23 Years Ago, Halle Berry Wore A Sheer Dress To The Emmys & Won

Who else misses the ’90s? The decade saw a rise of style stars whose outfits fashion girlies have referenced time and again, including the likes of Jennifer Aniston (and her entire Friends wardrobe) and Sarah Jessica Parker (and her entire SATC closet). There was one style star, however, whose influential dressing remains underrated: Halle Berry.

Though famed for her talents, Berry’s chic stylistic choices deserve to be recognized as well. Her impeccable taste first became evident in the late nineties. But it wasn’t until the turn of the millennium when she fully realized her style potential as a bonafide tastemaker.

In June of 2000, the X-Men star fully leaned into spicy dressing when she rocked the whale tail thong at the MTV Movie Awards — potentially, her most famous ensemble to date. That same year, Berry stepped onto the Emmy Awards red carpet in another revealing ensemble that deserves similar fanfare.

Halle’s Lace Ball Gown

At first glance, the floor-length dress looked like your typical red carpet number — a lavish gown befitting of an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Television Movie nominee.

A confection made of lace and tulle, her billowing skirt was equal parts dramatic and elegant. It was a perfect sartorial choice for the star of Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and soon-to-be Emmy winner.

A Free-The-Nipple Icon

While the cupcake silhouette was fit for a modern-day princess, the bodice was all spice. Berry’s top was utterly see-through and absolutely risqué, especially since she wore the dress sans bra.

Mind you, this was in the year 2000 — decades before the likes of Kendall Jenner, Dua Lipa, and Doja Cat started paving the way for younger generations of women to have autonomy over revealing their bodies. Berry’s fashion risks helped pave the way.

’00s-Era Accessories

As for the rest of her look, Berry kept accessorizing to a minimum and chose a black choker that was evocative of the era. Beauty-wise, her makeup was low-key with glossy lips and her signature tousled pixie.

Just as her spicy ensemble was a win in my book, she also emerged a winner at the event, bagging the highly-acclaimed award. Not a bad night for one of fashion’s brightest.