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Over the last four decades, Nicole Kidman has provided us with dozens of iconic looks.
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Kidman has never been afraid to take a risk, as evidenced by these 45 style moments.
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From backless gowns to giant parrots, here are some of her most daring outfits.
Nicole Kidman has been one of the most successful actors of the last 40 years, with five Oscar nominations (and one win), six BAFTA nominations (another win), 18 Critics’ Choice nominations (three wins), three Emmy nominations (two wins), and 20 Golden Globe nominations (six wins).
She also hasn’t shied away from box-office fodder, like the “Aquaman” films — which have made more than $1 billion at the box office — “Paddington,” “Happy Feet,” and “Batman Forever.”
Kidman is also known for her iconic red-carpet style. We’ve picked 45 of the most daring looks from her decadeslong career, from the ’90s to now.
Kidman channeled a flamenco dancer with this ruffled hot pink dress at a May 1995 screening of “To Die For.”
Kidman won a Golden Globe for her performance.
One month later, in June 1995, Kidman shined bright like a disco ball at the “Batman Forever” premiere.
She looks the part of the next big movie star.
Her 1997 Oscars dress proved she was willing to take risks — not many can pull off a silk dress this color.
Technically, this John Galliano-designed Dior dress is considered chartreuse, and it was considered the “first true couture dress on the red carpet,” according to Smithsonian Magazine.
Kidman paired a black see-through top with this patterned fringed skirt for the premiere of “The Peacemaker” in September 1997.
She added a large jeweled choker over the collar of her shirt.
Kidman was the picture of ’90s glam with this almost entirely backless, oxblood set at the premiere of “Eyes Wide Shut” in July 1999.
InStyle rightfully calls this look “perfect” to this day — though it’s a wonder Kidman didn’t experience any type of wardrobe malfunction.
Kidman rocked a similarly backless top at the premiere of “Mission: Impossible 2” in May 2000.
This kerchief-esque style of top is trendy once again in 2025, like the rest of ’90s and early 2000s style.
For the Australian premiere of the film that same month, she wore a floor-length leather dress.
We have to wonder why she’s yet to play a super spy after seeing her in this outfit.
She wore this almost entirely sheer black dress at the premiere of “The Others” in August 2001.
Kidman was nominated for another Golden Globe for her performance in the film.
At the 2001 Hollywood Film Festival Gala Awards later that month, Kidman wore an ornate gold belt on her stomach.
She paired it with a black crop top and blazer, and a golden snake choker.
Kidman vamped it up in this black velvet off-the-shoulder gown with a plunging neckline in February 2002.
The Yves Saint Laurent dress has a simple silver vine detail on the front.
Kidman’s dress at the 2002 SAG Awards in March resembled a tuxedo vest, without the accompanying shirt or jacket.
It was designed by Jean Paul Gaultier as part of his Haute Couture line.
Kidman wore a lingerie-inspired slip dress to the 2003 Critics’ Choice Awards in January of that year.
She carried a blush silk jacket with her.
For the 2003 Met Gala in April, she wore this semi-sheer, sparkly, one-shoulder gown and giant diamond earrings.
The Gucci by Tom Ford dress fit in well with the theme of “Goddess: The Classical Mode.”
The “Cold Mountain” star once again opted for an entirely backless dress, this time a black one, for a November 2003 event.
She added a giant red flower in her hair.
She wore a white-and-gold one with an exaggerated collar and belt for a “Cold Mountain” premiere in December 2003.
Note the matching over-the-top cuffs, too.
Kidman paired sequins and mesh paneling at the 2004 Golden Globes.
This Dior dress wouldn’t be out of place at a 1920s-themed party.
The following month at the Academy Awards, she wore an icy blue strapless dress with a feathered hem.
The satin Chanel gown had matching feathers at the neckline, too.
In January 2005, Kidman wore a peacock-inspired dress to the Golden Globes.
The dress is the classic peacock blue-green and is accented with peacock feathers on the shoulder. It was designed by Gucci.
Kidman’s 2007 Academy Awards dress with the giant bow at the neckline remains one of her most iconic looks.
“That one was controversial,” Kidman said of the Balenciaga dress in 2016. “Some press people didn’t like it. But that kind of talk doesn’t bother me. I still liked it, especially the structure,” she told InStyle.
She returned to the metallics in December 2007 with this shiny silver suit.
Kidman looked ready for battle in a suit of armor for the “Golden Compass” premiere.
At a February 2008 press conference, Kidman managed to combine lace, mesh, and feathers in a single dress.
Kidman, who was five months pregnant at the time, wore Prada for the event.
Once again, Kidman proved she loves a backless dress at the Academy of Country Music Awards in April 2009.
The high-neck, backless look is one she returns to time and time again. This particular gown was designed by L’Wren Scott.
Kidman wore a mauve dress with a matching capelet at a screening of “Nine” in December 2009.
The dress was also designed by L’Wren Scott.
Kidman channeled a circus ringmaster at the 2010 Academy of Country Music Awards.
Once again, she chose a L’Wren Scott look.
In June 2011, she mixed a green velvet/brown sheer dress with periwinkle heels at the CMT Music Awards.
This interesting look was designed by Proenza Schouler.
Kidman pulled out all the stops for Derby Day at Flemington Racecourse in November 2012.
Kidman deserves to attend a royal wedding if her hat game is this strong.
Kidman walked the Golden Globes red carpet with her husband, Keith Urban, in this black dress with a sheer corset bodice and bronze bees in January 2013.
That year she was up for two awards: best supporting actress for “The Paperboy” and best actress in a miniseries or motion picture — television for “Hemingway & Gellhorn.”
Kidman’s 2013 Oscars dress shimmered and shined down the red carpet that February.
The L’Wren Scott dress had golden swirls along the bottom.
One doesn’t know what to look at Kidman’s sequined and lace blue gown at Cannes in May 2014.
This dress was designed by Armani and it was fit for a princess, which was appropriate, as she was there for the premiere of her film “Grace of Monaco.”
She wore a white gown that featured a large black bird for an awards ceremony in November 2015.
Kidman chose an Alexander McQueen gown for the 2015 Evening Standard Awards in London.
At the 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards in April, Kidman wore this busy dress with sheer sleeves and butterflies.
Once again, this dress is Alexander McQueen.
Kidman looked like a celestial goddess at the 2016 Met Gala in this dress adorned with the moon and stars.
That year’s theme was “Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology,” and she wore this Alexander McQueen dress, complete with a cape.
Kidman’s black dress at the 2016 Critics’ Choice Awards had both a large cutout and a dramatic slit.
She opted for a simple black Brandon Maxwell dress for the December 2016 ceremony.
Kidman’s dress at the 2017 SAG Awards in January featured a plunging neckline and a parrot on each shoulder.
The flamboyant, green sequined gown was designed by Gucci.
The star returned to dramatic bows for the 2018 Academy Awards.
Kidman’s royal blue Armani Privé gown is her favorite dress she’s ever worn, according to Harper’s Bazaar.
In January 2019, she attended the Critics’ Choice Awards in a black-and-white column dress with a structured skirt.
This look was designed by Armani Privé.
Kidman bared her abs in this one-shouldered gown with a large cutout and a thigh-high slit to the 2021 CMAs in November.
Kidman attended the CMAs in this Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello gown to support her husband, country star Keith Urban.
Kidman attended the 2022 Academy Awards in March wearing this light blue strapless dress with an exaggerated peplum skirt and train.
Kidman’s stylist, Julia von Boehm, told Vogue that this dress exhibited “quiet elegance.”
Her dress at the premiere of “The Northman” in April 2022 featured coral feathers and beaded embroidery.
Kidman wore Prada at the film’s premiere.
For the 2023 Academy Awards, she wore a sequined black gown with a thigh-high slit and two large beaded roses.
This was another look by Armani Privé for Kidman, who served as a presenter at the ceremony.
Kidman’s entrance at the 2023 Met Gala was nothing short of jaw-dropping.
This is the same Chanel gown that Kidman wore in her iconic commercial for Chanel No. 5 in 2004, directed by Baz Luhrmann. According to Vogue, the blush gown is made of silk tulle and is covered with “250 pink ostrich feathers, and over 3,000 silver crystals and sequins.”
To attend a gala in September 2023, Kidman wore a baby-blue feathery gown with black opera gloves.
The dress was accentuated by a satin bow around her waist.
Kidman went for vintage glam at the 2024 Met Gala in May.
The theme of the 2024 Met Gala was “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” which meant bringing back vintage looks from their “sleep.”
Kidman’s look was a recreation of a 1950s gown designed by Cristobal Balenciaga. Per Vogue, it took 800 hours to attach 3,000 black feathers to the silk bodice.
Kidman wore a sparkling low-cut black gown to the premiere of “The Perfect Couple” in September 2024.
Kidman wore a Ferragamo dress to the premiere of her latest Netflix show, “The Perfect Couple,” based on the Elin Hilderbrand novel of the same name.
Kidman went back to one of her favorite silhouettes — backless and one-shouldered — at the 2025 Golden Globes.
The Balenciaga dress was perfectly complemented by a voluminous high ponytail.
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