Yahoo Lifestyle I Found 17 Of The Most Expensive Red Carpet Looks Of All Time, And Some Of These Completely Stunned Me
I love award season for many reasons, but seeing the wild and wonderful outfits that are on the carpet has to be a top fave for me.
So, I went ahead and compiled some of the most expensive celebrity red carpet looks since the '90s – so we can all gaze at how the other half lives as award season kicks off.
It’s important to note, however, that most of the time these celebs don’t buy the jewelry or outfits that they wear – they’re likely on loan from the brand.
So, without further ado, here are 17 celebrity red carpet looks that remind me that I’ll probably never be a homeowner.
Madonna at the 1991 Oscars – $20 Million
Madonna’s look consisted of a Bob Mackie gown and $20 million worth of Harry Winston natural diamonds. The Queen of Pop took the King of Pop himself – Michael Jackson – to the 1991 Oscars as her date, where she performed the song “Sooner or Later” from her film Dick Tracy. And for me, this look proves that she is the Material Girl. Just look at the diamonds over her gloves! Unparalleled.
Angela Bassett at the 1996 Oscars – $9 Million
Angela wore this Harry Winston set paired with a gorgeous black dress and mesh gloves. She was reportedly so nervous about her 273 carats of diamonds that she had extra security accompany her to the bathroom. And yeah – I’d be stressed too. Haven't you seen Ocean's 8?
Nicole Kidman at the 1997 Oscars – $2.65 Million
Our first look where the dress is the star of the show! This piece by John Galliano for Christian Dior was valued at over $2.5 million, and it’s engraved in my mind forever. The embroidery! The tiny purse! And who else could pull off that shade of green?
Gloria Stuart at the 1998 Oscars – $20 Million
Making history as the oldest person to ever be nominated for Best Supporting Actress, the 87-year-old also made headlines wearing a 15-carat Harry Winston – a tribute to the “Heart of the Ocean” necklace for her film Titanic that’s valued at $20 million. And I have to give this look its tens – are you seeing the way the blue in her outfit and in her necklace brings out her eyes?
Nicole Kidman at the 2008 Oscars – $7 Million
This L’Wren Scott necklace is so intense it couldn’t even be contained to Nicole’s neck – it took over her dress as well. And while the $7 million piece is truly… powerful, I can’t say it’s my favorite. But Nicole features multiple times on this list, so she’ll probably be fine with my scathing review.
Kate Winslet at the 2010 Oscars – $3 Million
Kate’s look featured a stunning silver Atelier Yves Saint Laurent gown, but she truly outdid herself with over $3 million of diamonds in this Tiffany set. The Art-Deco-inspired necklace featured a rare yellow diamond of over 13 carats, and the matching earrings absolutely make it for me.
Anne Hathaway at the 2011 Oscars – $10 Million
This red Valentino dress has to be one of my favorites on the list — and it’s valued by Vogue at an eye-watering $106,075. Anne’s Tiffany and Co. showstopper is titled the Lucida Star diamond necklace and is valued at around $10 million.
Carrie Underwood at the 2013 Grammys – $31 Million
Until 2019, this Carrie look held the record for the most expensive celebrity red carpet look of all time. See that necklace? 380 carats of glittering diamonds, and according to People the Johnathon Arndt piece is valued at $31 million.
Jennifer Lawrence at the 2013 Oscars – $3.5 Million
Ah, JLaw at the 2013 Oscars. Her fall was genuinely one of my favorite celebrity moments of all time – and we can definitely agree that thanks to this $3.5 million dollar Christian Dior gown, it was the most beautiful and graceful anyone has ever looked as they fell up the stairs.
Amy Adams at the 2014 Golden Globes – $10.6 Million
OK, maybe I’m being pedantic, but if you’re wearing a $10 million necklace, I feel like I shouldn’t have to squint to see it in the pictures. Where’s the sparkle?! But in Amy’s defense, she looks radiant in that Valentino gown.
Cate Blanchett at the 2014 Oscars – $18.1 Million
Cate’s Armani Prive gown was valued at around $100,000 according to British Vogue, but her Chopard earrings, bracelet, and ring reportedly totaled approximately $18 million.
Charlize Theron at the 2014 Oscars – $15.9 Million
What was in the air in 2014?! The second most expensive look of the night was worn by Charlize Theron, who wore a Harry Winston necklace valued at around $15 million. She stunned in a black Christian Dior gown, and the dress, the diamond, and that lethal blonde pixie make this one of my favorite looks on the list.
Rihanna at the 2015 Met Gala – $3.97 Million
Enter my number one fave pick. This look should be taught in schools. To the 2015 Met Ball, Rihanna showed up in this $3.97 million Guo Pei gown. And yes, even though everyone and their mother was meme’ing it, I still think it’s the best a celebrity has ever looked at the Met.
Beyonce at the 2017 Grammys – $12 Million
While Beyoncé may have lost out to Adele in 2017, she made sure to show out at the Grammys by wearing 400 carats of Lorraine Schwartz diamonds valued at around $12 million. And the dress! She was wearing that baby bump like an accessory, and my lord, did it work.
Lady Gaga at the 2019 Oscars – $30-40 Million
And now for the most expensive contender on our list – Gaga at the 2019 Oscars, wearing a necklace worth the price of like, a private island or something. Only worn three times in history, this 129-carat Tiffany and Co. diamond necklace is said to be valued at around $30-40 million dollars. It was last worn during the press tour for Breakfast at Tiffany’s by none other than Audrey Hepburn herself. Gaga paired the jewels with a black Alexander McQueen gown and – I’m sorry, I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around how much money is in this photo.
Gigi Hadid at the 2021 Met Gala – $12 Million
At the 2021 Met Ball, Gigi stunned in a Jacob & Co. diamond necklace valued at around $12 million. The 54-carat necklace was paired with a Prada gown, making the look still one of the most talked-about Met features.
Zendaya at the 2021 Venice International Film Festival – $3.5 Million
And finally, our most recent contender – Zendaya at the Venice International Film Festival with the only non-diamond jewel on this list. The Serpenti Hypnotic Emerald necklace was courtesy of Balmain, and is so iconic that the 94-carat piece had a whole documentary made about it. She stayed true to the brand in a nude Balmain dress, and IDK if I’ll ever get over how good she looked.
Rihanna’s dress is my fave on the list, but Madonna’s jewels and JLaw’s dress have a special place in my heart (and on my vision board). Which is yours? Sound off in the comments below.
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