These Are The Most Gorgeous Gowns In Emmy Awards History

One of the most significant television events of the year is the Emmy Awards. The ceremony honors the best of the best in the television industry. As such, attendees are sure to strut their stuff in some of the most striking attire around. While some ensembles may leave you scratching your head, other gowns have the power to take your breath away. Who can forget Olivia Wilde's open-back dress from the 61st annual awards, or how much Sofia Vergara looked like a dazzling mermaid at the 64th annual awards? Read on to see these stunners and more from the Emmy Awards.

Catherine Zeta-Jones -- 71st Emmy Awards

Catherine Zeta-Jones wears a long, hot-pink gown.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Catherine Zeta-Jones stunned onlookers in her hot-pink gown at the 71st Emmy Awards in 2019. The dress has a flattering slit that shows off her matching hot-pink pumps. The attached fabric along her collar-bone acts like a scarf without all of the coverage and adds to the flowing train.

Not everyone knows that the Chicago actress is Welsh and began performing in UK musicals as a child. After studying musical theater in London, she broke into the film industry in the '90s and hasn't looked back since.

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Regina King -- 71st Emmy Awards

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Regina King wears a long and flowy light-teal gown with a leg slit.
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Regina King shows off her strong physique in this light blue, flowing gown. A slit underscores the flowy bottom. Her waist is cinched by a silky ribbon, which also looped over her shoulders for additional support and a unique style.

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The LA native spent her teen years on the television series 227 and has been a noteworthy actress every since. Fans of the show The Boondocks may be surprised to discover that Regina is the voice of both lead characters, young brothers Huey and Riley.

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Emilia Clarke -- 68th Emmy Awards

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Emilia Clarke wears a slick gown that matches the tone of her skin.
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Emilia Clarke wowed Game of Thrones fans at the 68th Emmy Awards with her sleek, form-fitting dress. The smooth dress is a similar tone as her skin, adding to her natural beauty without stealing the show.

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The London native became interested in acting at a young age after being exposed to theatre through her sound-engineer father. After studying at the Drama Centre London, where she performed in nearly a dozen plays, she gave herself a year to embark on a career as an actress. Fortunately for her fans, she landed a prominent role in Game of Thrones before her deadline.

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Ariel Winter -- 69th Emmy Awards

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Levi Meaden helps Ariel Winter with the trail of her black and silver glistening gown.
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For those who watched Ariel Winter grow up on Modern Family, it may have come as a surprise to see the young woman in such a dazzling gown at the 69th Emmy Awards. The starlet wore a black and silver dress with not one, but two slits that may have run a little too high for comfort.

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Nevertheless, her overall look was stunning, especially with its long trail. Ariel's acting career began at the young age of four. While many know of her on-screen talent, lesser-known is that Ariel is also the voice of Sofia in the popular children's series Sofia the First.

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Olivia Wilde -- 61st Emmy Awards

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Olivia Wilde wears an off-white gown that gives the illusion of having an open back.
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At first glance, this incredible dress may appear to defy gravity. That's because there's a translucent layer of fabric over Olivia Wilde's back and chest to provide support to the gorgeously designed gown. The textured fabric up top gives way to a soft and flowy trail that flatters Olivia's lean physique.

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She landed a role on the popular show House when she was just in her early twenties. Wilde has starred in several movies and even wrote and directed her own film, Free Hugs.

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Lizzy Caplan -- 66th Emmy Awards

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Lizzy Caplan wears a black gown with a white train.
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Judging by how gorgeous Lizzy Caplan looks in this black and white gown, it's hard to believe that she portrayed a ridiculed teen in the movie Mean Girls. The dress's shape and open-sides emphasize her slender physique and graceful look.

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From her first predominant role, Lizzy wowed producers, earning her spot as the girlfriend of Jason Segel in Freaks and Geeks. Shortly thereafter, she was named one of "10 Actors to Watch" by Variety. It looks like they were right.

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January Jones -- 62nd Emmy Awards

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January Jones wears a blue strapless, textured, high-to-low gown.
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January Jones is perfectly suited for this vibrant blue gown. The texture of the fabric plays with the light so that parts of it appear a deep blue, and other parts appear a shimmering lighter blue. Between the strapless top and high-to-low bottom hem, this dress is a carefully-crafted masterpiece.

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The slender Mad Men actress may owe her superb sense of fashion to her modeling career, which she began in the late '90s at the age of 18.

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January Jones -- 61st Emmy Awards

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January Jones wears a strapless, off-white gown with a sinched top and flowy bottom.
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We weren't kidding when we said that January Jones has an impeccable sense of fashion. Here she is at another Emmy Awards ceremony where she adorned a gorgeous gown that borders between white and light green-blue.

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An intricate design at the top of the dress shows triangles of skin that lead to the cinched waist. The skirt is form-fitting at the hips before giving way to a long and flowing trail. The beautiful talent earned an Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations for her role in Mad Men.

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Scarlett Johansson -- 70th Emmy Awards

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Scarlett Johanson wears a sinched, white dress.
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Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images and Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images
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It would be difficult for the lovely Scarlett Johansson not to look drop-dead gorgeous, but this dress certainly compliments her look. The deep V chest brings an edgy touch to the form-fitting, white dress. Likewise, the slit embellishes the cinched parts of the skirt, adding intricacy to the ensemble.

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The child-actor-turned-film-star has been in the limelight from a young age. Scarlett's versatility has brought her acclaim in multiple genres, as well as in modeling. You may be surprised to find out that she has also embarked on a music career, and that she has a twin brother.

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Sophie Turner -- 71st Emmy Awards

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Sophie Turner wears a satin, pale-pink dress.
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Sophie Turner graced the Emmys in 2019 wearing a soft-pink satin dress. The design makes this sophisticated dress appear both simple and intricate. An embellishment on one side of her waist picks up on the silver of her shoes and jewelry so that no part of the ensemble goes unnoticed.

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Sophie earned her role in Games of Thrones at the young age of thirteen. Though the part was her first television role, Sophie had been a member of the Playbox Theatre Company since the age of three.

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Joey King -- 71st Emmy Awards

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Joey King swirls in her wide-skirted, red gown.
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If any of the Disney princesses wore a red dress, it would be this one. Joey King looks breathtaking in this strapless gown. She seemed to enjoy twirling around in that big, flowy skirt for the cameras and showing off the large bow at her back.

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Joey's ensemble was especially suited for the 2019 Emmys, where she was nominated for her role as a teen with the mind of a young girl in The Act. She first gained recognition for her leading role in Ramona and Beezus.

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Sofia Vergara -- 64th Emmy Awards

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Sofia Vergara poses in her form-fitting, sparkly, teal dress.
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Sofia Vergara was as stunning as ever during the 64th Emmy Awards. Her glistening, turquoise gown gives the illusion that she's a mermaid who's just emerged from the water. We couldn't expect anything less from the Columbian-American model.

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Sofia's beauty stole the attention of a photographer when she was just 17 years old. She entered the public eye by appearing in a Pepsi commercial and later attended acting workshops. She has received four Emmy nominations for her role in Modern Family.

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Kate Mara -- 64th Emmy Awards

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Kate Mara wears a long gown with metallic-gold accents.
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Kate Mara looks effortlessly beautiful in this smokey gown. The fit of the dress is both form-fitting and flowy. The glistening, light-bronze embellishments add texture that make her look like a goddess of autumn.

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Considering her fashion modeling history, it's no surprise that Kate Mara dazzled at the 64th Emmys. She has appeared in a number of films since 1999 and is well-known for her role in the series House of Cards. Her sister, Rooney Mara, is also an acclaimed actress.

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Mila Kunis -- 61st Emmy Awards

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Mila Kunis wears a maroon gown layered in matching tool.
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This maroon dress looks like it was made for Mila Kunis. The bottom layer appears to be a dark, pencil dress. The gown is embellished with a coat of tulle that adds a charming element to the classy ensemble.

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Mila began acting at the age of nine, and by the time she was fourteen, she had convinced producers to bring her onto the cast of That '70s Show, despite her young age. A year later, she earned a spot in another hit series, Family Guy. She has since broken into the world of film.

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Nancy O'Dell -- 67th Emmy Awards

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Nancy O'Dell wears a white gown with a trail, slit, and a gold belt.
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Nancy O'Dell looks like a modern Greek queen in this white dress. From her golden belt emerges an over-the-shoulder layer of fabric that falls further dramatizes the gown's train. The deep slit brings the ensemble into today's era and is offset with matching golden pumps.

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You may recognize Nancy as the co-anchor of Entertainment Tonight. Lesser-known is that the television host received her Honorary Doctorate of Humanities in 2013. She also was Miss South Carolina in 1987, which explains her pageant-worthy pose.

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Mandy Moore -- 69th Emmy Awards

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Mandy Moore wears a black and off-white, layered gown.
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Mandy Moore looks perfect enough to be a cake topper in this black and grayish-white gown. The layered design embellishes her graceful stature. The top black layer looks like a playful, short dress, while the bottom layers add depth and versatility.

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While Mandy Moore is often thought of nowadays for her acting, her career began with singing. She was signed to Epic Records at the young age of fourteen. In 2016, she earned a principle role in the well-received series This Is Us.

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Claire Danes -- 63rd Emmy Awards

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Claire Danes wears a glistening black and blue, form-fitting dress.
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Claire Danes looks like a work of art in this gorgeous and modern gown. The black and blue color scheme is brightened up by the shimmering material of the dress. The form-fitting cut loosens below the hips for a free-flowing but modest trail.

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Claire is no stranger to the Emmy Awards; her first Emmy nomination came in the '90s for her role in My So-Called Life. Shortly later, she earned critical acclaim for her starring role in Romeo + Juliet.

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Claire Danes -- 68th Emmy Awards

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Claire Danes wears a shimmering, gold gown.
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John Shearer/WireImage/ GettyImages and Dan MacMedan/WireImage/GettyImages
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Claire Danes clearly knows what she's doing when it comes to dressing up for the Emmys. Half a decade after she wowed in the black and blue gown, she showed up at the 68th Emmy Awards in dazzling gold. The intricate cut of this dress prevents the gaudy material from overwhelming the ensemble.

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After years of establishing herself as a film star, Claire returned to the world of television to impress audiences in Homeland. Her acting ability was evident as ever in the drama and earned her two Emmys.

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Sandra Oh -- 61st Emmy Awards

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Sandra Oh wears a textured, form-fitting, soft gold gown.
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Jeff Vespa/WireImage/Getty Images and Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
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Sandra Oh proved that sparkly gold doesn't have to be loud when she showed up to the 61st Emmys in this gorgeous gown. The form-fitting, strapless dress shows off her physique without screaming for attention. The soft tone and rope belt add a classic feel to the dazzling ensemble.

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The Canadian-American actress is well-known for her role in Grey's Anatomy. She has received eight Emmy nominations, making her a veteran of the award show. More recently, she has garnered attention for her role in Killing Eve.

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Zendaya -- 71st Emmy Awards

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Zendaya was a green goddess during the 71st Emmy Awards ceremony in 2019. The young actress looked absolutely stunning, wearing a sheer emerald green Vera Wang dress paired with Cartier jewelry.

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Known for playing the role of MJ in the recent Spider-Man movies alongside Tom Holland, Zendaya also stars as Rue in the hit HBO series Euphoria. The latter performance earning her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, making her the youngest actress to receive the honor.

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Linda Cardellini -- 65th Emmy Awards

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Linda Cardellini wears a layered, flowing, violet gown.
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Linda Cardellini carried this flowy, violet gown with grace at the 65th Emmy Awards. The eye-catching color and ornate design made her impossible to miss, yet as soft-looking as a flower.

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Linda stole our hearts in the teen drama Freaks and Geeks. She won audience adoration again as Velma in Scooby-Doo. After appearing in several films, Linda received an Emmy nomination for her guest role in Mad Men. She stepped back into the limelight as the co-star of the series Dead To Me.