A Deep Dive Into Nicole Kidman's 1990s Style
The illustrious actress maintained a sense of sophistication and relatability through her fashion.
Countless supermodels, Hollywood starlets, and eminent fashion designers are responsible for defining the understated elegance of the 1990s, but one of the most influential of the decade is Nicole Kidman. The versatile actress embodied minimalist sophistication, consistently donning pared-down silhouettes, reduced color palettes, clean lines, and silky textures. Whether she was channeling cottagecore in a long sleeve cerulean dress at Mann’s Chinese Theatre or unleashing her flirty side at the Eyes Wide Shut premiere, Kidman curated a sense of authenticity and relatability through her '90s style.
As she entered the 90s and began to make a name for herself in Hollywood, Kidman was generally quite prudent with her approach to fashion. Her polished, utilitarian outfits – composed of monochrome, streamlined garments punctuated by minimal embellishments – evoked a sense of normalcy and groundedness. For instance, at the premiere of A Few Good Men in 1992, she opted for a smart but savvy all-red tailored wrap jacket paired with a matching figure-hugging pencil skirt, black tights, and sleek black pumps. Kidman leaned into these same androgynous silhouettes with distinct definition at the Strictly Ballroom premiere in 1993 and at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival, where she adorned a Versace dusty rose variant of the skirt suit.
Despite her more conservative fashion choices, Kidman often incorporated the unabashed brazenness and sultriness of some of the characters she played into her red carpet attire. A hallmark of Kidman’s method dressing was at the 1995 Batman Forever premiere, where she wore a Dolce & Gabbana bodycon midi dress embellished with sequins throughout and exuded the utmost confidence.
Toward the end of the decade, the stylish star’s fashion choices telegraphed her sense of comfort and ease in her own skin. While Kidman continued to take a laissez faire approach to her red carpet fashion, her outfits exhibited a heightened level of Old Hollywood glamour. She embraced the beloved staple of 90s refined evening wear – the slip dress – and paired it with delicate silver jewelry. At the 1997 American Film Institute Awards, the actress wore a John Galliano slate blue slip dress with a white lace trimming – the perfect luxe yet effortless outfit.
Kidman maintained an effortlessly refined aesthetic throughout the 90s, emphasizing the quality of the materials and wearability of the silhouette. Here, L’OFFICIEL reminiscences on some of her most iconic and breathtaking 90s looks that helped her create her graceful, down-to-earth persona.
