As J.Lo turns 56, here are her most iconic looks through the decades
Happy birthday J.Lo! The Hollywood icon turns 56 on 24 July – so what better time is there to reminisce over her truly epic outfits over the years?
When it comes to fashion, the Hustlers star has been setting trends and making red carpet history with her va-va-voom gowns for decades. When you think of 90s style icons, you likely head straight to the likes of Naomi Campbell, Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Love, Drew Barrymore etc – but while we have all been in love with Jennifer Lopez for as long as we can remember, her undeniable status as a major fashion figure often gets overlooked.
Perhaps it's because we're busy focusing on her endless other talents — we'd be happy with just one of her triple-threat traits, from that voice to her acting and dance skills. But one thing that stands out from our J.Lo reminiscence — other than the fact that, at the age of 55, she still looks exactly like she did in her twenties — is her wardrobe.
The red carpet queen owned the 2024 Met Gala, showing up in a dazzling Schiaparelli number with a Tiffany & Co. necklace featuring over 75 total carats of diamonds from the Blue Book 2024: Tiffany Celéste Collection.
In fact, we could do a story on her Met Gala looks alone. After all, who could forget her bejewelled Balmain gown with a feathered train for 2018's ‘Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination’ theme… or that bum-baring, fiery Versace number in 2015 for ‘China: Through the Looking Glass’.
But Met Gala aside, there have been so many iconic looks over the years that we'd forgotten about.
Sure, there's the Versace dress. THE Versace dress. You know, the palm-print chiffon one. The one that saw her appearance on the Grammys 2000 red carpet become (and remain!) one of the most significant fashion moments of the new millennium. The one that was the reason Google Images was born (we're not kidding).
But there have been so many other major fashion moments that J.Lo has given us that we'd forgotten about in the haze of green chiffon.
On top of some seriously chic and sometimes daring choices (hello, chainmail crop top and low-slung leather trousers at the 1998 MTV Movie Awards), many of J.Lo's fashion moments also coincided with some mould-breaking, history-making moments. Let's not forget her all-white ensemble at Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021. Not only was it ultra-chic, but it is forever wrapped in that momentous day in American history when Kamala Harris became the first Black and first South Asian vice president.
Scroll down to see 29 of J.Lo's most memorable fashion moments...
For more from Glamour UK's Acting Fashion Editor Rosana Lai, follow her on Instagram @rosielai
Phillip Faraone / Getty ImagesFor the Wicked premiere, Lopez went all out with this funky, beaded dress, complete with ab-baring side cutouts. Toss toss.
Jamie McCarthy / Getty ImagesJ.Lo. brought Broadway diva energy to the premiere of Good Night, and Good Luck in 2025 with this plunging black gown paired with an XXL white cape. High drama.
Getty ImagesKicking off 2021 in serious style wearing an all-white Chanel look for the inauguration of U.S. President Joe Biden.
Getty ImagesTHE Versace dress, worn on the 2000 Grammy Awards red carpet, and Google, really.
Getty ImagesArriving at the 2019 Met Gala wearing a silver Versace gown and matching headpiece for the gala's 'Camp' theme. Luigi Massi, Versace's longtime tailor, passed away earlier this year before finishing her 2019 Met Gala gown.
Tom PenningtonOne of her sparkly bodysuits for her 2020 Super Bowl Halftime Show performance.
Kevin.MazurA silvery dress for a budding silver screen siren, worn at her first-ever Grammys in 1998.
Getty ImagesJ.Lo wore Atelier Versace at the 2015 Met Gala which had the theme 'China: Through The Looking Glass'.
Pacific PressA Giambattista Valli gown that would make Barbie jealous at the premiere of her 2018 film Second Act.
Dia DipasupilThis Schiaparelli gown is beautiful, but let's not forget the Tiffany & Co. necklace featuring 75 total carats of diamonds from the Blue Book 2024: Tiffany Celéste Collection.
Getty ImagesOne of her early appearances – J.Lo arrived at the Independent Spirit Awards in 1997 wearing an epic white column dress with a metallic floral print running through.
Getty ImagesAlready making a name for herself as a real trendsetter, J.Lo arrived at a Fashion Benefit for APLA in 1997 in a strappy backless gown that wouldn't look out of place today.
Getty ImagesThere was nothing we didn't love about this colour-block one-shoulder gown that Jen wore to the 1998 Golden Globes, and it confirmed her status as one of the decade's best dressed.
Getty ImagesEver the style instigator, J.Lo made sure cropped tops were a red carpet staple and paired a chainmail number with a maxi leather skirt on the 1998 MTV Music Awards red carpet.
Getty ImagesLater on at the MTV Video Music Awards, she swapped into another crop in the form of a bralette and paired it with a particularly epic blazer.
Getty ImagesAt the Paris premiere of The Cell, J.Lo trialled a little knitted camo number and kicked off her love affair with the hooped earring.
Getty ImagesBack to the cropped bralettes, she arrived on stage at the 2001 Super Bowl in perhaps the most recognisably J.Lo look of them all.
Getty ImagesThe next year, J.Lo opted for a more slim-fitting pastel pink number by Versace for the 2002 Oscars.
Getty ImagesIt was a one-shouldered Valentino gown in mint for the 2003 Oscars.
Getty ImagesIn 2006, J.Lo opted for something a little more alternative by shopping vintage at Lily et Cie for her Oscars look.
Getty ImagesPerfectly on-brand, J.Lo wore a plunging gold Marchesa gown for the 2009 Golden Globes.
Getty ImagesHaving a real princess moment in Armani Privé at the 2010 Oscars.
Getty ImagesWearing Zuhair Murad at the 2014 Hollywood Film Awards.
Getty ImagesNo one does a hat like J.Lo, as proven at the 2019 Grammy Awards.
Getty ImagesIn February 2019 at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, a show-stopping J.Lo plumped for an appropriately-epic Valentino gown.
Getty ImagesAt the 2019 Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences Governors Awards in a floor-length mustard Reem Acra gown.
Getty ImagesWinning the 'People's Icon' award at the People's Choice Awards in 2020, J.Lo wore a red puffball mini dress by Christian Siriano.
Getty ImagesOne of few to actually follow the 2021 Met theme, J.Lo channeled her inner sexy cowgirl in stunning Ralph Lauren gown with a feathered trim, a dramatic thigh high slit and plunging neckline that dropped our jaws to the floor. Naturally, she had a cowboy hat to complete the look. WE STAN.
Getty ImagesArriving at 'Global Citizen VAX LIVE: The Concert To Reunite The World' in May 2021.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, she earned her journalism degree in America and spent time at GLAMOUR US and People Magazine. She then returned to Hong Kong and became Tatler Asia's fashion director, where she ... Read More
