Sharon Stone’s fashion looks that prove she has always been an it girl

Growing up in the ’90s, when her popularity skyrocketed thanks to her role as the fatal Catherine Tramell in Basic Instinct, I always imagined Sharon Stone’s character whenever someone said the word “star.” Every time she appeared on camera, there was a special aura about her — as if she navigated the unpredictable roads of fame completely naturally, without a hint of effort. Her impeccable style certainly contributed to that impression. Whether she showed up in oversized “men’s” suits, bulky leather jackets, and mom jeans, or in sensual gowns that fully revealed her back, the actress always looked effortlessly cool, as if she wanted to teach us all a lesson on how to wear clothes — instead of letting the clothes wear us.

Sharon Stone has always been a cool girl, which basically means that thanks to her effortless attitude, charisma, and boldness, she regularly filled the pages of magazines and tabloids. In the mid-’90s, she appeared at the Oscars in fashion looks that at the time were almost unimaginable — blending high fashion with high street. She first pushed the boundaries of style on the red carpet in 1996, when, due to the delay of a custom-made Vera Wang dress, her outfit plan fell through at the last minute, so she resorted to clothing from her own wardrobe. With the help of Basic Instinct costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, she combined a Valentino skirt, an Armani tuxedo jacket, and a turtleneck from Gap. Though “accidental,” the look was a complete hit, and she repeated the same formula two years later — pairing an elegant satin Vera Wang skirt with a classic, unbuttoned white shirt from Gap. At the time, media columns criticized her choice as “inappropriate and unworthy of the red carpet,” but time has shown that Stone created one of the outfits that forever entered fashion history, and many stars have repeated her “magic formula” decades later. Zendaya, who recreated the iconic look in a custom Valentino ensemble for the 2022 Oscars, was just one of them.

With Phil Bronstein at the 1998 Oscars, wearing a Vera Wang skirt and a white Gap shirt, Getty Images

Beyond her provocative looks, in which she always seemed to be having a great time, Stone often delivered glamorous fashion moments that proved she navigates different styles with equal ease. Although she arrived at her first Oscars in 1992 wearing a polyester jumpsuit by Betsey Johnson that she bought herself for the occasion (while others paraded in “dresses worth 40 or 50 thousand dollars”), Sharon Stone always looked like a true diva on red carpets, whether at the Golden Globes or Cannes. Although her red carpet appearances have become much less frequent today, Stone continues to impress with every new look. Once an it girl — always an it girl!

Below, take a look at some of Sharon Stone’s stunning fashion moments: