Nowadays, celebrity fashion can often feel very ho-hum, with a sea of perfectly-coiffed actresses turning up to awards shows and premieres in safe strapless mermaid gowns that you'll forget the next day. These ten celebs, on the other hand, wowed us with choices that veered from classic to unconventional and still managed to linger in our thoughts months later.
[Photo by David Crotty/PatrickMcMullan.com]Classic, simple and sophisticated, Lizzy's gown was a red carpet knockout.
9. Cara Delevingne in Burberry at the British Fashion Council Awards
Cara took home the 'Model of the Year' award and looked like a million bucks in this shimmering, floor-length gown that still manages to feel modern and streamlined with the black panels, cap sleeves and thigh-high slit.
8. Erykah Badu in Givenchy at the Met Ball
[Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Pharrell who? Our former PAPER cover girl rocked her BFF Riccardo Tisci's Givenchy designs at the Met Ball and, in a sea of voluminous ballgowns that paid homage to the gala's theme -- the work of Charles James -- Badu's bold choice paid dividends. She looked elegant, funky and memorable.
7. Cate Blanchett in Armani Privé at the Oscars
Cate can do no wrong and this luminous, nude gown with exquisite Swarovski crystal bead work is a real class act.
6. Angelina Jolie in Elie Saab at the Oscars
Angelina looked radiant and confident in this diaphonous, beaded dress that didn't shy away from showing off her post-reconstructive surgery decolletage following her discovery that she has the breast cancer-causing gene. We're throwing up emoji prayer hands just looking at her.
5. Emma Watson in Dior at the Golden Globes
[Photo by David Crotty/Who would've thought we'd like a gown-pants combo? We've enjoyed Raf Simons' thoughtful, modern designs for Dior since he took over the house and this look on Emma is one of his strongest we've seen on the celebrity red carpet (no shade, Jennifer Lawrence). The bold color complements Emma's glowing skin and the slits and black trousers underneath evoke a certain strength and confidence that, by all accounts, the actress possesses on and off the carpet.
4. Lupita Nyong'o in Prada at the Oscars
It's not news that Lupita was one of 2014's biggest style stars and while Mr. Mickey may have favored her over-the-top Prada ensemble at the Met Gala, we were partial to her other Prada gown, whose goddess cut and baby blue color was quieter -- yet no less breath-taking.
3. Amal Alamuddin in Stella McCartney at the civil ceremony for her marriage to George Clooney
With her perfect brunette hair and sophisticated wardrobe, Amal often gets compared to the Duchess of Cambridge but we think her style is more interesting than that of her royal counterpart. Case in point? The ivory pantsuit she wore to wed America's former Most Eligible Single, George Clooney, which she accessorized with a wide brim hat.
[Photo by Neil Rasmus/2. Rihanna in Adam Selman at the CFDA Awards
What can we say that hasn't already been said about RiRi's uber-sheer beaded gown at the CFDA Awards? The dress fit her like a glove but it was the choice to pair it with the stole and glittery turban that really pulled the look together and turned it from sexy to High Fashion with a capital "F."
1. Solange in Kenzo by Humberto Leon at her wedding to Alan Ferguson
[Photo via Snagging the top spot, Solange's unexpected wedding dress knocked our socks off. In an ocean of strapless-dress wearing brides, Solange's caped gown and gold cuffs makes her look like a celestial queen of the future and will no doubt inspire a ton of brides-to-be in 2015.
