Issa Rae in Christian Siriano

What a glorious way to start off the year AND also this slideshow.

Cynthia Erivo in Thom Browne

This is one of those looks where it's PERFECT for the event in question -- here, the Met Gala. A gown with a blazer tacked to the hip doesn't really make as much sense at, say, the Oscars.

Auli'i Cravalho in Rubin Singer

What a stunning Oscars debut! (She sang/played the title role in Moana.)

Zendaya in Ralph & Russo

Doesn't she look like she's starring in a remake of Roman Holiday? Exquisite.

Katie Holmes in Zac Posen

Katie wears a LOT of Zac Posen, and he did very, very well by her here.

Thandie Newton in Monse

When I write these posts, I like to keep myself amused by trying to remember who designed the gowns (before I look it up), and I thought, "I think this is Oscar de la Renta, by the Monse folks" and it turns out it was MONSE by the Monse folks. That is a compliment to the Monse designers.

Evan Rachel Wood in custom Moschino

Spoiler: This is not the only suit of Evan Rachel Wood's that you will see in this slideshow.

Millie Bobby Brown in Jenny Packham

Such a charming start for the year for MBB.

Regina King in Romona Keveza

Divine.

Diane Kruger in Dior

One of Diane's best looks of the year, and one of Diors, as well.

Michelle Pfeiffer in Prada

I am VERY EXCITED about the return of Michelle Pfeiffer to my life, and she looks AMAZING in this.

Nicole Kidman in Prada

Maybe Prada should ONLY work in this color.

Cara Delevingne in Chanel

This whole look is amazing -- including her painted skull.

Ruth Negga in Louis Vuitton

This is some of LV's best work this year.

Nicole Kidman in Michael Kors Collection

Fringe! (There is perhaps more fringe in this slideshow than you'd think; consider this fair warning.)

Cara Delevingne in Versace

This was controversial when we ran it, but I think the construction here is amazing, and she looks perfect for the premiere of a sci-fi movie.

Uma Thurman in Versace

Told you there was a lot of fringe in this slideshow!

Emma Stone in Givenchy

MORE fringe! This was also somewhat divisive, but I loved it and I still love it. I'm sad that she's doing a deal with Louis Vuitton, because I feel like we're in for a year or two of her looking both bonkers and predictable -- but, sincerely, go cash that check, Emma.

Yvonne Orji in Valdrin Sahiti

I was going to make a (complimentary!) Dynasty joke about this and then realized we already made that joke the first time we ran this look. STILL. It's great AND great for throwing a drink in a man's face.

Solange in Gucci

Would this work on anyone else? Yes -- but that list is short.

Blake Lively in Versace

This look is VERY VERSACE. 

Taraji P Henson in Pucci

SURPRISE! This dress is also backless.

Chrissy Teigen in Marchesa

I loved this -- and I also wonder if we'll ever see Marchesa again on the red carpet. (My bet? No -- but that Georgina and Keren will re-brand.)

Priyanka Chopra in Ralph Lauren

I DO love a trench.

Ruth Negga in Valentino

Ruth looks so amazing in this tunic/dress. i would join this cult.

Octavia Spencer in Marchesa

This color is so elegant on her. (In fairness, Octavia is an elegant person, in general.)

Aishwarya Rai in Michael Cinco

This is simply GLORIOUS.

Celine Dion in Christian Siriano

She's a delight.

Jennifer Lopez in Valentino

Also delightful, obviously. This whole thing is basically GOALS for me.

Winnie Harlow in Zuhair Murad

This ballgown is SUCH a princess-y fantasy.

Cynthia Erivo in Luisa Beccaria

This is so glorious. 

Minnie Driver in Vionnet

At the time, I called this the perfect dress for a very glam dinner at Downton, and I stand by that, and YES, it's a huge compliment.

Kelly Lynch in Jenny Packham

This is such spangly fun. I wish the Duchess of Cambridge would just BLOW IT OUT and go for this kind of Jenny Packham once in a while.

Marion Cotillard in Halpern

Speaking of spangly... She wore this for her first outing after parting ways with Dior, and it's such an In Your Face moment.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Oscar de la Renta

This is superb on her, even with this challenging length.

Meryl Streep in Elie Saab

Meryl really raised the fashion bar for herself this year, and bravo!

Demi Lovato in Monique Lhuillier

This is both major and delicate on her and she looks fantastic.

Elle Fanning in Rodarte

Same. I LOVE this color on her. 

Amal Clooney in Versace

This is just MAJOR, full stop.

Viola Davis in Armani

She basically never looks bad, but this was exceptional.

Lea Michele in Elie Saab

This honestly might be a personal best for Lea.

Rihanna in Giambattista Valli

Never let it be said that Rihanna phones it in.

Julianne Moore in Calvin Klein

And this dress is the most festive thing she's maybe ever worn.

Blue Ivy Carter

I just wanted to remind you that Blue Ivy wore a little Prince suit to the Grammys this year, and it was great.

Viola Davis in Armani Prive

A winning dress for a winner.

Lily-Rose Depp in Chanel

This was a real hit with Fug Nation, back in May.

Cicely Tyson

Long may she reign!

Jessica Chastain in Zuhair Murad

This is such a successful effort from La Chastain.

Nicole Kidman in Calvin Klein

This is a real stunner on her -- and this was also the year that I was reminded how much I love Nicole Kidman. (She was also Fug Nation's Best Dressed at the Emmys in this.)

Karlie Kloss in Naeem Khan

Simple, but perfect.

Queen Letizia at the Spanish State Visit

As I said at the time, this might be the best Queen Letizia has EVER looked, but this is also a MAJOR MAJOR dress for anyone. (If you want to see the jewels bigger,  here you go.) Her Majesty looks pretty swell too. 

Viola Davis in Michael Kors

Yes, Viola DID win Best Dressed of the Golden Globes in this dress. Rightly. She is stunning.

Carey Mulligan in Gucci

This is one of my favorite looks on Carey, ever.

Nicole Kidman in Gucci

This was divisive, but I LOVED IT.

Celine Dion in Zuhair Murad

Celine had a great year -- and so did Zuhair Murad

Gina Rodriguez in Georges Chakra

This was so pleasantly unusual.

Dove Cameron in Oscar de la Renta

Yes, we're entering the patterned portion of this retrospective.

Denee Benton in Oscar de la Renta

This gown is great, period -- but it's extra amazing against that background.

Zendaya in Moschino

This was a NUTTY line from Moschino, and she looks amazing in this. (We predicted Katy Perry, but this is more exciting than that would have been.)

Ruth Negga in Oscar de la Renta

This dress is SO good. (It won Best Dressed at the Oscars Parties, in fact.)

Busy Philipps

Busy often does her best work as Michelle Williams's plus one.

Cynthia Erivo in Paolo Sebastian

This was Cynthia Erivo's Oscars debut and she NAILED IT

Zendaya in Dolce & Gabbana

Speaking of nailing it! WOW.

Rihanna in Comme des Garcons

Absolutely amazing. There's a reason Rihanna is one of the hosts of the Met Gala this year, and it's because she ALWAYS kills it at this event. 

Margot Robbie in Versace

This is from the Versace archives -- it dates from 1995 -- and it's so lovely on her.

Michelle Dockery in Elie Saab

Lady Mary, bringing a little joy to the SAGs red carpet.

Zendaya in Schiaparelli

This is beyond a treat.

Yara Shahidi in Naeem Khan

Yara won Fug Nation's Best Dressed at the SAGs, and rightly. 

Tessa Thompson in Rosie Assoulin

And she NEARLY won best dressed at the Emmys (Nicole Kidman was the victor). This is so spectacular.

Maggie Gyllenhaal in Schiaparell

I said originally: "Maggie Gyllenhaal should always dress like your extremely rich ceramics teacher who sometimes floats into class smoking a joint stuck into a cigarette holder and regales everyone with half-sentences about the crazy weekend she spent in Gstaad with David Crosby," and I stand by that.

Caitriona Balfe in Delpozo

God, this is good.

Mindy Kaling in Naeem Khan

Mindy had a baby this year, but surely being on our Top 100 Looks list this year is JUST as exciting!

Kiernan Shipka in Rosie Assoulin

This was a treat.

Kat Graham in Renato Balestra

We heart this.

Fan Bing Bing in Christopher Bu

This is transportive.

Zoe Kravitz in Dior

A GLORIOUS showing from Zoe. (Good on you, too, Dior.)

Thandie Newton in Schiaparelli

This is fantastically whimsical.

Emma Stone in Chanel

Another perhaps divisive choice, but I thought this was swell on Emma.

Ruby Rose in Burberry

I did NOT remember this as being Burberry -- it's fantastic.

Janelle Monae in Ralph & Russo

Glorious.

Janelle Monae in Jenny Packham

This dress is stellar, and also Mahershala Ali is doing us all a favor by popping up here to look handsome as well.

Janelle Monae in Christian Siriano

She's consistently a hit.

Mandy Moore in Carolina Herrera

Many factions hated this dress, but I thought it was super on her.

Mandy Moore in Marc Jacobs

This was also quite groovy.

Kristen Wiig in Prabal Gurung

In the elusive day wear category! This is just fab on her, though.

Rebecca Hall in Armani Prive

This dress is just SO AWESOME. Honestly, how did Nicole Kidman/Cate Blanchett pass on this?

Jaimie Alexander in Naeem Khan

This is so very pretty, and pleasantly modest (perhaps to cover the tattoos she has for Blindspot).

Teresa Palmer in Valentino

Glorious.

Nina Dobrev in Elie Saab

Nina can really wear a gown when she needs to. (Though I'm not in love with the shoes, I feel like I can pretend they're not happening.)

Nicole Kidman in Altuzarra

Nicole had a VERY strong year.

Kirstin Scott Thomas in Dior

Dior! Do this more often!

Zendaya in Viktor & Rolf

So swoonworthy.

Condola Rashad in Vivienne Westwood

This is DIVINE.

Evan Rachel Wood in Altuzarra

Double divine!

Mandy Moore in Naeem Khan

How did we get this far without landing on a cape?!

Brie Larson in Oscar de la Renta

Serving some real Madame X realness.

Janelle Monae in Alexandre Vauthier Couture

May 2018 bring us more Janelle Monae.

Cynthia Erivo in CG Studio

This was custom, and it had 8,000 crystals on it. She's had a VERY good year, no?

Fei Fei Sun in Alberta Ferretti

Everything about this was perfect.

Taraji P Henson in Alberta Ferretti

It feels really right to end on the winner of our Best Dressed at the Oscars poll. And well deserved indeed.

(Many of) The Very Best Looks of 2017

100 of the best looks of 2017.