King Charles and Charli XCX are ‘brat’ and best dressed for 2024
The criteria for looking good on the red carpet is far less expensive than a Birkin handbag, a half facelift or a top-to-toe wardrobe from Louis Vuitton. It’s fun: priceless.
By playing with proportion and expectations, the best dressed are having the last laugh, even when they don’t smile for photographers.
1. The reinvention: Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson: At the Los Angeles screening of The Last Showgirl in November; at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in March; at the Zurich Film Festival in October.Credit: Getty Images
For decades, Pamela Anderson’s beauty was hidden beneath big blonde hair and lashings of make-up but the former Baywatch star has taken control of her image. After attending a Vivienne Westwood show at Paris Fashion Week without make-up, the 57-year-old has become a pin-up for women tired of using foundation, contouring and cover-up to mask, rather than enhance, their natural qualities. The Canadian’s wardrobe has changed too. Clean lines, quality labels and swathes of fabric reveal more about the actor than scanty swimsuits from the past ever did.
Runner-up: Demi Moore.
2. Fit for a King: King Charles
King Charles with Queen Camilla in his Moscot sunglasses at the Sydney Opera House in October; at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party in May; In Samoa in October. Credit: Getty Images, AP
After being relegated to the shadows by his first wife Princess Diana and his mother Queen Elizabeth, King Charles is enjoying his time in the spotlight as monarch. The King has always been dandy, wearing and re-wearing the best Savile Row suits with colourful shirt and tie combinations, but his strong style signatures are finally being celebrated. Recently, he wore breeches to a Buckingham Palace event and carried a ceremonial sword into a state banquet but it’s his Moscot sunglasses from his royal tour of Australia in October that show he’s not a regular king; he’s a cool king.
Runner-up: Princess Beatrice in Rebecca Vallance in October.
3. The brat: Charli XCX
Charli XCX: in Ksubi denim shorts at an SNL rehearsal in New York in November; Balenciaga haute couture show in Paris; in Saint Laurent at the Variety Hitmakers lunch in LA in December.
The singer, who had the world Googling “what is brat” following the release of her breakthrough album, has a grown-up approach to appropriating Y2K style. Having ditched her prim and pretty mid-career looks, the 31-year-old applies a Goth filter to surprisingly sophisticated ensembles from Saint Laurent and Balenciaga. The feminine approach stops short of stuffy with sheer fabrics and edgy accessories.
Runner-up: Troye Sivan.
4. I spy: Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig: front row at Loewe, Paris in September; wearing Loewe at the Venice Film Festival; at the 2024 BAFTA Tea Party, The Pierre Hotel, New York, wearing Dr Peppers and Jacques Amrie Mage sunglasses.Credit: Getty Images
While the world waits to hear who will replace Daniel Craig in the James Bond movie franchise, the actor has moved on to juicier roles and red carpet looks that have left his fans equal parts shaken and stirred. Whether snuggling up in crafty nana knits from Loewe or relaxing in baggy trousers, the star of the upcoming Queer is expressing a contemporary cool missing from Ian Fleming’s super spy. Good luck putting him back in a tie.
Runner-up: Eddie Redmayne in The Day of the Jackal.
5. Wicked: Cynthia Erivo
Cynthia Erivo in Erdem at the WSJ Innovator Awards in October; wearing Loewe at the Challengers premiere in May; in Moschino at an Out 100 event in December.Credit: Getty Images and GC Images
While fans of the movie musical Wicked have been holding space for the way Cynthia Erivo tackles the vocal gymnastics of Defying Gravity, others have been admiring the notes she hits on the red carpet. Co-star Ariana Grande has explored princess prettiness but Erivo is tacking a different path by imbuing the season’s strongest trends, from trousers beneath dresses to polka dots with the captivating magic of a queen.
Runner-up: Jonathan Bailey.
6. The tall guy: Jacob Elordi
Jacob Elordi at the Toronto International Film Festival in September wearing Bottega Veneta; at the Bottega Veneta show in Milan in September carrying their latest Andiamo handbag in red suede; Wearing Bottega Veneta at a dinner in Venice in October with a baseball cap from James Franco’s streetwear label Paly Hollywood.Credit: Getty Images
Saltburn actor Jacob Elordi is just your typical 1.96-metres-tall Australian who looks as though he’s dressed by a girlfriend with good taste. In Elordi’s case, the girlfriend is luxury label Bottega Veneta, which provides the actor with his best red carpet outfits. Even Chanel couldn’t ignore the appeal of clothing from Bottega Veneta’s designer Matthieu Blazy, hiring him as its new creative director. Elordi deserves kudos for adding his own flavour to the classic ensembles, delving into a collection of Bottega Veneta, Celine, Chanel and Louis Vuitton handbags along with statement baseball caps from actor James Franco’s label Paly Hollywood.
Runner-up: Jeff Goldblum (1.94m).
7. Hollywood princess: Elle Fanning
Elle Fanning at the Oscars in Valentino; at the Tony Awards in New York in June wearing Saint Laurent; in Custom Gucci at the A Complete Unknown premiere in LA in December.
The Grace Kelly-cool exuded by The Great actor Elle Fanning at the Tony Awards in a Saint Laurent suit secured her place on this list but her pigtails at the A Complete Unknown premiere this month sealed the deal. In an ivory Gucci gown, Fanning dived deep into her fashion references, combining the sexiness of Sharon Tate with the innocence of Doris Day. Her sea green, fur-trimmed Oscars look from Valentino was equally cheeky, with elegant embellishments and a naughty but nice see-through skirt.
Runner-up: Saoirse Ronan.
8. Streamer: Marlo Kelly
Marlo Kelly in Zimmermann denim and dress at Australian Fashion Week in May; in Dolce & Gabbana at the Emmy’s in September. Credit: Getty Images
Hailed by critics as “Netflix’s best scripted original series since Beef”, 3 Body Problem is set for a second season, with Australian actor Marlo Kelly’s role rising in prominence. Returning home for Australian Fashion Week in May, Kelly demonstrated that she’s ready for the big time, grounding some of Zimmermann’s more flamboyant outfits in the front row. Securing a campaign for Australian jewellery company Jan Logan, in the photographic footsteps of Rose Byrne, Teresa Palmer and Rachael Taylor, is another stylish signal of future success.
Runner-Up: Kylah Day, The Territory.
9. Best in class: James Majoos
‘Heartbreak High’ actor James Majoos at the GQ Man of the Year awards in Jean Paul Gaultier; in Injury at Australian Fashion Week in May; wearing Loewe in August at an event for the brand.Credit: Getty, Supplied
In the upcoming final season of the Netflix series Heartbreak High, the TikTok generation’s favourite class is set to graduate. Actor James Majoos, 27, who plays Darren Rivers, is already fashion valedictorian with an untucked approach to luxury labels. Rivers is fearless in his outfit choices but Majoos prefers doing more with less, letting simple details such as a graphic print or pie-crust collar show his credentials.
Runner-up: Josh Heuston.
10. Grand designs: Gabriella Pereira
Beare Park designer Gabriella Pereira wearing the Eleanor gown from Beare Park at the EVH anniversary party in Sydney in September; on Melbourne Cup daty in November; at the Australian Laureate awards, having won Emerging Designer of the Year, in November.Credit: Eddie Jim, Supplied
In a sea of fake tan, florals and frippery at the Melbourne Cup, Beare Park designer Gabriella Pereira arrived in the Birdcage like a polished palate cleanser. Pereira was in one of her deceptively simple-looking designs, worn with earrings and vintage Bottega Veneta handbag borrowed from her mum. It’s an elevated approach to cool girl dressing that looks relaxed and restrained, deserving a second rather than shocking you into style submission. The winner of the Emerging Designer of the Year at this year’s Fashion Laureate awards has well and truly arrived.
Runner-up: Erin Deering.
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