When women first began wearing pantsuits, it was a symbol of power and freedom of expression, not to mention a gesture of liberation from traditionally constricting garments. The humble pantsuit is now ubiquitous for female celebrities, whether they are attending an event, walking the red carpet, or going from glamorous place to glamorous place. [Traditionally, women were required to wear formal dresses, especially at award ceremonies such as the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes. In recent years, however, celebrities have shed the dresses in favor of sharp, form-fitting blazers and pants, a chic and sometimes edgy style.

Kate Middleton has made the pantsuit one of her signature looks since the beginning of her career as a professional royal. Like other royals, she prefers bright colors that are easy on the eyes (and can also correspond to specific meanings, like Christmas red or Irish green).

Claire Foy's portrayal of a young Queen Elizabeth in The Crown has led to a lot of vintage-style clothing. In other words, her streamlined style on the red carpet, including deep red lipstick and dramatic V-necks, was more surprising and satisfying.

Blake Lively is very well known for not working with a stylist, and her professional style as an adult often leans toward bold colors and silhouettes. This orange pantsuit with an orange cutout top underneath is exactly the kind of serotonin-filled outfit she prefers.

Former soccer player Ashlyn Harris is another fashion powerhouse. Her way of playing with more “masculine” silhouettes is especially impressive, including this wide-shouldered menswear-inspired suit. For bonus points, she wears a tie.

Nicole Kidman rocks red carpet dresses like no other, but swapping them for a sharp suit (this was the 2016 BFI London Film Festival) is a refreshing change of pace. This is a very professional look, but the all-white makes it red carpet-ready.

Western-style clothing is everywhere, and the red carpet is no exception. Kesha, whose style has evolved remarkably since she was a young singer, subtly incorporates the trend with small touches (braided sides, floral embroidery on the front).

Lest you think “suits are too boring for Cardi B,” you've obviously never seen her in this cool two-tone leather outfit. The rapper has a striking and bold couture style, and her version of the pantsuit is right in keeping with her style. There is a suit for everyone.

Chanel ambassador Kristen Stewart shows that tweed doesn't have to be fussy. Even with the jacket opened naval, the pants paired with chunky platforms, and the edgy hairstyle (roots showing), the statement is felt.

This still draws inspiration from traditional clothing, although it lacks the traditional jacket usually found in suits. The peplum top is constructed and the pants are wide. The most striking feature is, of course, the double flowing train.

Margot Robbie has an exceptional eye for graphic design (see also her pink outfit from Barbie's promotional tour), and this suit is no exception. Underneath the simple white suit is a semi-transparent black lace top, with the bottom gently peeking out from the blazer.

Charlie XCX's “brat” style ranges from Y2K-inspired to bold classics. A colorful striped shirt, matching graphic makeup (including white eye shadow), and red shoes complete her trademark look.

Jennifer Aniston's red carpet style is fairly classic, preferring simple dresses in simple colors. So when she switched to a slightly sexier look, wearing her jacket like a top (she and then-husband Brad Pitt were relatively newlyweds), fans went wild over her style evolution.

Ashley Graham's style has always been bold and a bit daring. (Note the red from head to toe, including the shoes.) But if you don't want to go top-dress, you can add a red shirt.

Kate Winslet, like her contemporary Nicole Kidman, has traditionally favored a classic style. Therefore, even her suits are decorated with decorative details like white flowers on the shoulders and hems. Finding the right suit for you often involves drawing out features you already like and applying them.

The Hadids create a very different, but equally fabulous vibe here. Bella, a trendsetter, wears an oversized gray suit with sneakers and a bodysuit. Gigi is dressed in yellow leather.

Mary Tyler Moore, the first woman to appear regularly in a pantsuit on screen, became the paradigm for working women in the 70s with her show. While this styling is very dated, the pattern mix of classic plaid and scarf is still a classic combination.

Evan Rachel Wood embraced androgyny on the red carpet before many other starlets did. In contrast to the slim fit and luxe velvet material, the top-and-tail feel of the suit (with cummerbund and tie) feels more “masculine.”

When Victoria Beckham was redefining herself as a designer and fashion pioneer, she introduced several special suits. They were always a bit rigid in structure, but had cool touches like the length of the pants over her shoes and the rosettes at the neck.

Zoë Saldaña appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” in artfully draped suits. Even if you wear it big (literally), you want it to be tailored so that it drapes snugly over the body, including the sleeves and the hem of the trousers.

The members of boygenius drew a great deal of attention when they appeared on the red carpet at the 2024 Grammy Awards. The slim cut of their suits, the cuffed pants, and the matching black patent boots that were visible were a throwback to the 90s and 00s, without looking costumey.

Janelle Monaei has a graphic style consisting primarily of black and white, like the 2018 Grammy Awards, a gorgeous suit with embroidered flowers on the side. The pant legs are extra long to add inches to the hem.

Marlene Dietrich helped popularize the suit as a woman's adornment. This thick wool material, gently fitted blazer, lace-up flats, and a simple turtleneck underneath would not look so out of place today. Bonus points for the beret.

To play the lead role of Cruella, Emma Stone adopted the character's black, white, and red color scheme. While the pants and jacket don't appear to match, this is a cool way to embody the modern suit style.

Attend Franka here: in 2016, Karolina Kurkova thrilled the fashion cognoscenti when she attended a screening of “Chaos and Creation” in a bright white suit: long, wide pant legs, with a double-breasted but still fitted blazer on top, it was a modern pantsuit was a precursor to the modern pantsuit.

The gray pantsuit was all the rage in the early 2020s, and fashionista Hailey Bieber styled it incredibly well. The contrasting oversized top and white sneakers easily took this look out of the boardroom and into street style (and is still a great way to style it).

Who said suits can't have sparkle? In this context, the suit is to be treated like a glamorous dress and approached in much the same way, with fancy bags, heels, and eye-catching jewelry.

In the warmer months, sleeveless vests take the place of blazers. Meghan Markle, looking classically chic, is visiting Colombia in a warm-weather pantsuit.

I didn't know that staggered lattice could work from head to toe, but now I'm obsessed. Taylor Swift is wearing Manolo Blahnik boots and a Carmen March top, pants, and jacket, and the overall effect is dazzling. She's very businesslike, but also looks like a fashion expert.

When Queen Bey took the stage at TIDAL X: 1015 in 2016, she wore a beautiful, shiny, patterned pantsuit. It incorporated many of her signature styling features, including her favorite gold and royal purple highlights, but it was more casual than her red carpet dress.

Katharine Hepburn, rumored to be queer and starring in a role where she dressed as a man (Sylvia Scarlett), defied convention when it came to personal style. She favored an androgynous look, often citing comfort as the reason, including contrasting white socks and loafers.

This may have been the very moment that Valentino's custom-made fuchsia pink became mainstream. Zendaya attended the Valentino Womenswear Fall/Winter 2022/2023 show, and the entire look matched from head to toe. She wisely kept jewelry to a minimum, so to speak, and the suit is the sparkle.

This suit was so stunning when Julia Roberts wore it to the 1990 Golden Globe Awards. It was by Armani, and she literally went to the men's department and had it tailored in-store. While still a bit oversized by today's standards and needing a bit more tailoring, the look opened up a whole new world of women wearing “men's” clothes. Roberts still has this suit to this day.