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Has anyone in Hollywood had as many style evolutions as Kim Kardashian? Well, maybe Madonna – but the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star has certainly become the modern fashion chameleon.
Looking back, Kim Kardashian wasn’t always such a style icon. Through the 2000s and 2010s, she followed style rules and seasonal trends – then she met Kanye West. His control over her wardrobe was more than a little toxic – remember when Kardashian said “I always thought I had really good style until I met my husband and he told me that I had the worst style”? Still, it’s undeniable that West introduced Kim Kardashian to a new world of luxury fashion houses, creative directors and in doing so, kickstarted her love of high fashion.
When her marriage to West ended however, Kim Kardashian proved critics wrong – her new, front row-worthy style may have been influenced by Kanye West initially, but it’s now entirely her own.
Here, we take a look at some of Kim Kardashian’s most famous outfits, and how her personal aesthetic has solidified over the years.
2005
Back in the mid-00s, Kim Kardashian would often coordinate her red carpet looks with sisters, like she did here with Kourtney Kardashian for an E! event.
2006
Wearing everyone’s favourite look in the 2000s – a pointless waist belt and skinny jeans tucked into boots.
2007
The bangle stacks! Those satin pumps! This fashion look couldn’t be more 2007 if it tried.
2011
Kim Kardashian was already heading toward a more minimalist fashion style by the early 2000s.
2013
The couture gown that kickstarted Kim Kardashian’s rise to fashion icon. This Givenchy dress by Riccardo Tisci will one day surely be part of its own Metropolitan Museum Of Art exhibition. Still, at the time it was highly polarising and led to a waterfall of memes, which Kardashian later said cut deep. Speaking to Vogue, the star recalled “I think Robin Williams even said I looked like Mrs. Doubtfire. I was crying the whole way home because I just couldn’t believe it.”
After her Met Gala appearance, Kardashian had a noticeably sleeker style – from red carpet to off duty. Here, the star is shown leaving Balenciaga in an all-black ensemble with a fuzzy Max Mara coat (which led to the rise of teddy coats in the mid-2010s).
2014
By 2014, Kim Kardashian was regularly seen in designer fashion. Heading out the night before her Parisian wedding, the star wore this incredible Balmain mini dress covered in studs and crystals.
For a NBC Universal event, the star wore a classic black dress, complementing sister Khloe Kardashian.
Kim Kardashian’s second Met Gala appearance for ‘Charles James: Beyond Fashion’ was less controversial but also critiqued – this time for being too safe and off-theme. Still, this Lanvin dress remains timeless.
2015
Kim Kardashian went a little more bold for the 2015 Met Gala in this Roberto Cavalli naked dress, which featured trailing feathers and strategic embellishments.
Is this one of Kim Kardashian’s best fashion looks? The vintage Jean-Paul Gaultier gown made the reality star look like a Grecian goddess, but it also wasn’t without its wardrobe malfunction moments. Apparently, part of the gown started to fall off before arrival. Thankfully, someone was on hand with the safety pins.
Sometimes it feels like we collectively forgot that Kim Kardashian was the first celebrity to push against modest maternity-wear. While Rihanna has dominated recent headlines for her sexy takes on dressing baby bumps, Kardashian really did do it first in this Givenchy jumpsuit. Again, one of our favourite fashion looks from the star.
2016
The 2016 Met Gala was Kim Kardashian’s time to shine. For the ‘Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology’ theme, the star wore custom Balmain by Olivier Rousteing – a heavily embellished, robot-like gown that complemented then-husband Kanye West’s look. “I don’t know if anyone knows this, but we had a fully different look; an all-sequin gown to the floor look that [I was] going to wear for the Met Gala,” she said on a Balmain video released after the event. “But instead, we wanted it to be more metal-y. We took a skirt and then a top from something else.”
Many will say this clingy, sheer mini dress Kim Kardashian wore to the 2016 MTV Awards heralded the star’s sexiest era. Funnily enough, Kardashian didn’t plan this look at all. “I was so inspired by my recent trip to Mexico that I went with this amazing, vintage Galliano dress that I’ve had in my closet for forever,” she revealed later on her website.
As North West grew up, we all realised that she too had inherited her parent’s love for fashion. Kim Kardashian often stepped out wearing synchronised outfits with her daughter, like these matching disco looks by Vetements.
Continuing her daring/sexy era, Kim Kardashian wore this netted Balmain piece for the fashion house’s Paris show in 2017.
2017
For the 2017 Met Gala, ‘Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between’, Kardashian wore Vivienne Westwood, and while again there was criticism that it didn’t fit the theme, Kardashian (in signature style) brushed off the hate, saying she chose minimalism this year. She also told Vogue she had an interesting trip to the event. “When we were driving to the event, I didn’t want to wrinkle my dress, so I laid down in the car, lol. Anything for fashion!”
Continuing her year of minimalism, Kardashian attended the Harper’s Bazaar Icons event in New York wearing glittering Versace (with matching sandals).
Again, Kim Kardashian was a picture of minimalism, this time at the LACMA Art + Film Gala in a simple Tom Ford for Gucci suit and strappy black heels.
2018
By 2018, Kim Kardashian was leaving minimalism behind and embracing edgier fits from top fashion houses, like this strapless Prada jumpsuit.
You had to hand it to them – Kim Kardashian and Kanye West really landed couple’s dressing during their relationship. Out in New York on their way to attend The Cher Show, West wore a sleek black suit while Kardashian vintage Versace from 1998.
Later, West was called out for seeming to be on his phone during the musical performance, to which he responded via Twitter “The dynamics of Cher and Sonny’s relationship made Kim and I grab each other’s hand and sing “I got you babe. Please pardon my lack of etiquette. We have so much appreciation for the energy you guys put into making this master piece.”
For Versace’s Pre-Fall 2019 collection, Kim Kardashian channelled her 00s best friend Paris Hilton in a plunging glomesh mini by the Italian fashion house, that waa very reminiscent of Hilton’s iconic birthday dress from their youth.
2019
This body-hugging Mugler dress was a standout for Kim Kardashian in 2019, worn out in New York with – what else – Yeezy ankle booties.
Kim Kardashian has broken the internet many times, and this vintage Mugler dress was definitely one of those. Look familiar? That’s because Megan Fox wore a similar one on the red carpet for the 2021 Billboard Awards, although Fox’s was from the designer’s spring/summer 2021 collection – Kardashian’s is from Mugler’s 1998 collection.
She continued to break the internet through 2019 (and continued her love for Mugler), wearing this visually arresting dress by the fashion house for the Met Gala, complete with waist-crunching corset from famed corset-maker Mr Pearl. The controversial outfit (many critics chastised Kardashian for moulding her body into an unrealistic beauty standard) was the first piece designed by Thierry Mugler for Mugler in twenty years. “To come and design this gown for me is such an honour,” Kardashian told Vogue. “This is about eight months in the making. He envisioned me this California girl stepping out of the ocean, wet, dripping.”
2020
Attending Kanye West’s Sunday Service in 2020, Kardashian wore head-to-toe latex – a Balmain suit that just days prior had been on the runway for the label’s fall collection.
Kardashian fell in love with Balmain’s latex suits from the collection, wearing three through the year. Here, she chose a blush set to step out with North West in March.
Heading out in Paris, Kardashian wore the Yeezy python boots, vintage Versace sunglasses and all leather, toting the Hermes George Condo bag and – controversially – teaming it all with braids. She was later called out for cultural appropriation.
2021
Attending the Wall Street Journal 2021 Innovator Awards, Kardashian wore a brown leather dress from her Fendi x SKIMS collaboration. Later, she revealed on Keeping Up With The Kardashians that she had been having panic attacks about styling herself after her split from Kanye West. She then told sister Kourtney that West called her after the event. “He told me my career was over and showed me a picture of Marge Simpson wearing something similar,” she said to her shocked sister.
Regardless of West’s opinion, fashion critics praised this minimalist look from the star.
Channelling Barbiecore, Kim Kardashian wore a Balenciaga hot pink suit in New York later that year.
For the 2021 Met Gala (her first without Kanye West) Kardashian stole the show in this avant garde Balenciaga outfit and while it was, once again, controversial for arguably being off-theme, it was nonetheless a stand out. “I fought against it,” the star later told Vogue. “I was like, I don’t know how I could wear the mask. Why would I want to cover my face? But Demna [Gvasalia] and the team were like, This is a costume gala. This is not a Vanity Fair party where everyone looks beautiful. There’s a theme and you have to wear the mask. That is the look.”
2022
By 2022 Kardashian had regained her fashion confidence after splitting from West, and entered (another!) new style evolution era – plus became a skincare mogul. Here in Milan, she chose an orange Prada jumpsuit that, while controversial with fans, was praised by those in fashion.
Another day in Milan, another Prada outfit. This time, for the fashion house’s Fall/Winter show, Kardashian wore a green suit with oversized leather coat, and was seated front row.
For the SKIMS SWIM Miami pop-up, the only choice was latex. Does any Hollywood star own more latex fashion than Kim Kardashian? We think not.
The Met Gala outfit to end all Met Gala outfits? Possibly – Kim Kardashian was polarising in Marilyn Monroe’s famous evening gown for the 2022 event, notoriously damaging the fragile historical piece and then wearing a replica for the duration of the night. Still, it was absolutely the evening’s stand-out look.
Attending the Jean-Paul Gaultier Haute Couture Fall/Winter 22/23 show at Paris Fashion Week, Kardashian teamed up with daughter North West in matching pinstripes and faux nose rings.
2022 saw Kim Kardashian’s street style evolve into a blend of athleisure and SKIMS-informed bodywear.
Heading to dinner during the 2022 Art Basel, Kardashian wore a custom latex bandeau top by Vex with motorcross pants and black leather boots.
2023
Heading to Victoria Beckham’s London store in March, Kardashian went surprisingly low-key with her outfit considering her penchant for daring outfits through the back end of 2022. Is this Kim Kardashian’s 2023 style evolution?
