The biggest and best A-list fashion of 2023: From Kim Kardashian forgetting her trousers to stars baring their legs in mini skirts and Princess Kate battling for the best cape award with Penny Mordaunt

It’s been a year when celebrities gave us plenty to look at. Big names — from Kim Kardashian to Emma Corrin — forgot their trousers. 

Fifty-something stars (Julia Roberts) got their bare legs out in mini skirts, in winter, and the Princess of Wales and Penny Mordaunt battled for ‘best caped dress award’. 

Unless you were Gwyneth Paltrow channelling stealth wealth, the mood was decidedly look-at-me excess.

Florence Pugh caused a stir for Valentino this summer in baby blue at Paris Fashion Week

Alex Scott wore a mesh see-through dress with visible knickers and no bra to the GQ Men Of The Year Awards

Celebrities display their naked ambition 

Sheer is not entirely new — you may recall Florence Pugh caused a stir in a bright pink see-through Valentino gown back in 2022 and she did the same for the fashion house this summer in baby blue at Paris Fashion Week.

But this year the Extreme Look Worn On The Red Carpet crossed over to something your favourite BBC sport presenter might show up in.

Alex Scott wore a mesh see-through dress with visible knickers and no bra to the GQ Men Of The Year Awards (no bra and pants on show is how you do it now, civilian or not) and this was the moment — partly because it barely caused a ripple — that we knew the nude look is now actually nude with a sheer coating.

We haven’t had a year this sheer since the early 1990s, when Kate Moss was pictured at a fashion party in that translucent long slip over a pair of black bikini pants.

Naturally, there are rules: make sure your pants are integral to the outfit (no thongs); keep the neckline high and the sleeves and hemline long (you need to be covered all over, even if you’re as good as naked); and expect to be stared at — unless you’re at a fashion party.

Barbiecore Margot is in the pink 

Margot Robbie, spent most of her time channelling Barbie in outfits by designers from Prada to Versace

This year there was balletcore (tulle dresses and ballet pumps) and there was Barbiecore (lots of pink and Barbie-esque outfits given a new spin, to coincide with the release of summer blockbuster Barbie).

If you like nippy, neat little outfits with matching jackets, bags and heels, then you were happy this summer. The film’s star, Margot Robbie, spent most of her time channelling Barbie in outfits by designers from Prada to Versace (all clothes from the collections, picked for their Barbie relevance) including pink marabou-trimmed pyjamas and a Pucci go-go dress.

We may never be able to look at pink again.

Sleek Penny, the caped crusader… 

Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt wearing a teal cape dress at the King’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey in May

Another fan of the cape dress this year was actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who donned a moulded white one over a metallic mesh dress for the premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Penny Mordaunt’s teal cape dress was specially designed by the label Safiyaa for her role as carrier of the Sword of State at King Charles’s Coronation (left) and, by golly, it worked. It’s not often you have occasion to bear a sword in public, but Mordaunt looked born to do it, partly thanks to the regal cape sleeves, revealing just enough press-up-prepared arms.

Other fans of the cape dress this year included the Princess of Wales, who also wore a teal caped Safiyaa gown for the Royal Variety Performance in November; writer and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who donned a moulded white cape over a metallic mesh dress for the Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny premiere; and Mick Jagger’s partner, Melanie Hamrick, whose bejewelled cape worn over a black column dress to the King’s dinner at Versailles stole the show.

Olivia Colman was an early adopter (she’s been wearing capes for years), while actress Zawe Ashton wore a caped Erdem dress for the Evening Standard Theatre Awards back in November; and Kate Moss sported a black caped dress for the London Fashion Awards earlier this month. When Kate adopts a trend, you pay attention.

But hats off to Mordaunt’s Roman goddess look, which will surely be remembered as the stand-out style of 2023 — even if it was mainly about her steady gaze, ram-rod deportment and Catherine Deneuve-ish beauty.

Rishi’s wife nails her colour block brights

Rishi Sunak’s wife Akshata Murty’s most memorable outfit of the year was the Chinti and Parker fuchsia cashmere top with lime green Me+Em trousers when she arrived in Japan in May

Back in February, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murty, was photographed running errands in a pair of shearling-lined mules and got a lot of flak when it emerged they were by JW Anderson and cost £570.

Since slippergate, Mrs Sunak has worn mostly mid-market labels, stuck to her style guns and, most importantly, nailed bright colour-block dressing. In the process, she’s made it to the top of Tatler’s best-dressed list, which is no mean feat.

Her most memorable outfit of the year was the one she wore in May when she arrived in Japan for the G7 summit: a Chinti and Parker fuchsia cashmere top with lime-green Me+Em trousers, which she’d also worn the previous year, gaining her sustainability points.

It’s been a very big year for brights — and whether it’s trousers and a clashing top or a maxi print skirt, Mrs Sunak wears them well.

Whoops, I forgot my trousers! 

Emma Corrin sporting the ‘I forgot my trousers’ look with Miu Miu gold sequin knickers in Paris

Model Adwoa Aboah wearing wool pants and a matching cardigan leaving the Vogue World: London  after party at the George Club in Mayfair

Emma Corrin walked the runway in Miu Miu’s gold sequin knickers and a sweater in March and, since, the ‘I Forgot My Trousers’ look has gone from strength to strength.

Lots of celebrities forgot their trousers in 2023 and were pictured out and about in wool pants and matching cardigans (model Adwoa Aboah); billowing shirts over tiny cycling shorts (model Kendall Jenner); buttoned-up blazers and stockings (actress Eva Longoria); or they just went out in their tights.

Kim Kardashian (who else) was pictured in only a hoodie and black lace stocking boots — basically lace tights with in-built high-heeled pumps — which we assume is Forgot Trousers taken to its natural conclusion.

Then again, Kim’s boots are from Balenciaga’s pre-Fall 2024 collection, so it’s not over yet.

Now anyone can dare to bare in a mini marvel 

Anna Eberstein, Mrs Hugh Grant, wore a short dress to the Wonka premiere at the Regency Village Theater in Los Angeles

Alexa Chung at Vogue World wearing black with sheer black tights and heels 

This year saw the return of the mini, and you can get away with it at any age if you have the pins for it.

Anna Eberstein — Mrs Hugh Grant — wore a short dress to the Wonka premiere (above, left); and this month Julia Roberts, 56, wore a mini skirt twice (once in cold London with no tights, which may have been a step too far).

The mini look that caught on for party season was black with sheer black tights and heels (see Alexa Chung at Vogue World); while the star who wore it best was Jodie Comer in a sleeveless mini tuxedo dress.

But Gwynnie covers up in quiet luxury 

Gwyneth Paltrow, took the stand in a Utah courtroom in March and nailed Quiet Luxury Court Style 

Court dressing took a new turn this year. After the high-end bling of the Wagatha Christie trial in 2022, lifestyle guru and queen of rich mum energy, Gwyneth Paltrow, took the stand in a Utah courtroom in March and nailed Quiet Luxury Court Style.

Her outfits included coats from The Row, Celine boots, clothes from her own brand, G Label by Goop and Ray-Bans.

Everything — even the solid gold Foundrae chains at £65,000 — were gobbled up online as fast as she wore them.

Gwyneth won her case, and exited with the grace of someone who had made her miss half-a-day’s skiing.

This was perfectly executed quiet luxury dressing at its finest, and how we loved it.