Kerry Washington gained a legion of loyal fans after her portrayal of Olivia Pope on the Shonda Rhimes drama Scandal, but before those heady days, she was just another young actress trying to make it in Hollywood. As such, she didn’t always make the best decisions when it came to her red carpet fashion. Washington’s first major film role came in 2001’s Save The Last Dance and it’s safe to say that her outfit and hair definitely disappoint by today’s standards.
Although now she’s known for her stunning looks both on and off the red carpet, Kerry Washington came from humble beginnings on the iconic walkway. Today, the Scandal star has a team of stylists, hairdressers, and makeup artists to form her glam squad and more recent photos of Washington strutting her stuff on the red carpet seem to support that notion.
Kerry Washington’s Best Red Carpet Looks
In one of Washington’s latest red carpet outings, she wore this gorgeous sparkling pink Prada column gown that added an undeniable glow to her skin. The flattering floor-length gown also made Washington’s already very long legs look even longer thanks to its high waist. What we love most about this look is how it shows off Washington’s beautiful shoulders, a feature that deserves to be showcased.
A Floral Fury We Can’t Get Enough Of
Our next pick is a floral print Roberto Cavalli suit that hugs Washington in all the right places. The colorful suit blends femininity and masculinity, but the end result still makes Washington look like a femme fatal. While the suit is definitely very sexy, the fun floral print gives it a somewhat playful air that gives Washington a little more dimension and personality on the red carpet, which is something we’re always on the lookout for.
Beautiful Expectant Mother
In 2016, Kerry Washington was pregnant with her second child after having a baby girl, Isabelle, two years earlier. This time around, she was pregnant with her son, Caleb. In this photo from the Primetime Emmys that year, we can see she was carrying her baby bump high, which was our first clue that the stunning brunette was expecting a boy. Obviously not one for traditional maternity wear, Washington wore a black baby bump cutout dress from Brandon Maxwell that came complete with a cape that dragged along the floor in the most elegant of ways.
An Edgier Side Of Washington
Earlier that same year, while attending the Oscars, Washington showed off her edgier side with an Atelier Versace gown that boasted a black leather bodice over a white skirt with a sky-high slit. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, which gave us a great view of her gorgeous face.
Soft And Sweet
We saw a softer side of Washington at the 65th Annual Emmy Awards, which gave some of our favorite vibes if we’re being honest. With those plush lips and doe eyes, Washington exudes a kind of Disney-princess air even on her worst days, and this was far from her worst day. For the event, Washington wore a beautiful Marchesa gown with floral details on the gauzy skirt. The white straps keep the look based in reality rather than a fairy tale and also give the flowing gown a bit of structure.
We’ve gone through several of Kerry Washington’s best red carpet looks from more recent years, but one of her very first red carpets didn’t impress us much. Washington was at the premiere of Save The Last Dance, where she played a supporting role opposite Julia Stiles. It was obviously still the early days of her acting career, and her lack of stylist and access to designer fashion was evident. Still, Washington’s natural magnetism was on full display and her bright smile hasn’t changed at all in the 20-plus years since this photo was taken.
She Loves NY, But We’re Not Loving This Look
For the premiere, Washington wore a black leather jacket and matching skirt over an “I Love NY” t-shirt. The tee is cut up so a slice of her stomach is visible, but we almost didn’t even notice that thanks to whatever is going on with Washington’s hair.
We believe she’s wearing a wig based on the way that front part looks, and it’s not a very quality one. Not only are there about a million flyaways, but check out how chunky the bangs look. Thank goodness for Washington’s smile, which shines brighter than her lackluster wig. We’d also love to shout out her styling team that has polished up her look so well.
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