Looks of the Year: The most stylish people of 2024
John Cleese is seen arriving at Virgin Radio Station on May 10
(CNN) — Each week of 2024, CNN Style has delved into the standout or most talked-about celebrity fashion moment of the last seven days, from Heidi Klum’s show-stopping E.T. Halloween costume to the internet-breaking Harris-Walz camo caps released on the campaign trail.
Not all ensembles were enviable, of course. Looks ranged from flamboyant red carpet moments to surprising celebrity street style (remember when Rosalia was spotted wearing a straitjacket while out in New York?). But there was merit to each of them, and most were, at the very least, head-turners — something fashion should always aspire to be.
In honor of documenting a year’s worth of compelling outfits, we’ve curated fashion’s 2024 superlatives below.
Most reliably best-dressed
Zendaya has claimed more Looks of the Week than any other celebrity since our series began. This year, her stand-out outfits came from the “Dune: Part Two” premiere in February and her glamorous nod to Cher at the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in October. The actor’s fashion chops are so highly regarded, Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar let slip in September he was considering writing a film about her and her longtime stylist, Law Roach, according to Vanity Fair Spain.
Most committed
While competition was tight — no press tour has been the same since Margot Robbie’s dedicated doll dress-up schedule for “Barbie” — this year there was one clear winner. For the past eight months, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have diligently donned their character’s colors of green and pink at nearly every photo call or red carpet. No matter public opinion, a dress code that lengthy is worth acknowledging.
Best archival pull
In 2024, accessing museum-grade archives is still one of the biggest flexes for a fashion-forward celebrity. For the MTV VMAs red carpet in September, Sabrina Carpenter arrived in a 1991 vintage Bob Mackie sequined gown custom originally made for Madonna.
Best accessory
Michael Kors once said an accessory is simply “an exclamation point” to an outfit. This October, Andrew Garfield certainly made a statement when he finished off his look with a life-size cardboard cut-out of his co-star Florence Pugh (seen above) for the London premiere of “We Live in Time.”
Most unlikely fashion choice
In May, British comedic royalty and octogenarian John Cleese — who is best known as a founding member of UK comedy troupe Monty Python, as well as the star and co-creator of British sitcom “Fawlty Towers” — was spotted in London wearing a $550 appliqué denim logo cap from Gen-Z’s favorite luxury brand, Miu Miu.
Most politically charged item
Rest in peace, Adidas Sambas. Time of death: April 4, 2024 — coincidentally the same time former Britain’s then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak donned a pair for a recorded interview about tax and childcare policies.
Critics derided the choice of footwear, with British GQ writing: “In a bid to present himself as young and hip… Sunak took an eternally cool sneaker, and ruined it for everyone.”
Sunak then offered a “fulsome apology to the Samba community,” adding: “In my defense I would say I have been wearing Adidas trainers and Sambas and others for many, many years.”
Top sports-fashion crossover
What’s green and white with bows all over? Naomi Osaka at the 2024 US Open. In August, Osaka made headlines with her custom made coquettish Nike tennis kits, adorned with ruffles and giant satin bows. “The inspiration that fueled the look for me — and this might be a Japanese term — is feeling like a ‘magical girl’ on the court,” she said in a press release.
Most surprising red carpet moment
It was the reveal of the year: Brooke Shields at the Tony Awards in June, lifting her canary yellow Monique Lhuillier gown to present her matching rubber Crocs.
Easiest look to recreate at home
Rihanna, the woman who redefined maternity wear to include lace bodysuits, offered up something more low-key this year. To emulate this Jacquemus look, just add gold point-toe stilettos, matching jewelry and a full face of makeup to your freshly-washed fluffy bathrobe.
The people’s choice
One of the most-read Looks of the Week in 2024 was Monica Lewinsky’s fashion campaign debut for Reformation. The collection, titled “You’ve Got the Power,” was a mixture of blazers and office-appropriate knitwear, with Lewinsky reclaiming her image in a no-nonsense black midi-dress against the windows of a sky-high boardroom.
Her image and career were destroyed in her early 20s, after authorities learned of a series of sexual encounters she’d had as a White House intern with then-President Bill Clinton, leading to a presidential impeachment for Clinton and decades of misogyny, death threats and social alienation for Lewinsky.
She has since become an activist against bullying and cyberbullying.
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