Each September, the best and brightest in television are honored at the annual Emmy Awards, bringing out the biggest stars in the world of TV, and, increasingly, film. And while the Academy Awards remain the, well, the Academy Awards of fashion when it comes to the red carpet, the Emmys also have their own history of glamorous, show-stopping dresses. Think Sarah Jessica Parker in a pink confection of a Chanel haute couture gown at the 2003 ceremony, or Blake Lively, in her arguable sartorial star debut, showing up to the 2009 ceremony in a plunging, red hot Versace number. There was also Jennifer Aniston doing boho chic in beaded Chanel in 2004, a pregnant Claire Danes in sunny yellow Lanvin in 2012, and Tracee Ellis Ross immediately going down in history in a fuchsia ball-skirt gown by Valentino Couture. This year’s nominees include stars like Elle Fanning, Zendaya, and Sarah Paulson—a list that all but guarantees that more fashion moments will be rolling around soon. Until then, a look back at the best Emmy Awards red carpet dresses of years past.
Sarah Jessica Parker in Chanel haute couture at the 55th annual Emmy Awards in 2003.
Jennifer Aniston wearing Chanel to the 56th annual Emmy Awards in 2004.
Sandra Oh wearing Vera Wang at the 58th annual Emmy Awards in 2006.
Olivia Wilde wearing Reem Acra at the 60th annual Emmy Awards in 2008.
Blake Lively wearing Versace at the 61st annual Emmy Awards in 2009.
Connie Britton wearing Burberry at the 62nd annual Emmy Awards in 2010.
Christina Hendricks wearing Zac Posen at the 62nd annual Emmy Awards in 2010.
Nina Dobrev wearing Donna Karan at the 63rd annual Emmy Awards in 2011.
Emilia Clarke wearing Chanel at the 64th annual Emmy Awards in 2011.
Lucy Liu wears Versace to the 64th annual Emmy Awards in 2012.
Claire Danes in Lanvin at the 64th Emmy Awards in 2012.
January Jones wearing Jason Wu at the 64th annual Emmy Awards in 2012.
Elisabeth Moss wearing Andrew Gn at the 65th annual Emmy Awards in 2013.
Rose Byrne wearing Calvin Klein Collection at the 65th annual Emmy Awards in 2013.
Lizzy Caplan wearing Donna Karan at the 66th annual Emmy Awards in 2014.
Allison Williams wearing Giambattista Valli at the 66th annual Emmy Awards in 2014.
Kiernan Shipka wearing Dior Couture at the 67th annual Emmy Awards in 2015.
Lady Gaga wearing Brandon Maxwell at the 67th annual Emmy Awards in 2015.
Kerry Washington wearing Marc Jacobs at the 67th annual Emmy Awards in 2015.
Taraji P. Henson wearing Vera Wang at the 68th annual Emmy Awards in 2016.
Priyanka Chopra wearing Jason Wu at the 68th annual Emmy Awards in 2016.
Regina King wears Elizabeth Kennedy to the 68th annual Emmy Awards in 2016.
Viola Davis wears Zac Posen to the 69th annual Emmy Awards in 2017.
Tracee Ellis Ross wearing Chanel Haute Couture at the 69th annual Emmy Awards in 2017.
Nicole Kidman wearing Calvin Klein By Appointment, designed by Raf Simons, to the 69th annual Emmy Awards in 2017.
Sarah Paulson wearing Carolina Herrera at the 69th annual Emmy Awards in 2017.
Issa Rae wears Vera Wang to the 70th Emmy Awards in 2018.
Tracee Ellis Ross wearing Valentino Couture at the 70th Emmy Awards in 2018.
Thandie Newton wearing Brandon Maxwell at the 70th annual Emmy Awards in 2018.
Penelope Cruz wearing Chanel Haute Couture at the 70th annual Emmy Awards in 2018.
Zendaya wearing Vera Wang and Cartier at the 71st annual Emmy Awards in 2019.
Kendall Jenner wears Richard Quinn to the 71st Emmy Awards in 2019.
Viola Davis in custom Alberta Ferretti at the 71st Emmy Awards in 2019.
Tracee Ellis Ross wears Alexandre Vauthier for the 2020 remote Emmy Awards.
Regina King wears Schiaparelli Couture by Daniel Roseberry to the 2020 remote Emmy Awards.
Yara Shahidi in Dior at the 73rd Emmy Awards in 2021.
Michaela Coel in Christopher John Rogers at the 73rd Emmy Awards in 2021.
Emma Corrin in Miu Miu at the 73rd Emmy Awards in 2021.
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