Mood Board-Worthy Maximalist Style Moments by Celebrities

Maximalism, which utilizes color, shape, and/or texture to create a bold, sculptural look, is beloved by some of our most famous celebrities. It can take shape in a few different ways, as you'll see, but the unifying theme is one of daring and surprise. Maximalism has taken center stage in recent trends, from loud luxury to serotonin dressing, but the celebrities on this list consider maximalism core to their aesthetic. In other words, it's not just a trend—it's part of their personal brand.

Kim Kardashian

Most of Kim Kardashian's looks hit the sweet spot of fitted and exaggerated: being both skin-tight but also extreme in its shaping (as with the deep flare on the pants and the v-shaped waist). And then she just takes it to the next level by matching with her dog.

Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner is no stranger to playing with shape, texture, and color, but she's gotten more and more experimental as she's gotten older. This literally spiky skirt and furry top don't need the addition of much else to look extremely cool, so she can keep everything else minimal.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez has embraced every aesthetic under the sun, to great effect. Maximalism happens to be one especially sharp tool in her arsenal: she'll happily give us a big coat, a daring neckline, some enormous jewels—or, in the case of this outfit, all three.

Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa has an awesome '90s/Y2K style sensibility, which can manifest in various ways: from a vintage belted Versace, to a big studded bag, to this long snake skin coat. She's got a youthful, exuberant energy that's incredibly fun—it feels like she's honing in on her exact brand on maximalism as we watch.

Katy Perry

Katy Perry has never shied away from a big look (she has literally dressed up as an angel, chandelier, and hamburger on the red carpet!). But her more modern style iteration has been more muted in terms of color but edgier in terms of the smaller details.

Jennifer Coolidge

Jennifer Coolidge is most well-known for her big, bouffant-esque hair—which usually demands a bigger look to go with it. These days, that has meant bigger, caftan-inspired silhouettes; while the hair doesn't have as much height here, it's still her trademark blonde and matching with the yellow brocade.

Greta Lee

Greta Lee has a maximalist vibe that's defined by expert simplicity. Here, the color and shape are the focal points here; it's deceptively simple, but the fabric is luxe, it's tailored to perfection, and there's some slouch at the arms. Plus, the sunglasses give a cool vibe.

Tessa Thompson

Tessa Thompson's vibe is deeply cool, which means that her sartorious adventurousness leads to some equally cool outfits. There's something very playful about taking something oversized (in this case a striped suit) and adding oversized gloves to it.

Ashley Graham

Ashley Graham often operates in sartorial extremes: she's never going halfway in her looks, and she often opts for impressively outré shapes. Wrapping her top half in a gorgeous cropped fur jacket over top a sparkly silver gown feels exactly par for the course.

FKA Twigs

There are few celebs who make more of a red carpet impact than FKA Twigs. She's just so daring, experimental, and anti-trend (dressing exactly how she likes with no regard for what's "au courant"), that it's absolutely riveting. She looks like a Star Wars character!

Rita Ora

Rita Ora often breaks out what I think of as "feminine maximalism": this coat is oversize but decorated with gorgeous white blossoms. That would be enough, but of course she uplevels with white gloves, white turtleneck, and white, thigh-high Western boots.

Julia Fox

Julia Fox is a proponent of experimental maximalism, particularly in her makeup: when she started wearing deep, dark eyeshadow all over her eyes, we sat up and took notice. Since then, there's not a trend she's unwilling to try, including fully bleached brows and silvery hair.

Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu has been doing daring for decades now, and (not surprisingly) she's experienced a resurgence in popularity in the 2020s. This is the 2024 CFDA Fashion Awards (she was accepting an award for Fashion Icon), and this Thom Browne look comes with a gorgeous bejeweled headpiece.

Sarah Jessica Parker

While it's easy to conflate Sarah Jessica Parker with her most iconic and oft-maximalist Sex and the City character, she and Carrie do share some style DNA. Here, the fun is in the surprise, with a ruffly dress, chunky cardigan, and over-coat all in contrast to those gorgeous purple boots.

Anya Taylor-Joy

It's a testament to Anya Taylor-Joy's maximalist vibe that she could be strolling the streets of New York in head to toe blonde, including a bulbous furry coat worn as a dress, nude pumps, and blonde hair, and I would think, Yes, that's exactly right for her.

Harry Styles

Maximalism doesn't have to be limited to our female stars, and fortunately a number of actors have leaned in on their over-the-top aesthetic on the red carpet. Harry Styles has been doing this consistently for years now and gives us big, bold, almost sculptural outfits.

Lizzo

Lizzo is the red carpet risk-taker, which can range from a bold color on a skintight catsuit to a big dramatic gown to literally accessorizing with (and playing!) her flute. As was the case for the 2024 Met Gala, she hit the red carpet looking like a literal blooming flower.

Doja Cat

Doja Cat is very often the coolest-looking person in the room: her style can often skew eclectic and edgy, and she revels in looking unique. But she can also play with her maximalist tendencies in more subtle ways, like this oversized look with enlarged baseball cap.

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus has embraced maximalism in a variety of forms throughout her career, sometimes leaning in on the skin-baring, other time opting for enormous hair and heels. This choppy hair and cool cutout leather dress feels like an elevated version of her constant self-reinvention.

Cynthia Erivo

Even though Cynthia Erivo's gorgeous manicures have become more noticed since she starred as Elpheba in Wicked, she's been opting for big, eye-catching, edgy looks on the red carpet for years. Sometimes her gown silhouette is classic and simple, but the details—and accessories—bring the bold.

Zendaya

What's interesting about Zendaya is that she doesn't always go maximalist: she has a smart sense of couture style, and she often goes with something classic. But she doesn't mind going big and bold to make a statement, which is why her style is so surprising (and it doesn't hurt that she pulls every single thing off).

Madonna

Here at the 2024 New York Ready to Wear Fashion Week, Madonna continues to be an iconoclast in her 60s and beyond. Huge sunglasses, long latex gloves, tons of chunky jewelry and that gorgeous structured coat: it's edgy, it's glam, and it's par for the course for the icon.

Megan Thee Stallion

Megan Thee Stallion does a really good job mixing casual street style with couture pieces, but when she goes all in on a look (this is Gaurav Gupta and it's basically a work of art), we're reminded that she can pull off out-there outfits that most people can't.

Lenny Kravitz

Lenny Kravitz was out here with his maximalism long before other people, and he's still nailing it. Texture (think: leather and chunky knits), shape (enormous shoulder pads and skinny pants), and surprise (huge sunglasses and a draped necklace) all cohere beautifully.

Celine Dion

Celine Dion had quite the style evolution over her career. She went from classic to bold, from fitted to oversized, so that now when we get a sighting of her it's always in something deeply cool and with an amazing shape. She has always had iconoclast sensibilities, though, lest we forget her backwards suit at the Oscars.

Janelle Monae

Janelle Monae honed a very specific style early in her career, focusing on mostly graphic black and white designs, while deploying color strategically and beautifully. That has essentially evolved into her being a living art sculpture, and absolutely nailing it.

Lil Nas X

Lil Nas X is known for helping to redefine men's fashion and what it means to look like a superstar. His most maximalist look is probably when he attended the Met Gala as a bedazzled cat, but even when he's more "subdued" it's still sparkly, oversized, and draped to perfection.

Rihanna

Rihanna has a cool trendsetter aesthetic, which often incorporates maximalism into it. We most often see this in her Met Gala looks, but there's usually a big swing in most of her red carpet outfits, like this popped collar and impressively high strappy shoes.

Cher

I just want to remind everyone that in this photo Cher is about to turn 78. (She's attending the premiere of Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion, and it tracks that she would pay homage to one of her favorite designers in this way.) Maximalism for decades at this point!

Tracee Ellis Ross

Tracee Ellis Ross gives us exceptional color and shape to all her looks, from the most casual streetwear sightings to this masterpiece at the Marc Jacobs 2025 Runway Show (look at those shoes!!). If there's one person who does serotonin dressing well, it's her.

Lady Gaga

When you think of Lady Gaga's style, her early inventions probably come to mind (meat dress, anyone?). Her looks have expanded to include more classic shapes, but rest assured: "Mother Monster" is always game to break out a great wig and big, bold gown.

Billy Porter

Billy Porter attended the Oscars in a dress, and that's just one of his coolest looks (remember when he wore a hat that included a mechanized close-able shade)? And his sensibilities continue to be as fun (and sometimes frilly) as ever—see also a tulle skirt, distressed pant, and gorgeous bedazzled broach.