Nina Dobrev's Awards Show Retrospective

2010 Teen Choice Awards, in Alex Perry

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock (1215369ns) Nina Dobrev 2010 Teen Choice Awards, Los Angeles, America - 08 Aug 2010

(a) These shoes are CUTE and (b) this is perfect for something like the Teen Choice Awards. It even has a surf board-like shape in the beading. Very clever.

2010 Emmy Awards, in Zuhair Murad

Mandatory Credit: Photo by BDG/Shutterstock (1221365dw) Nina Dobrev 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Arrivals, Los Angeles, America - 29 Aug 2010

This is very pretty and very 2010; looking at her red carpet awards show history, I learned that Nina wears a LOT of Zuhair Murad, Elie Saab, and J.Mendel, all of which are generally reasonable red carpet options.

2011 Golden Globes

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock (1271186oj) Nina Dobrev The 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards, Warner Bros and Instyle Magazine After Party, Los Angeles, America - 16 Jan 2011

This dress is fun and those shoes are very confusing with it. Wear a color! Go back in time 11 years and wear a color!

2011 MTV Movie Awards

This also feels a tiny bit underbaked. We are, however, about to enter the period of time where Ilaria Urbinati (who no longer works with Nina, as far as I know, because she's almost exclusively styling men) styled THE HELL out of Nina. Sincerely. They were a very strong pair for a long time.

2011 Teen Choice Awards in D&G

Mandatory Credit: Photo by BDG/Shutterstock (1397256by) Nina Dobrev 2011 Teen Choice Awards, Los Angeles, America - 07 Aug 2011

This is charming. (Insert some of my usual yadda about D&G, although this was obviously in 2011 and I feel confident that the yadda was less well-known at that point.)

2011 Emmy Awards, in Donna Karan

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Scott Kirkland/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9192423u) SEPTEMBER 18: Nina Dobrev arrives at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on in Los Angeles, California 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards - Red Carpet, Los Angeles, USA - 18 Sep 2011

HELLO! This dress is so memorable -- certainly, the apex of Nina's red carpet history -- and so, so dishy on her. This was good for Nina AND it was good business for Donna Karan. Just a slam dunk for everyone.

2012 People's Choice Awards, in Elie Saab

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock (1533258aa) Nina Dobrev 38th People's Choice Awards, Press Room, Los Angeles, America - 11 Jan 2012

A lace-sleeved Elie Saab paired with beige shoes in 2021 feels VERY Kate Middleton to me.

2012 Academy Awards, in J.Mendel

Mandatory Credit: Photo by David Fisher/Shutterstock (1638926kd) Nina Dobrev 84th Annual Academy Awards, Elton John AIDS Foundation Party, Los Angeles, America - 26 Feb 2012

This is sleek and fantastic.

2012 Met Gala, in Donna Karan

Mandatory Credit: Photo by John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock (12360780h) Nina Dobrev arrives on the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York City on May 7, 2012. Met Costume Benefit, New York, United States - 08 May 2012

This was also beautifully memorable. (This was the "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations" theme and like...sure, anything can be an impossible conversation, go off.)

2012 Teen Choice Awards, in J. Mendel

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock (1801686da) Nina Dobrev 2012 Teen Choice Awards, Los Angeles, America - 22 Jul 2012

This looks like it might have been tough to breathe in, but the color is great on her and it's basically good. Bless those metallic shoes!

2013 Critics' Choice Movie Awards, in Monique Lhuillier

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock (2056213hg) Nina Dobrev 18th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards, Arrivals, Los Angeles, America - 10 Jan 2013 WEARING MONIQUE LHUILLIER

This is festive!

2013 Golden Globes, in Oscar de la Renta

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock (2066313jk) Nina Dobrev 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards, Warner Bros and InStyle Party, Los Angeles, America - 13 Jan 2013 WEARING OSCAR DE LA RENTA

And this is pleasantly foofy.

2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards, in Elie Saab

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Picture Perfect/Shutterstock (2100004eb) Nina Dobrev 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, Arrivals, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, America - 27 Jan 2013 WEARING ELIE SAAB

FABULOUS.

2013 Independent Spirit Awards, in Michael Kors

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Broadimage/Shutterstock (2165771an) Nina Dobrev 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards, Los Angeles, America - 23 Feb 2013 WEARING MICHAEL KORS

Yeah, this is cute, too! (Shorts at the Independent Spirit Awards, which is famously held on the beach, works for me.)

2013 Oscars, in Naeem Khan

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Rob Latour/Shutterstock (2165892id) Nina Dobrev 85th Annual Academy Awards Oscars, Elton John AIDS Foundation Party, Los Angeles, America - 24 Feb 2013 WEARING NAEEM KHAN

I LOVED this Naeem Khan collection and she wears it so very well.

2013 Met Gala, in Monique Lhuillier

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9194038gq) Actress NIna Dobrev attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute gala benefit, "Punk: Chaos to Couture", on in New York MET Museum Costume Institute Benefit, New York, USA - 6 May 2013

I tend to dislike the Lhuillier stuff she wears -- which is weird, because Monique Lhuillier is reliably good on the red carpet -- but this was swell. This was the "Punk: Chaos to Couture" Met Gala, and this feels like it fulfills the brief in a way that also makes sense for the designer's general aesthetic.

2013 Teen Choice Awards, in J Mendel

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock (2798879kj) Nina Dobrev 2013 Teen Choice Awards, Los Angeles, America - 11 Aug 2013 WEARING J MENDEL

Nearly 10 years out and I still remember this. I love it.

2014 Golden Globe Awards, in Armani

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock (3497583ir) Nina Dobrev 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards, Warner Bros and InStyle After Party, Los Angeles, America - 12 Jan 2014

Dishy! If she kept this, she can literally wear this dress her entire life; it's pretty ageless.

2014 People's Choice Awards with Ian Somerhalder, in Jenny Packham

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9061256ee) From left, Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder accept the Favorite On Screen Chemistry award for The Vampire Diaries at the 40th annual People's Choice Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, in Los Angeles 2014 People's Choice Awards - Show, Los Angeles, USA

Same here, actually. (I couldn't resist this photo, it's so cute.)

2014 Teen Choice Awards, in Vionnet

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9053826h) Nina Dobrev arrives at the Teen Choice Awards at the Shrine Auditorium, in Los Angeles Teen Choice Awards 2014 - Arrivals, Los Angeles, USA

This is, on the other hand, very youthful and kicky and perfect for this event. This was the period when they were trying to make Vionnet like....young and hot, which worked here, but was not ultimately successful.

2014 MTV Video Music Awards, in Zuhair Murad

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Stewart Cook/Shutterstock (4081409av) Nina Dobrev MTV Video Music Awards Arrivals, Los Angeles, America - 24 Aug 2014 WEARING ZUHAIR MURAD

She looks slightly irritated in this photo, and I assume it's because this was late August in LA and it was HOT.

2015 Golden Globes, in Zuhair Murad

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (4375660cn) Nina Dobrev 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards, HBO After Party, Los Angeles, America - 11 Jan 2015

Pretty! Hard to bitch too much about this one.

2015 Academy Awards, in Reem Acra

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9053321wk) Nina Dobrev arrives at the 2015 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, in Beverly Hills, Calif 87th Academy Awards - Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Beverly Hills, USA

Same, although I honestly wish this were all just one piece.

2015 CFDA Fashion Awards, in Lela Rose

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Gregory Pace/BEI/Shutterstock (4815709cl) Nina Dobrev CFDA Fashion Awards, New York, America - 01 Jun 2015 WEARING LELA ROSE SAME OUTFIT AS CATWALK MODEL 4436248D

I COULD bitch about this one, but instead I'll just say that I think these two pieces don't really feel like they go together.

2015 Teen Choice Awards, in Zuhair Murah

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock (4963076gb) Nina Dobrev Teen Choice Awards, Press Room, Los Angeles, America - 16 Aug 2015 WEARING ZUHAIR MURAD

Again, perfect match of dress and event.

2015 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, in Mugler

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Vince Bucci/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9057409an) Nina Dobrev arrives at the Television Academy's Creative Arts Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater, in Los Angeles Television Academy's 2015 Creative Arts Emmy Awards - Arrivals, Los Angeles, USA

This is a bit of a meh, with the exception of those very cute shoes.

2015 American Music Awards, in Zuhair Murad

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jim Smeal/Shutterstock (5412278dd) Nina Dobrev American Music Awards, Arrivals, Los Angeles, America - 22 Nov 2015 WEARING ZUHAIR MURAD

And this is VERY pretty but seems a bit conservative for the AMAs. Save this one for a museum gala!

2016 Golden Globe Awards, in Max Azria

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9055810im) Nina Dobrev arrives at the InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes afterparty at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, Calif 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards - InStyle and Warner Bros. Afterparty, Beverly Hills, USA

Ehhhh.

2016 Academy Awards, in Elie Saab

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9053326co) Nina Dobrev arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, in Beverly Hills, Calif 88th Academy Awards - Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Los Angeles, USA

This is very pretty but not SUPER memorable?

2016 Met Gala, in Marchesa

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matt Baron/Shutterstock (5669096am) Nina Dobrev The Metropolitan Museum of Art's COSTUME INSTITUTE Benefit Celebrating the Opening of Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology, Arrivals, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC, New York, America - 02 May 2016 WEARING MARCHESA

And this is ostensibly REALLY pretty but also somewhat generic for the Met Gala. This was the "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology" theme and I feel like Marchesa was like "just stick something metallic on it!"

2016 American Music Awards, in Zuhair Murad.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9055730fy) Nina Dobrev arrives at the American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater, in Los Angeles 2016 American Music Awards - Arrivals, Los Angeles, USA

We have course-corrected for the AMAs!

2016 MTV Europe Music Awards, in Elie Saab

Mandatory Credit: Photo by David Fisher/Shutterstock (7004078gs) Nina Dobrev MTV Europe Music Awards, Rotterdam, Netherlands - 06 Nov 2016 WEARING ELIE SAAB

This is really pretty but the color might be a little....dusty?

2017 Golden Globe Awards, in Zac Posen

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9242041gx) Nina Dobrev arrives at the InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes afterparty at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, Calif The 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards - InStyle and Warner Bros. Afterparty, Beverly Hills, USA - 8 Jan 2017

This is very pretty and feels vintage, but is not. It's also very Your Fanciest Holiday Party.

2017 Academy Awards, in Dior

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9241606tt) Nina Dobrev arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, in Beverly Hills, Calif 89th Academy Awards - Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Beverly Hills, USA - 26 Feb 2017

UGH, remember Dior's Joe Boxer period?? (Her haircut is CUTE though.)

2018 Golden Globe Awards, in Ralph Lauren

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9225351bc) Nina Dobrev attends the HFPA and InStyle Celebrate the 2018 Golden Globe Awards Season at Catch LA, in West Hollywood, Calif HFPA and InStyle Celebrate the 2018 Golden Globe Awards Season, West Hollywood, USA - 15 Nov 2017

And THIS was the period where everyone changed between afterparties, which had to have been exhausting for EVERYONE. (Including me.) This is....okay.

2018 Golden Globes part II, in Ralph Lauren

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9309665cl) Nina Dobrev arrives at the InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes afterparty at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills, Calif 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards - InStyle and Warner Bros. Afterparty, Beverly Hills, USA - 07 Jan 2018

I think this is the better Ralph Lauren, for my money.

2018 Academy Awards, in Valentino

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/Shutterstock (9448618ss) Nina Dobrev arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, in Beverly Hills, Calif 90th Academy Awards - Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Beverly Hills, USA - 04 Mar 2018

This textile is really pretty, but these Valentino Sports Bra Dresses always felt a little overthought to me.

2018 Teen Choice Awards, in Calvin Klein

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Broadimage/Shutterstock (9788331fr) Nina Dobrev Teen Choice Awards, Arrivals, Los Angeles, USA - 12 Aug 2018 2018 Teen Choice Awards WEARING CALVIN KLEIN

Ah, and this is from that time when Calvin Klein went full GREETINGS FELLOW KIDS and like made Millie Bobby Brown their muse. (This is objectively, like, fine, but I am not going to CK for my lemon yellow leather shirtdresses.)