Michelle Trachtenberg has been appearing on red carpets since the mid-90s, so it's no wonder her style has evolved over the years. From sultry and sophisticated to bold and edgy, here's how the "Buffy the Vampire" star's look has totally transformed
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00:00Michelle Trachtenberg has been appearing on red carpets since the mid-'90s, so it's no
00:04wonder her style has evolved over the years. From sultry and sophisticated to bold and
00:09edgy, here's how the Buffy the Vampire star's look has totally transformed.
00:14In the early 2000s, Michelle Trachtenberg walked her fair share of red carpets. She
00:18was already an established actor and had been in a range of productions, most notably starring
00:22in Harriet the Spy. Despite all of this early success, she didn't garner major attention
00:27until she starred in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This newfound stardom meant more time on the
00:31red carpet and more attention on her style.
00:34Trachtenberg's early looks were the epitome of 2000s trends. The outfit she wore to the
00:382002 Teen Choice Awards is a prime example of this. Along with some low-rise flared jeans,
00:44she wore a fringy cropped halter top and some long-layered leather and turquoise necklaces.
00:49Her look combined a lot of the timely trends and already hinted at the boho vibe that would
00:53make appearances in later looks. In 2003 and 2004, she donned some more pared-down
00:59styles on red carpets, like simple off-the-shoulder sweaters and black pants, as well as mini-dresses
01:04paired with belts and necklaces. However, by the premiere of her movie Ice Princess,
01:08her boho glam was back in full swing, with an intricately embroidered brown dress, gold
01:13armbands, and bangle bracelets.
01:16By the mid-2000s, Trachtenberg's style was taking a new shape. Many of her looks from
01:20the period displayed a new maturity and were more sultry than some of the cuter, trendy
01:24styles she wore in the past. Her color choices also began to shift around this time, with
01:28more black appearing in her wardrobe, which would be a big theme throughout the rest of
01:32her style evolution. She told MTV News at the time,
01:35"[Fashion means a lot to me, not in a shallow way. Any girl knows that what you're wearing
01:39gives you your comfort and your attitude and your karma for the day."
01:43I don't mean to sound corny, but it's a real inspiration to me."
01:47At the 2006 Do Something Brick Awards in New York, she wore a simple black satin dress
01:52with a low back and minimal accessories. In the same year, at the Us Weekly Hot Hollywood
01:56Awards, she donned a dark gray dress with sheer black trim that had a slinky nightgown
02:01feel. She paired the dress with a black clutch, black heels, and a long necklace. With minimal
02:05accessories and a greater focus on the fit of the dress, it seems that Trachtenberg was
02:09truly beginning to find her voice through fashion.
02:12At the tail end of the 2000s, black was a big feature in Michelle Trachtenberg's wardrobe,
02:17highlighting that she really understood the color psychology of black clothing. At a 2008
02:21CW event, Trachtenberg wore a black mini dress with a sweetheart neckline that really highlighted
02:25her figure. She accessorized with some black peep-toe pumps, hoop earrings, and bracelets.
02:31While attending the 10,000 B.C. premiere in Los Angeles, she wore a black dress with one
02:35cap sleeve and a subtle diamond pattern. Paired with black accessories, the details of the
02:39dress truly stood out.
02:41At the 2009 Victoria's Secret fashion show, Trachtenberg wore another simple black dress,
02:45this time with some eye-catching stitching, which she paired with a layered black necklace
02:49and silver T-strap shoes. Even though Trachtenberg's wardrobe involved a lot of black and refined
02:54details at this time, she still made room for trying out trends in her wardrobe. At
02:58an American Eagle Outfitters grand opening, she paired a teal mini dress with a white
03:02and black blazer, proving that she knew exactly how to blend the trends of the time with her
03:07own personal style.
03:08"...and everything has to be just so."
03:12By 2012, Trachtenberg was playing around with prints. At a 2012 Grammy pre-party, she wore
03:17a long, flowy dress with a large, tropical-looking print. Styled with some soft must waves and
03:23smoky eyeshadow, the look is on the fun side.
03:25At a pre-Emmy event in 2013, Trachtenberg was playing with prints again. However, this
03:29time her overall look was more in line with her darker style. Wearing a black mini dress
03:34with a dark green print, she kept her accessories minimal and her hair tied back, which put
03:38the focus on the intriguing print of her dress. That wasn't the only time that she
03:42rocked a print that year, though. At the Lays 2013 Do Us a Flavor contest, she wore a black
03:47and white leopard print dress paired with a black blazer and silver pumps that really
03:51flattered her and proved that wild prints can look refined when styled well.
03:56In the mid-2010s, Trachtenberg's ensembles began incorporating a plunging neckline. At
04:01the 2014 Critics' Choice Television Awards, she donned a dark floor-length gold dress
04:05with a dramatically plunging neckline. Her waist was accented with a belt, and she paired
04:10the ensemble with simple earrings and bracelets. Her hair was worn straight and swept off to
04:14the side. As usual, some smoky eye makeup and dark nail polish completed the look.
04:19And as Trachtenberg's red carpet outfits became increasingly minimal and refined, her off-duty
04:23looks were becoming more eclectic and multidimensional. In paparazzi snaps from this period, she can
04:28be seen mixing prints and carrying bold-colored bags. But while attending a 2015 gala, the
04:34actor traded her street style for another glamorous outfit — a black satin mermaid
04:38gown paired with a diamond necklace and a gold clutch. Her hair was pulled back, showing
04:43off the bold neckline of her gown.
04:45By the latter half of the 2010s, Trachtenberg could be seen in loose and flowy styles, although
04:50she still stuck to her color palette of blacks, grays, and rich blues. At the 2016 Sister
04:55Cities premiere in Los Angeles, she wore a flowy royal blue dress, accessorized with
05:00long, layered necklaces, strappy black heels, and a snakeskin clutch. Her hair was pulled
05:04back, and she sported her signature dark nail polish.
05:07In 2017, at a Chateau Marmont launch event, Trachtenberg rocked a flowing, navy blue print
05:13dress along with a long, velvety blue coat. While the outfit itself was adorable, it was
05:17her accessories that added the most intrigue. Her glitzy, layered necklaces provided some
05:22understated glamour, while her mismatched shoes brought a playful vibe to the look.
05:27By the end of the 2010s, Trachtenberg's often-subdued looks were becoming a little more daring.
05:32At an Alice & Olivia launch party, she wore an eclectic outfit that combined a lot of
05:36seemingly different elements with ease. By pairing a band tee with a Chanel-style jacket,
05:41she created a look that was equal parts edgy and sophisticated.
05:44Also that year, Trachtenberg rocked a black velvet gown at the Art of Elysium's 12th annual
05:49celebration. Paired with a metallic-striped clutch, the look was a great example of using
05:53glam details to take a simple look into new and more eye-catching territory.
05:58Early in 2020, Trachtenberg hit the red carpet in a very classically her look. At the Art
06:02of Elysium's 13th annual event, she wore a structured black jumpsuit with a plunging
06:07neckline and bold shoulder ruffles. Her glitzy silver jewelry polished off the look. However,
06:12the accessory that stood out was her cane, which she needed due to an ankle injury.
06:17Trachtenberg kept her hair low-key and pulled back, but it was her smoky red-orange eye
06:20makeup that grabbed attention and truly made her eyes pop. Later on in 2020, though, Trachtenberg
06:26took a major departure from her typical fashion staples and wore a champagne-colored sequined
06:30dress with shoulder pads and a train.
06:33The look that she wore to an Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party was
06:37form-fitting and accented at the waist with a slim gold belt. Her silver clutch and large
06:42silver rings made for subtle accessories compared to her ultra-glamorous dress. The look is
06:46a great example of Trachtenberg taking a leap outside of her comfort zone and totally sticking
06:51the landing.
06:52I mean, look, I've always thought that I am who I'm going to be for the rest of my life.
06:56With the pandemic, everyone was masking up. While masks aren't always the easiest thing
07:00to style, it didn't stop Trachtenberg from serving some serious looks. In a post from
07:04her Instagram, Trachtenberg can be seen rocking a bold leopard-print face mask along with
07:09a gray-and-black faux fur coat. In this pic, her street style is on full display. Along
07:13with her faux fur, she donned a black V-neck top and layered on several gold and black
07:18necklaces. Her hair and makeup have an easy, effortless vibe with her hair tied back, with
07:22a few tendrils hanging out in the front.
07:24In another face mask selfie from that year, Trachtenberg can be seen in a navy blue face
07:29mask, a graphic tee, and a few layered gold necklaces. With no makeup and her hair in
07:33soft waves, Trachtenberg proved that looking stylish doesn't have to be complicated.
07:38Trachtenberg's style has undergone lots of shifts over the years, and by 2022, she was
07:42having fun playing around with different kinds of accessories. In an Instagram post
07:46from that year, the actress could be seen in a tweed newsboy cap along with some oversized
07:50and green-rimmed aviator sunglasses. It's definitely an intriguing combo, especially
07:55paired with her black graphic tee and red zip-up jacket. While this look is super casual,
07:59the safety pins in the collar of her shirt give the actor an unmistakable punk vibe.
08:04Experimenting with tweed seemed to be a theme for Trachtenberg in 2022, as another Instagram
08:09post showed her wearing a plaid scarf along with a tweed biker jacket. Despite the different
08:13patterns and textures going on, the overall look was effortless and polished. Paired with
08:18a black mask and a black shirt, Trachtenberg clearly knows how to let the right pieces
08:22of her outfit stand out.
08:24In 2023, Trachtenberg was all about bold details, and her Instagram is great evidence of this.
08:30In a post from November of that year, she could be seen in a black outfit with sheer
08:33ruffle details and a huge jewel-encrusted lion necklace. In another post, she donned
08:38a 2022 favorite, some oversized sunglasses. This time, though, they were cat-eye shaped
08:42and encrusted with pink heart-shaped gems.
08:45Her love of sunglasses is displayed again on her Instagram in a December 2023 post,
08:50where she wore another pair of large cat-eye sunglasses with metal accents at the corners.
08:54Combined with a headpiece with feathers, black leather roses, and netting that covers her
08:58face, the look gave off a decidedly vintage vibe.
09:01While many of her posts feature her in bold and dramatic styles, Trachtenberg has also
09:05posted some pared-down looks. In one Instagram post, she wore a blue velvet hoodie and no
09:10makeup. She opened up about her thoughts on aging with the caption,
09:13"...one of my best friends dared me to take a selfie with no makeup being dramatic. What
09:18do you think? P.S. saying still before any fake comment is so pathetic. I'm 38 years
09:23old and grateful. Get a calendar."
09:25"...I look forward to getting older."
09:27By 2024, Michelle Trachtenberg's style had evolved into being both comfortable and glam.
09:32Her style has both a drama and an ease to it that's truly worth taking note of. In posts
09:37where she pairs band shirts with tweed jackets, this is more evident than ever. However, it
09:42wasn't just her signature style that was getting attention in 2024. Some fans were talking
09:46about Trachtenberg's own appearance, and not all of the comments were completely positive.
09:51In a January post where she showed off her snake shirt and some newly dip-dyed hot pink
09:55hair, she posted a caption addressing the concern, which read,
09:58"...I've received several comments recently about my appearance. I have never had plastic
10:02surgery. I am happy and healthy. Check yourself, haters."
10:05The next day, she made another post where she addressed the comments even further, saying,
10:09"...Fun fact, this is my face. Not malnutrition. No problems. Why do you hate?"
10:14Just as Trachtenberg has always had a strong sense of style, it seems she's also strong
10:18when it comes to defending herself and staying true to who she is, no matter what anyone
10:22else might say.