to do the same.
Katie Holmes
It may have divided opinions with her latest outfit of 2022 — her 2000s-inspired dress-over-jeans look for the Jingle Bell Ball — but Katie Holmes remains one of our favorite celebs to watch when it comes to street style and front row.
Ever since she was photographed hailing a cab in that Khaite cardigan (and matching bralette) a few years ago, Holmes has become known for her effortless approach to dressing, always impeccable, yet ever so relaxed. This year, we saw her mastering the white dress and hooded dress during Fashion Week, as she continued to excel in understated dressing, pairing flats with wide-leg jeans and embracing skin-on-skin.
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