2023 was a year of fashion highs (and obviously some lows – how many naked dresses on the red carpet does it take to throttle a trend? We’re way over the limit tbqh). The SAG-AFTRA strike might have brought a short pause in red carpet proceedings, but thanks be to Instagram for off-duty insights to keep us going. Who made our best dressed list? Those who came, wore and conquered, did something interesting, pushed a fashion envelope or ten and ultimately entertained us. Our top ten runners unveiled:
Rihanna 
Her Superbowl halftime performance in February was the most watched of all time; yes, she has some bangers, but a moment please for her custom Loewe scarlet red boiler suit and breastplate look in which she casually dropped the news of her second pregnancy. More fiercely fabulous maternity looks continued at the Oscars — three in total — before, she yet again shut down The Met Gala in a custom Valentino look drenched in white camellia appliqués in honour of Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel tenure.
Her mom-style — see her latest purple big-bird jacket (adore) gets more and more major. Is anyone in the world as cool as Rihanna? We don’t think so.
Emma Corrin 
From setting off a serious posh-pants trend from the Miu Miu Paris runway in March to gamely cosplaying Princess Diana at the recent premiere of the final series of The Crown, Corrin has continued their ascent in becoming one of our favourite style provocateurs.
Every time they pop onto a step and repeat we are riveted. And who else would be game enough to let Harry Lambert pop a fork in their hair for the cover of ES magazine? More please, Emma.
Ncuti Gatwa
The newest Timelord on the block is a visionary fashion plate, and gives us everything we want — which is no holds barred commitment to A Full Look. His pure hearted embracing of the unexpected, thrilling and off-key pieces are just what the doctor ordered (sorry).
Where to start? The perfect 10 Ken premiere looks alongside Margot Robbie et al on the Barbie tour? His sheer, satin half-skirted Burc Akyol number at Vogue World? A pleated Thom Browne skirt-suit for Wimbledon? Sweet knits and pink arm candy front row at JW Anderson? He gives and he gives.
Paul Mescal 
Hasn’t he come a long way from that gold chain? Mescal has joined the ranks of premium fashion daddies this year, with a pose perfect display of jaunty slogan T-shirts (“untie your tongue” Paul, stop it), layered knitwear and striking red carpet reinterpretations of black tie.
Not to mention his internet-halting appearance in one of Sabato de Sarno’s first Gucci campaigns. Legs akimbo, trench coat flowing open to reveal boxers, a white vest and lashings of leg and mullet-beard hair. Gracious.
Margot Robbie 
Fashiontainment is the industry’s favourite buzz phrase, a motion which was proven over and over again by the Barbie juggernaut junket this summer — have clothes ever been more entertaining on a red carpet? Were we slightly jaded by the finale of Robbie’s endless incarnations of my size Barbie? Sure, but were we not also incredibly amused, charmed and seduced by this grown woman doll cosplay? Damn straight.
Our key look was obviously the classic 60s Barbie-inspired black fishtail custom Schiaparelli number closely followed by the 80s pink Judith Leiber glitter phone moment in Seoul. And then, there was pink, a lot of pink. We (not so) secretly adored it all.
Pedro Pascal 
For services to Carhartt Dads of East London, we thank Pascal for his The Last of Us hot-apocalypse looks, has a grungy plaid shirt ever looked so aspirational next to a mushroom head zombie? Do discuss. But away from the end of the world, he continued on his fashion daddy ascent.
A bare leg in Valentino shorts, a yellow buttoned-up shirt with jaunty coordinating sweater nonchalantly thrown over a shoulder, lamé silver cardigans and mesh knits? Honestly, we need a lie down. And our daddy.
Michaela Coel 
In a sea of polite, anodyne red carpet options, Coel is a beacon of originality and personality. Her appearances might be few, but they are always worth paying attention to. At this year’s Met Gala she stunned in Schiaparelli haute couture, but it was her jewellery choices which defiantly set her apart. Eschewing the (paid) offers from myriad major brands, she instead chose to support independent talent and reflect her West African roots. Her extraordinary earrings and headpiece were made by fellow British-Ghanaian Emefa Cole, who works out of London’s Goldsmith’s centre. Coel’s specially cast pieces were created through a dash to a SMO (single mine origin) mine in Côte D’Ivoire to source the fully traceable and responsibly sourced gold.
In December. at the Fashion Awards, Coel picked up her Pandora Leader of Change award wearing a striking white look by Manchester-born Maximilian Davis for Ferragamo. Quietly, major.
Sienna Miller 
M&S has been staging a turnaround for years, but it was through enlisting everyone’s favourite millennial blonde Sienna Miller that it really took hold. Could Miller — the style crush of every forty-ish year old woman — lure them back into this sometimes-staid stalwart of the British high street? With a slew of Succession-y stealth wealth homages in chic knits and easy black suiting, yes! Results are up 30 per cent year on year.
But she hasn’t just saved the everywoman from fashion oblivion. Miller’s finale of swooping onto the cover of US Vogue — displaying her almost 42 year old baby bump — has secured her place as a dependable style icon for all.
Beyoncé
The Renaissance tour has cemented queen Bey’s role as a killer arbiter of fashion. From that trompe l’oeil Loewe sequin drenched jumpsuit, to Courréges and Balmain bodices not to mention the litany of London-based star turns whom she turned to for her Tottenham-leg.
That role call included Vivienne Westwood, Roksanda, David Koma and Mary Katrantzou. We must also allow for the not insignificant contribution in kicking off this year’s major silver trend. She came, she slayed, etc.
Pamela Anderson 
From her Netflix documentary to the front row, Ms Anderson has had a much adored return to the public eye, and with it some seriously fine looks. However, it was her face peeking out from underneath a giant hat at the Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood show in Paris that set off one of the year’s most welcome style moments. In a sea of Botoxed and filled faces, her no makeup visage was as refreshing as a red-one-piece sea rescue.
It also underscored a sharp point, why are the micro-needling, aesthetician-bookmarking Gen Z so terrified of getting older? It’s clearly fabulous. Oh to be that free of f**** in your prime. Pamela, we love you.