Kirsten Dunst has enjoyed a long career in Hollywood and managed to swerve the troubles that seemed to plague so many of her child actor peers. What she didn’t avoid, however, were the terrible fashion choices of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, but to be fair not many of us made it out of that period unscathed. We dug through the archives and found some of Dunst’s best (worst?) red carpet outfits that truly defined the era’s style sensibilities. You’ve been warned.
When it comes to making an entrance, no one does it better than Kirsten Dunst. The 40-year-old actress and mom-of-two makes an impact whenever she walks the red carpet and her days as a young Hollywood starlet were no different. Now, however, Dunst is more likely to be seen in a gorgeous designer gown. Take her outfit for the recent slap-infested Oscars ceremony.
Kirsten Dunst: A Hollywood Rose In Full Bloom
She rocked a red, strapless ruffled gown with a timeless look that was well earned. It was a vintage Christian Lacroix creation, after all. Nothing says “Old Hollywood Glamour” better than a gorgeous vintage number. There are certain pieces that just withstand the test of time so well. Then there are the outfits that Dunst wore at the height of her then-newfound fame.
The Turtleneck/Shift Dress Combo
Don’t get us wrong, we love a shift dress just as much as the next person, but something about seeing the braided-tassel-looking straps against the black turtleneck just rubs us the wrong way. But this photo was taken in 2002 when the layering craze was reaching its peak, though it would linger on for a few more lamentable years.
Adding Belts To Dresses
In the early aughts, it was as if society had just recently discovered accessories and the world went crazy for them, Dunst included apparently. For the most part, we actually like this dress a lot. In fact, it’s the kind of mid-length skirt that’s deeply in rage at the moment, with notable figures in fashion like Kate Middleton often rocking the conservative yet flirty style. We also love the gray raincoat, which Dunst has playfully spread open to give photographers a peek at what she’s wearing underneath. The belt is our largest problem, which gives this look a sort of knock-off Lord Of The Rings feel.
Night Out In A Business Casual Camisole
The hilarious part of being a younger member of Generation X or an older Millennial means that there’s probably at least one photo of you out there somewhere dressed up in your finest business casual for a night out on the town or at the club. Dunst is a blazer or cardigan away from being ready for her shift as an HR representative in this photo.
It’s not just the everyday nature of this look that fails to impress us, it’s also the fact that it seems to be very ill-fitting. The camisole is wrinkly and her pants bunch up around her feet and ankles despite fitting the rest of her legs just fine.
The Peak Millennial
We’ve been pretty rough on Kirsten Dunst’s red carpet looks this far, but that’s only because we dressed the exact same way. This is where we give Dunst the credit she’s due for her iconic style during that era. Sure, there were some…really bad fashions that came out of that decade, but then you’d have looks like this one.
Dunst looks adorable in her pink, lacy babydoll dress with a darker pink velvet ribbon threaded around the bust to give a bit of structure. From her hair to her pink wrap, Dunst is every inch a ’90s princess in this picture and we can’t help but love her for it. And wonder if there’s an age limit on rocking this exact look.
Outdoor Pajama Wear
Checkered pants. Pastel checkered pants, at that. We have nothing further to say about them that they haven’t already said about themselves. Dunst was only about 14 years old in this photo, so we’ll give her an excuse as long as she’ll give us one for wearing a very similar outfit ourselves. We’ve got a lot of nostalgia for that era, but that doesn’t mean we’re not glad that we’ve left it in the past.
