When celebrities step out on red carpets at star-studded luxury events, we're left in awe by the array of designer gowns and long couture dresses every time - but it's often short and sultry mini dresses that turn the most heads.
There have been countless moments over the years where a star has wowed us in an iconic mini and there are almost too many to whittle down our favourites. But while fashion trends have changed and developed through the decades, we can't help but look back at some red-carpet minis and feel as impressed as we were back then.
And, of course, there are mini dress moments from recent times that instantly gave us a little summer capsule wardrobe inspiration.
So, here are some of our favourite mini-dresses ever seen on the red carpet...
32 red carpet mini dresses we're still thinking about
Jennifer Aniston, 2010
Jennifer Aniston shimmered in luxe gold as she stepped out at the The Bounty Hunter premiere in London back in 2010. Going bold in gold, she opted for a Valentino Haute Couture mini dress with a chic satin Burberry tuxedo jacket layered on top and added maximum elegance with a pair of strappy golden heels.
JLo, 2011
Jennifer Lopez channelled glitterball energy when she stepped out on the red carpet for the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards back in 2011, dazzling in a shimmering silver Emilio Pucci mini dress, studded Christian Louboutin stilettos and a Swarovski crystal clutch bag.
Taylor Swift, 2013
Taylor Swift looked glorious in head-to-toe gold at the 2013 American Music Awards. The music icon sparkled in her Julien MacDonald mini dress that featured a sheer-looking nude panel and a belted waist detail, sporting a peachy-nude makeup look and strappy gold-heeled sandals.
Meghan Markle, 2013
Before she met Prince Harry and began her royal life, Meghan Markle was a star in her own right after landing a role in Suits back in 2011. We love this gorgeous white red carpet mini dress she wore in 2013 featuring a gold button-down detail on the side and a coordinating white clutch bag. She went super sleek with her dark tresses in a straight style and middle parting and added a pop of gold ankle strap heels.
Beyoncé, 2009
Beyoncé’s glittering Balmain mini dress with elbow-length sleeves and bold padded shoulders from the 2009 BET Awards is a look that stands out to us all these years later. Featuring a striking rainbow colour palette, the frock was expertly accessorised by Bey with a huge pair of sea foam-coloured hoop earrings and some plum-toned wedge heels with shiny gold detailing.
Amanda Seyfried, 2022
Amanda Seyfried’s daring take on the 2023 Met Gala theme, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, was one of our favourites from that year. Her draping beaded mini dress was an Oscar de la Renta number, which was elevated further with a pair of gold Stuart Weitzman heeled sandals. Her jewellery was all Cartier and even included a custom gold waterfall necklace.
Chrissy Teigen, 2024
Chrissy Teigen’s puffy pink and black mini dress that she wore at the 66th GRAMMY Awards was a serious standout moment from the night. Stepping out beside her husband, John Legend, Chrissy wowed in the ruffled rose detail mini with a strapless bodice design. She teamed the piece with a pair of black platform peep-toe stilettos and expertly demonstrated how to sport a tousled bob haircut.
Victoria Beckham, 2009
Victoria Beckham was a vision in her sequinned asymmetrical Armani dress with a one shoulder cut and draping hem detail as she attended the Armani 5th Avenue store opening in New York. Her iconic cropped haircut showed off her bare shoulders but she kept jewellery to a minimum and added an edge with black polish on her nails.
Sienna Miller, 2022
Attending the Anatomy Of A Scandal premiere in London in April 2022, Sienna Miller looked oh-so-elegant in a black mini dress with a timeless Bardot neckline with a sweet bow detail. The frock boasted six shining gold buttons on the front, while Sienna made sure the sophistication of the dress was on full display by wearing her blonde tresses up in a tousled bun with face-framing tresses.
Halle Berry, 2022
Halle Berry looked incredible in a ruffled black mini dress from the Philosophy collection by Lorenzo Serafini LBD as she attended the LA premiere of Moonfall in 2022. With a slim plunging neckline detail and huge puffed sleeves, Halle’s mini dress perfectly complemented her silver and black heels and ultra-long chain necklace.
Cameron Diaz, 2007
Cameron Diaz’s ultra sultry black Luella mini dress that she wore for the 2007 MTV Movie Awards boasted a strapless sweetheart neckline and daringly short hemline that we just adore. The dress itself featured a subtle polka dot print that blended into the black tone of the piece - and Cameron added sparkle with some shining silver stilettos.
Margot Robbie, 2023
Margot Robbie’s satin red Vivienne Westwood mini dress with its figure-hugging bodice fit and lace-up back was one of the most iconic wears of 2023. The Aussie actress wore the unforgettable piece for the London premiere of Barbie and embraced the fiery red hotness with a coordinating drawstring satin handbag and a pair of cherry-toned heels.
Reese Witherspoon, 2021
Reese Witherspoon went for a Carolina Herrera number in the form of a sparkling checked pink and red mini dress as she attended the premiere of Sing 2 in 2021. The long-sleeved piece’s shift cut was timeless while the striking print added some bold elevation, which was topped off by studded red pump heels.
Sarah Jessica Parker, 2009
Sarah Jessica Parker looked incredible in a rich wine-coloured bodice-style strapless satin mini dress for the London premiere of Did You Hear About The Morgans? SJP went for a sultry blend of accessories with a pair of fishnet tights, berry platform stilettos and sparkling silver jewellery taking the look to the next level.
Julia Roberts, 2013
Julia Roberts looked sophisticated in a berry-toned A-line mini dress with a crew neck, gorgeous flared sleeves and pretty lace detailing for the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. The Dolce & Gabbana frock was complemented by a pair of nude heels and a champagne clutch bag, while Julia’s brunette tresses looked chic in a face-framing up-do.
Anna Kendrick, 2022
Anna Kendrick was striking in sunshine yellow as she stepped out in a strapless Maticevski mini-dress at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival. The dazzling number featured a voluminous puffy skirt with folded pleats and a simple neckline. Anna kept the rest of her look understated with a pair of golden-heeled sandals and a slicked-back bun.
Natalie Portman, 2022
Natalie Portman’s outfit for the 2022 premiere of Pachinko demonstrates exactly why all-red is always a good idea if you want to turn heads. The Magda Butrym look consisted of a timeless strapless mini dress, while a classic blazer in the same fiery red tone sat neatly on her shoulders. A pair of satin-heeled pumps added even more elegance while Natalie kept her hair sleek in a gorgeous updo.
Anna Hathaway, 2022
We’re still thinking about Anne Hathaway’s all-leopard look from the Valentino Haute Couture Spring Summer 2023 show. The actress and fashion icon blew minds in a crystal-embellished leopard print mini dress with a pair of incredible leopard stockings and matching stilettos.
Gwyneth Paltrow, 2012
Gwyneth Paltrow’s gorgeous take on sky blue satin in the form of a halterneck Prada piece is one we’re still heart-eyed over. The 2012 outfit moment took place at the Schiaparelli And Prada: Impossible Conversations gala and the powdery tone of the mini dress complemented Gwyneth’s buttery blonde tresses dreamily.
Paris Hilton, 2024
Stepping out at the Motorola's House of razr in June 2024, Paris Hilton nailed futuristic styling in a cowl neck checked mini dress in dazzling silver. The embellished piece looked incredible alongside Paris’ sparkling semi-transparent heels - and a pair of seriously bold sunglasses topped off the look.
Jada Pinkett Smith, 2015
Jada Pinkett Smith wore the most gorgeous Balmain midi dress for the 2015 premiere of Magic Mike XXL in London. Adorned with sparkling sequins, the ultimate LBD offered a flattering belted detail and a timeless strapless cut. Jada kept things simple and chose a pair of classic ankle strap heeled sandals and we couldn’t love the look more.
Gwen Stefani, 2020
Gwen Stefani’s look for the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards in 2020 is one we still can’t get over. The strapless Dolce & Gabbana mini dress was embellished with hundreds of white shells. The neutral look proved that you don’t need bold colours to look insanely striking - and her thigh-high creamy-toned boots took the outfit to another level.
Jennifer Aniston, 2019
Jennifer Aniston went edgy in leather for the LA premiere of Netflix’s Murder Mystery. Her high-neck sleeveless mini with a chunky belt detail created just the right blend of lowkey and cool, while her simple black-heeled sandals added a touch of glamour.
Rihanna, 2019
Rihanna wowed in luxe mint green at The Fashion Awards in 2019, repping her very own Fenty label in the form of the incredibly gorgeous satin mini dress with matching sheer gloves and a draping tulle shawl. Her diamond-encrusted choker necklace added a touch of serious opulence while her rich green strappy stiletto pumps gave us shoe envy that we’re still feeling now.
Jennifer Garner, 2023
Jennifer Garner’s simple yet striking asymmetrical red mini dress with a cascading ruffle hem made a statement as she attended the LA premiere of Netflix’s Family Switch in 2023. Jennifer’s timeless little red dress featured a flattering crew neckline and a sleeveless cut - but she upped the glamour with a pair of strappy black heels and some statement dangling gold earrings.
Mariah Carey, 2020
Mariah Carey had an epic monochromatic moment in a plunging black and white mini dress with a striking optical illusion-esque patterned print. The LBD with a twist boasted a deep V-neck and Mariah continued with the chic black theme of the look by adding a pair of simple black tights as she stepped out at the A Fall From Grace premiere in 2020.
Anne Hathaway, 2010
Anne Hathaway’s mini dress of choice for the LA premiere of Valentine’s Day in 2010 is still one that stands out to us. The rich blue Marchesa number featured a simple strapless design, while luscious feathers intricately adorning the entire dress made it one to remember.
Vanessa Kirby, 2017
Vanessa Kirby’s rich bronze and brown-toned mini dress that she wore at the premiere of the second season of The Crown is one we were enamoured with from the moment we saw it. With sheer long sleeves, dazzling sequins all over and a frilly hem detail, Vanessa’s dress of choice seriously dazzled on the red carpet.
Venus Williams, 2024
Venus Williams’s mini dress for the LA premiere of Challengers in 2024 focussed not on colour but on structure, fit and textural details. With a statement off-the-shoulder neckline, the muted grey mini added even more edge with its asymmetrical hemline and flattering ruching.
Amal Clooney, 2019
Stepping out at the US premiere of Catch-22, Amal Clooney showed exactly how styling deep forest green tones should be done. Her one-shoulder mini dress with singular flowing sleeves made a statement on the red carpet as she stood next to her husband George, while the dress’s ruching and dangling hem detail added something a little extra.
Viola Davis, 2023
The Oscar de la Renta cape dress that Viola Davis wore back in 2023 is one we’re still dreaming of. The ombre emerald green mini with a shoulder draping cape effect and shimmering sequin embellishments was the perfect choice for the red carpet moments at the Hunger Games premiere - and the deep black tights with simple patent leather heels were the perfect addition to the look.
Angelina Jolie, 2010
Angelina Jolie looked utterly fabulous in a black sequin mini dress by Emporio Armani at the 2010 premiere of Salt in LA. Letting the sparkles do the talking, Angelina kept the rest of the look simplistic, choosing a classic pair of beige sling-back heels and keeping jewellery to a minimum, proving that less can often be more.
