A few weeks ago, a highly select group of VIPs received a coveted invitation to the biggest red carpet bonanza in Hollywood: GQ’s annual Men of the Year Party, which this year will be co-hosted by a quartet of megawatt stars in Jacob Elordi, Kim Kardashian, Travis Scott, and Tom Ford.
The dress code listed on the invite? Modern Red Carpet.
But what, pray tell, does that even mean? It means showing out the way that stars have at the biggest events on the planet for generations now: In the swankiest, swerviest, most spotlight-stealing fashion possible. Maybe that’s stunting in a disco-tinged jumpsuit like Lakeith Stanfield at the 2021 Oscars, suiting up in sumptuous red velvet like Gwenyth Paltrow in 1999, or keeping things simmeringly subtle like Frank Ocean’s Prada look at the 2019 Met Gala. Whatever your interpretation, the best red carpet looks need to feel unexpected, look unforgettable, and radiate confidence.
To help jumpstart your own legendary party ensembles, here are 63 of the greatest red carpet moments ever—and what you can learn from each.
