Red carpet fashion offers celebrities endless opportunities to experiment, but sometimes returning to a familiar color can be just as effective. Certain shades become recurring elements of a star’s public style, appearing across premieres, award ceremonies and major fashion events. Julia Roberts, Jessica Chastain, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Julianne Moore and Selena Gomez have each demonstrated how a favorite color can be interpreted in dramatically different ways. From understated black to vivid red, these choices show that repetition does not have to mean wearing the same look twice. Instead, color can become a foundation for experimenting with silhouette, texture and detail.
Julia Roberts has frequently demonstrated the versatility of black. At the London premiere of Ticket to Paradise, she wore a custom Alexander McQueen gown decorated with personal white motifs and paired with a cropped blazer. At the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, she chose another black ensemble, this time a Louis Vuitton jumpsuit styled beneath a dramatic tailcoat. Both looks used the same classic shade while creating completely different silhouettes.
Jessica Chastain has repeatedly embraced yellow. For the 2023 Tony Awards, she appeared in a bright Gucci gown featuring a strapless neckline and sweeping cape. Years earlier at Cannes, she wore a yellow Armani Privé gown with an elegant flowing shape. The vibrant shade complements her red hair particularly well, which may help explain why it has remained such an effective part of her red carpet wardrobe.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley often takes a more neutral approach with white. At Cannes in 2023, she selected a Fendi Couture gown with a high slit and sculptural detailing. White has appeared throughout other important moments in her public style as well, including a Hobbs & Shaw premiere and the photographs announcing her second pregnancy.
Julianne Moore has shown a particular ability to make green feel sophisticated. For the Cannes premiere of May December, she wore a sculptural Louis Vuitton gown in a deep green shade. At the 2019 Met Gala, she took the color in a brighter direction with an emerald Valentino Haute Couture dress featuring layers of dramatic ruffles.
Selena Gomez, meanwhile, frequently turns to red. At the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards, she wore an intricate Oscar de la Renta gown covered in floral inspired detailing. She returned to the designer for the London premiere of Emilia Pérez in 2024, choosing another striking red dress. That same year, she appeared at the Golden Globes in an asymmetrical red Armani Privé design.
These stars demonstrate that having a recognizable color does not limit creativity. Different fabrics, proportions and styling choices can continually transform the same palette. On a red carpet filled with changing trends, sometimes knowing which colors work best can become a signature in itself.
