STYLE EVOLUTION

How Glenn Close Evolved From Demure Ingenue to Red Carpet Style Icon

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Glenn Close waving
Courtesy of Getty Images.

Glenn Close has always had the range when it comes to delivering impressive performances both on stage and on screen, but she’s also demonstrated over the decades that her range extends to her red carpet style, as well. In the early 1980s, she burst onto the scene and won her first Tony Award. The following decade, her 101 Dalmatians character, Cruella de Vil, a chic villain with a dastardly penchant for puppy fur became almost synonymous with the actress. (The real Close, on the other hand, would never do such a thing—her love for her dog Pip, who has accompanied her on red carpets during awards season, is as heartwarming as it is hilarious.) In the 2000s and 2010s, Close was not only firmly positioned in Hollywood as an acclaimed actress, but as a performer inching forward with taking some fashion risks on the red carpet, donning brightly colored two-piece looks and sharply tailored capes. Here, take a peek at Close’s style evolution, from demure Hollywood newcomer to legendary fixture of the silver screen.

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Glenn Close, 1983. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Actress Glenn Close attends the 1987 Tony Awards. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close and Michael Douglas attend the 59th Annual D.W. Griffith Awards on February 16, 1988 at the Lincoln Center Library in New York City.

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Glenn Close and Isabella Rossellini, 1989. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close during the 61st Annual Academy Awards in March 1989.

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Actress Glenn Close attends the Twelfth Night or What You Will Off-Broadway Play Performance on July 9, 1989 at the Delacorte Theater in New York City. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close during 1989 ShoWest Awards at Bally's Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.

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Glenn Close and John Starke on December 6, 1989, at the Gotham Theater in New York City.

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Glenn Close, 1990.

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Glenn Close, 1990. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Actress Glenn Close attends the “Regarding Henry” New York City Premiere on June 24, 1991 at Loew’s Tower East in New York City. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Glenn Close leaves after performing in Brooklyn Laundry on April 25, 1991 at the Coronet Theatre in West Hollywood, California.

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Glenn Close at the 1994 Oscars. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Actress Glenn Close attends Tina Brown Hosts “The New Yorker Goes to the Movies” Gala on March 14, 1994 at Hotel Bel-Air in Bel-Air, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Actress Glenn Close attends the “101 Dalmatians” New York City Premiere on November 18, 1996 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close during 3rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles, California, 1997. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close attends the Third Annual Blockbuster Entertainment Awards on March 11, 1997 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, California.

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Glenn Close and Steve Beers attend the Paradise Road premiere on April 4, 1997 at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in Beverly Hills, California.

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Glenn Close arrives for the 74th Annual Academy Awards held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 24, 2002. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glen Close attends the world premiere of The Stepford Wives at Mann's Bruin Theatre June 6, 2004 in Los Angeles, California.

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Actress Glen Close attends “HBO’S Post Emmy Party” at the Pacific Design Centre on September 19, 2004 in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close during the King Kong premiere in New York City on December 5, 2005.

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Glenn Close attends the Cinema Society and Donna Karan after party for “Evening” at Bowery Hotel on June 11, 2007 in New York City. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Actress Glenn Close attends the 2008 Princess Grace Awards Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on October 15, 2008 in New York City. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Actress Glenn Close arrives at the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 17, 2010 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close arrives at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton hotel on January 15, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Actress Glenn Close arrives at The 23rd Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala at the Palm Springs Convention Center on January 7, 2012 in Palm Springs, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close attends The London Evening Standard Theatre Awards at The Old Vic Theatre on November 13, 2016 in London, England. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close attends the Opening Night After Party for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Sunset Boulevard’ at the Cipriani on February 9, 2017 in New York City. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close attends the UK Premiere of ‘The Wife’ at Somerset House on August 9, 2018 in London, England. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close attends the 12th Annual Women In Film Oscar Party at Spring Place on February 22, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Actress Glenn Close wearing a Sies Marjan suit, Jimmy Choo shoes, and Ana Khouri jewelry arrives at the 2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards held at the Santa Monica Beach on February 23, 2019 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, United States. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close attends the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 6, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close attends the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close attends the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 24, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

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Glenn Close attends the TIME 100 Gala 2019 Lobby Arrivals at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2019 in New York City.

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Glenn Close attends the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 05, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California.

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Glenn Close attends the 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 19, 2020 in Los Angeles, California.

Glenn Close wears Oscar de la Renta for the 2021 virtual at-home Screen Actors Guild Awards.

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Glenn Close attends the 93rd Annual Academy Awards at Union Station on April 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

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