The 21 Most Iconic Dresses of All Time

It is amazing to see how quickly the fashion industry changes and creates new trends. What’s ’in’ this season will be ’out’ a year or two from now.

But some clothing styles are so versatile, elegant, and chic that they remain fashionable and practically unchanged for decades. Today, we here at Bright Side have decided to look back at the most unforgettable dresses that have shaped the course of couture in recent decades.

Julia Roberts

Pretty Woman, 1990

Richard Gere’s character, Edward Lewis, in Pretty Woman is not the only thing that keeps the eyes of millions of women glued to the screen throughout the entire film. It’s also because of the scene when Vivian Ward, played by Julia Roberts, appears transformed, Cinderella-style, in an elegant red evening gown, complemented with white gloves.

Angelina Jolie

With every red carpet appearance, Angelina Jolie’s unique personal style keeps all of the beauty and fashion world buzzing. However, none of her looks have wowed more than this long black draped dress.

Audrey Hepburn

Sabrina, 1954

Audrey Hepburn’s character in Sabrina captivated not only the hearts of men but also won the attention of women who admired her beautiful white ball gown.

Grace Kelly

To Catch a Thief, 1955

This wonderful flowing strapless dress worn by the future Princess of Monaco made her fans admire her exquisite beauty and charm.

Cinderella

Cinderella, 1950

Cinderella’s ballgown has become one of the most instantly recognizable dresses in Disney history. Puffy, sparkling, and magical, this dress is a perfect outfit for any princess.

Catherine Deneuve

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, 1964

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, which was released in 1964, helped Catherine Deneuve achieve stardom in Hollywood very quickly. In addition, due to her perfect style, elegance, and grace the actress became an icon for many women.

Elizabeth Taylor

Cleopatra, 1963

In the role of Cleopatra, Elizabeth Taylor wore an amazing golden dress, which suited the queen perfectly. However, it is hard to choose only one gown since all of the dresses featured in this film were just gorgeous.

Marilyn Monroe

When Marilyn Monroe sang ’Happy Birthday’ for John F. Kennedy, she wore a luxuriant full-length evening sheath dress embroidered with rhinestones. This was the dress that became the model for all modern ’transparent outfits.’

Vivien Leigh

Gone with the Wind, 1939

Scarlett O'Hara looked just gorgeous at Melanie's birthday party, wearing an elegant purple dress. 

Twiggy

Among all supermodels, Twiggy is definitely the one who defined the image of an era. Her fabulously flirty trapeze dresses became a fashion trend, followed by millions of women around the world.

Elisabeth of Bavaria (Sisi)

Empress Elisabeth of Austria was adored by many not only for her good looks and impeccable taste in clothing, but also for her kindness and generosity.

Jennifer Grey

Dirty Dancing, 1987

Everyone remembers this famous scene from Dirty Dancing where Johnny and Baby are dancing together at the end of the film. And a lot of the success of this movie was due to Baby’s pink ladylike dress that continues to mesmerize audiences even now.

Diana Princess of Wales

Princess Diana had awesome taste in clothing, and her elegant pale blue dress is a perfect example of that.

Cameron Diaz

The Mask, 1994

Cameron looked just gorgeous in her red skinny dress. So it’s no wonder that Jim Carrey’s character fell in love with her at first sight.

Kate Winslet

Titanic, 1997

Millions of people around the world have watched this movie, admiring the brilliant performance and splendid dresses worn by the main heroine.

Coco Chanel’s little black dress

Fashion trends change, but a little black dress continues to be a staple of every woman’s wardrobe. The legendary fashion designer managed to create a work of art that remains immortal with the passage of time.

Frida Kahlo’s green dress

Not only are Frida Kahlo’s paintings worth admiring and emulating, but her sense of style is too. Just look at this gorgeous green dress that has become iconic.

Natalie Portman

Star Wars, 2002

Telling the story of the battle between positive and negative forces, Star Wars is possibly one of the most famous movie sagas of all time. And it goes without saying that the brilliant Natalie Portman, wearing wonderful outfits, contributed a lot to the popularity of the film.

Elsa

Frozen, 2013

Elsa’s amazing ice-blue dress delights us with its grace and elegance. It’s little wonder that millions of young women around the world are trying to mimic it.

Sarah Jessica Parker

Sex and the City, 1998

Sex and the City became a real fashion guide for many women. And this beautiful vintage white flower dress is a great example of how to be stylish from head to toe.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Catherine’s simple yet stunning and elegant wedding dress has captured the hearts of millions. The bride’s extra-long wedding gown train reminded us of Princess Diana’s wedding.

Source of the preview photo credit: REX/Shutterstock / Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock /
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