Throughout the years, celebrities have stepped onto the Emmys red carpet in plenty of showstopping looks. From glamorous gowns to beautiful fitted suits, these outfits have commanded attention with the help of subtle fashion details that make them all the more extravagant. Whether it be a serpent necklace or an ampersand pin, stars are known to use fashion as a powerful way to express themselves and their ideals. Scroll below to see 18 celebrities who made a big statement in the subtle details of their Emmys outfits.
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Jenna Ortega left little to the imagination at the 2025 Emmys. This Givenchy dress was a nod to the iconic outfit that Isabella Rossellini wore in the 1992 classic Death Becomes Her and just like with the original outfit, the jewels are placed in a strategic way so that Ortega can confidently wear the piece without worrying about any nip slips.
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Taraji P. Henson reminded fans that she will always be that girl when she stepped out in this little number. The Baby Boy actor wore this beautiful plum dress to the 2024 Emmys to promote her film The Color Purple, where she played the eccentric Shug Avery.
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Laverne Cox also wore a showstopping dress to the 2024 Emmys. That year, she celebrated the history of fashion by wearing a vintage 1989 Thierry Mugler Les Atlantes archival mermaid gown, which has been exhibited in museums.
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Megan Stalter had one of the best looks at the 2025 Emmys. The comedian paired her plain white top and blue jeans with a handbag that said, “CEASE FIRE!” on the front. Stalter was one of a few attendees that evening who chose to make a political statement at the event.
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Elisabeth Moss wore a pale pink Prabal Gurung dress to the 2017 Emmys. The Us star’s feminist look was inspired by her character’s heartbreaking story in The Handmaiden’s Tale, which she won two Emmys for that night.
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The 2025 Emmys was a big night for Lisa. After making her acting debut in Season 3 of The White Lotus, she paid homage to the show, which was filmed in her homeland of Thailand, by sporting a bejeweled serpent necklace by Bulgari. Snakes were a reccuring theme on her season of The White Lotus.
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Elizabeth Olsen received her first Emmy nomination in 2021. She celebrated the moment by wearing a white minimalist gown designed by her older sisters, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, from their luxury fashion label, The Row, to the event.
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Victoria Rowell made a political statement at the 2009 Emmys. She showed just how much she supports President Barack Obama, who was sworn in as the 44th president of the United States just months earlier, with her one-of-a-kind look.
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Laverne Cox has made many fashion statements in her career, including the time she wore this rainbow clutch to the 2019 Emmys. The front of the accessory said “Oct 8, Title VII, Supreme Court,” which referred to two Title VII sexual orientation discrimination cases that were headed to the Supreme Court. These cases addressed whether employees could be fired based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
10.
Cate Blanchett was one of a few celebrities who paid homage to late Italian designer Giorgio Armani at the 2025 Emmys. Armani died shortly before the ceremony on Sept. 4. He was 91. To honor his life, Blanchett wore a velvet Armani jumpsuit that featured a plunging neckline and structured shoulders.
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Aubrey Plaza’s 2024 Emmys dress was one of the most talked-about looks of the night. Though it didn’t have a symbolic meaning, fans were obsessed with the avant-garde details of the dress that made it exciting. The look featured a giant metal sewing needle in the middle, which made fans think about the infamous post-it note that Carrie Bradshaw’s boyfriend left her in Sex and the City.
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Dan Levy paid homage to his Schitt’s Creek character by wearing a skirt suit to the 2020 Emmys. Not only did the look challenge gender norms, but it also celebrated the end of his character David’s storyline when he married Patrick in a nearly identical look.
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Katherine LaNasa’s 2025 Emmys dress had a secret meaning. In lieu of her being nominated as Nurse Dana on The Pitt, she wore an ivory Jason Wu gown with a blue bow on the front. The color of the bow referenced the traditional nursing scrubs that people used to wear in the 20th century, making her Emmys win all that more symbolic.
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Sarah Jessica Parker is another celebrity who once paid homage to her titular character at the Emmys. In 2000, she wore a pink feathered and tulle Oscar de la Renta dress to the event, which looked very similar to the famous tutu that she wore in the opening credits of Sex and the City.
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Tatiana Maslany was one of a few people who were spotted wearing a blue ampersand pin to the 2017 Emmys. The pin shows support to the LGBTQ+ community. “It’s about togetherness. It’s about bringing all of us together — about inclusivity, inclusiveness,” Moonlight director Barry Jenkins explained at the Oscars that year.
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Bella Ramsey identifies as non-binary and has long used fashion to reject gender norms. At the 2024 Emmys, they stayed true to themself by wearing a dark green gender-neutral suit made by Prada.
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Tracee Ellis Ross was one of the best-dressed at the 2020 Emmys. Though it was a virtual ceremony that year, Ross didn’t let that stop her from getting dressed to the nines in a gold Alexandre Vauthier dress. Some critics thought she channeled the iconic Emmys statue with her look.
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Quinta Brunson is another star who is believed to have channeled the Emmys statue with her look. In 2022, she went to the awards show in a bronze Dolce & Gabbana dress that featured a liquid-like metallic skirt. Brunson’s look was a good luck charm because that year, she won her first Emmy. The actor took home the award for best outstanding writing for a comedy series for her work on Abbott Elementary.
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What’s your favorite look from past Emmys? Share them in the comments!
