Lupita in Boss
If you misread that as "Lupita IS boss," you would also be correct. She wore a lot of stuff this year that I loved and I basically flipped a coin to decide what to put in here.
Constance Wu in Johanna Ortiz
This is exquisite. This is all-time.
Kristen Bell in Zuhair Murad
I love this so much that I want to cuddle with it.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Burberry
You've seen this a few times, and you're seeing it again. It's THAT charming. I'm out of exciting things to say about it, though. Maybe I'll resort to horrible wordplay. Like, "Gugu Mbatha-RAWRRRR."
Olivia Wilde in Michael Kors
This is so good that Kate Hudson should be REALLY MAD someone else got it first.
Leslie Jones in Siriano
She became the online punching bag for a lot of what's heinous about America, so I'm thrilled she got to custom-make a gown for herself that clearly made her feel like a goddess.
Selena Gomez in Prada
A really simple but effective look from Prada; it was nice to see Selena go understated, and this color was great on her.
Priyanka Chopra in Jason Wu
I have quit Quantico, but I will not quit this dress.
Anna Cleveland in John Paul Gaultier
Sleek and stunning.
Jennifer Lawrence in Proenza Schouler
This was the best thing she put on all year.
Joan Smalls in Altuzarra
Jessica Chastain wore a green version of this to a movie premiere, but I like Joan's better.
Kirsten Dunst in Gucci
This was my favorite of her collectively very good Cannes outfits -- and her makeup is superb.
Busy Philipps in Ingie Paris
She's totally magnificent in this.
Sophie Okonedo in Zac Posen
One of my favorite Posen patterns got a lift at the Tonys from Sophie here. It is tough to wear a print Judith Light once did, because she's Judith Light and she's the boss, but Sophie more than held her own against that.
Ruth Negga in Rosie Assoulin
Cheerful, bright, and puffy of sleeve in a way Anne Shirley would admire.
Amy Adams in Versace
This was a hell of a way to start the year for her.
Olivia Munn in Stella McCartney
Maybe Stella should stick to making basics.
Andra Day
This outfit is wholly unique. Andra has her own very specific style and vibe, and I think this does a great job playing into that while also throwing in a few unexpected flourishes.
Allison Williams in Prada
I love this so very much.
Naomie Harris in Rosie Assoulin
This makes two Rosie Assoulin outfits I've liked, which is two more than I expected when she first came on the scene.
Ellie Kemper in Jenny Packham
I love how textured this dress looks in pictures. No idea what it feels like in person, but it leaps off the (web)page.
Melissa McCarthy in Judy B. Swartz
This is as confident as I've ever seen her on a red carpet. It's summery and wondeful, and was custom-made by her stylist.
Lucy Liu in Zuhair Murad
Graceful as hell.
Nikki Reed in Naeem Khan
I am bothered by how much I can see of the lining's imperfections, but I can't deny the scroll part on the outside is magnificent.
Margot Robbie in Tom Ford
Drool.
Michelle Obama in Versace
Burned on my brain.
Portia Doubleday in Naeem Khan
Amazing.
Emma Myles
She plays one of the meth heads on Orange Is The New Black, so it must be SO FUN for her to get to fancy up on a red carpet and remind everyone that her teeth on the show are fake. I think this is lovely on her.
Taylor Swift in Louis Vuitton
She co-hosted the Manus x Machina Met Gala, and I think this was a great combination of cool and kitsch.
Cynthia Erivo in Giles Deacon
She has incredibly unique style, and this laser-cut gown is no exception. It's A LOT, but look at how she shines nonetheless.
Naomie Harris in Burberry
This is another one you've likely seen in a few slideshows around these parts, but I cannot resist that fabric. It's marvelous.
Oprah
A tip of the hat to Oprah's specs.
Julianna Margulies in Carolina Herrera
She looks fabulous in this.
Vanessa Hudgens in Maria Lucia Hohan
Perhaps the best Hudge looked all year, too. It's really glam.
Amy Adams in Tom Ford
I LOVE the texture of this dress, also. And, sparkly. And, her hair. I know that has nothing to do with the dress, but it all plays so nicely together.
Jaime King in Schiaparelli
"Welcome back from the land of the Monse," is what I thought when I saw this. It's so striking. I MISS YOU LEMON BREELAND.
Rita Wilson
Rita has been a Noted Kook in the past, but this is just flat-out dishy.
Katy Perry in Prada
Another of the most arresting Manus X Machina gowns.
Saoirse Ronan in Burberry
She had a GOOD awards season, as you'll see when she turns up again later.
Anne Hathaway in Naeem Khan
She is a pregnant goddess.
Gabrielle Union in Zuhair Murad
Fab.
Maria Borges in Michael Costello
She looks SO GOOD. She won this afterparty.
Evan Rachel Wood
THIS is a suit.
Kate Winslet in Antonio Berardi
This was a close one. I ALMOST went with her green SAGs dress, but the top on this one -- and her lipstick -- is just so great.
Selma Blair in Christian Siriano
The front is pretty basic, so I'm only going to show you the funky, cheerful surprise in the back.
Cate Blanchett in McQueen
I completely forgot this existed. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE.
Zoe Saldana in Dolce & Gabbana
This is, among other things, wonderful mastery of the event itself. D&G knows the Met has that famed staircase, so it created a dress that was LITERALLY tailor-made to be shown off on it. So smart.
Amy Poehler in Andrew Gn
This was a departure for her, and a wise one. She looks amazing.
Bee Shaffer in McQueen
Hardly surprising that the daughter of Anna herself would get such a gem, but it's still worth celebrating.
Dakota Fanning in Elie Saab
I like how punky and lively this is.
best-of-2016-kiernan
Fabulous.
Jane Fonda in Zuhair Murad
Jane has still got it. I think that she will never NOT have it.
Reese Witherspoon in Elie Saab
Dreamy.
Aisha Tyler
I don't have a credit on this, but I feel like she had a VERY up-and-down fashion year and FINALLY this is something worthy of what a goddess she is. We used to see her a fair bit at Fashion Week and in person she is as stunning as you might imagine.
Kristen Wiig in Rosie Assoulin
THREE! THREE Rosie Assoulin dresses I like! [Insert Sesame Street Count laughter here]
Jennifer Aniston in Valentino
This was so fresh for Jennifer. SOLD.
Yara Shahidi in Tracy Reese
If you missed it, we did a whole slideshow this holiday season about how Yara is a style star already. It's worth checking out -- she is so put-together.
Lupita Nyong'o in Elie Saab
I ALMOST picked the canary and blue Herrera instead, but the rainbow of colors on this one sucks me in every time.
Tina Fey in Versace
Royal purple! Thank you, Tina.
Laura Benanti in Oscar de la Renta
This is such a nice hit of color, too. Also, the live streaming of "She Loves Me" this summer was AWESOME, and I believe it's currently in the Broadway Direct website archives if you want see it too (you have to pay, but it's the best $10 I've spent in a while). Zach Levi and Jane Krakowski are also marvelous in it, and Benanti... well. Treat yourself, I say. It's a wonderful romance -- it's based on The Shop Around The Corner, which itself inspired You've Got Mail.
Diane Kruger in Boss
There's something so appealing about how simple this is. Simple, but vibrant.
Naomi Watts in Armani
I love everything about this, and her taste in jewelry remains flawless.
Naomi Watts in Burberry
And Naomi again! She's SO GOOD at awards season. There may be no one better. She's consistently aces.
Jenna Dewan in Zuhair Murad
Can you imagine getting to wear this? You'd feel invincible, I think.
Constance Wu in J. Mendel
Constance nailed BOTH of her two big red-carpet events.
Kirsten Dunst in Schiaparelli
I love that someone wore the cutlery dress. I should have known it would be Kirsten, who also once wore the Star Wars Rodarte, because she's the best.
Nicolette Robinson and Leslie Odom, Jr.
These two are a picture-perfect couple. They're having a baby next year and I'm pretty sure it, too, will be superhuman.
Jane Krakowski in Bibhu Mohapatra
She also nailed the shoes.
Shiri Appleby in DVF
That's gorgeous. The fabric has such depth to it.
Emma "Baby Spice" Bunton in Alice + Olivia
It's a rare treat to gaze upon a Spice who isn't Posh or Scary.
Emily Blunt in Prada
This color is divine.
Christine Baranski
Hello, Diane. I hope your spinoff is amazing, and I wish I was not too cheap to pay for CBS All Access because that means I won't see it.
Sarah Paulson in Prada
Risky, and worth it.
Jaimie Alexander in Genny
Blindspot has sadly not aged as well as this dress.
Saoirse Ronan in Calvin Klein
Emerald for our Emerald Isle native.
Jada Pinkett Smith in Marchesa
This is very old-school Marchesa to me: perfect fluffy fluffiness.
Allison Williams in Peter Pilotto
Utterly stunning.
Viola Davis in Michael Kors
Just when I think I can't love her more, she turns up like this and it's flawless.
Claire Danes in Zac Posen
You may recall from the original post that this dress lights up.
Niecy Nash in Christian Siriano
The best she's ever looked. What a fox.
Sonam Kapoor in Ralph & Russo
Sigh.
Felicity Huffman in Tony Ward
She also hit a personal high in this.
Rachel McAdams in Versace
Gorgeous. I'm stunned that I like something that's so predominantly taupe.
Naomie Harris in Mugler
A festival of yes.
Sienna Miller in Proenza Schouler
The cuteness of this...
Sienna Miller in D&G
... is rivaled only be the amazingness of this.
Mischa Barton
Welcome back, Mischa. Perhaps she has left her Fug Madness years behind us.
Jessica Chastain in Prabal Gurung
Her hair might not have been perfect here, but the dress? FANTASTIC.
Janelle Monae in Toni Maticevski
I thought last year was hot for Janelle Monae, but she was so solid in 2016 too. I can't wait to see her in Hidden Figures.
Kyemah McIntyre in her own design
This young lady, who went viral making her own prom dress, created this for herself on a night where she was honored. It's worth reading about her, and it feels fitting to end this slideshow with a person who is unafraid to celebrate beauty of all kinds and the things that make someone an individual. Voices like that will likely need to be louder than ever now, because parts of America and the world still don't want to hear them. May 2017 be the year in which it's impossible for those people not to listen.
