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Dakota Fanning's Red Carpet Style Evolution

See how the 16-year-old former child star's style has transformed through the years.

By Kate Schweitzer

Jun 30, 2010

Steve Granitz/WireImage

See how the 16-year-old former child star's style has transformed through the years. For more, read the Marie Claire cover story and go behind the scenes of her cover shoot!

Steve Granitz/WireImage

December 2001

Born Hannah Dakota Fanning, the young star's first red carpet appearance — at the premiere of her breakout film, I Am Sam — was when she was just seven years old. Even then, she didn't leave home without her purse, or in this case, a gift box clutch that matched her pleated dress.

Steve Granitz/WireImage

January 2002

The adorable tot showed off her layering skills — she topped off her iridescent blouse with a navy velvet jumper — at the Seventh Annual Broadcast Film Critics Awards.

Jim Smeal/WireImage

March 2002

Dakota — in an all-white puffed-sleeve dress — attended the Eighth Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards when she was eight years old herself. But by this point, she had already been acting for several years, first appearing in a Tide commercial when she was five.

Steve Granitz/WireImage

October 2002

The budding actress brought a date to The Santa Clause 2 premiere: her younger sister, Elle, four years old. Elle, also an actress, starred as the younger version of Dakota's character in I Am Sam.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

September 2003

The star, at nine years old, was clearly quite excited to walk the red carpet at the Emmy Awards in L.A. In 2003, she starred in two more major film roles: as an uptight child opposite the late Brittany Murphy in Uptown Girls and as Sally in the live-action version of The Cat in the Hat.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

April 2004

Dakota, at the premiere of Man on Fire in an off-the-shoulder dress likely inspired by a Disney princess, got critical raves for her role. Roger Ebert wrote that she "is a pro at only 10 years old and creates a heart-winning character."

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

June 2005

Dakota — in a more casual skirt and tank top combo — certainly didn't have stage fright when accepting her popcorn bucket trophy at the MTV Movie Awards for Most Frightened Performance for her role in the psychological thriller Hide and Seek.

Barry King/WireImage

September 2005

Dakota joined the ranks of 2.8 million girls when she was inducted into the Girl Scouts of America council. Wearing the trademark uniform and sash — with a few patches already — the star followed in the footsteps of her mom, who was also a Girl Scout.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

November 2005

In a pink gown with black lace trim, Dakota waved to fans at the Multicultural Motion Picture Association's 13th Annual Diversity Awards Gala.

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

January 2006

Perhaps auditioning for a spot in a potential remake of Little House on the Prairie, Dakota wore a high-collared peasant dress to the 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, where she presented a lifetime achievement award to her idol, Shirley Temple.

Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

October 2006

A little bit country, Dakota displayed her green gown and flats at the CMT Giants Honoring Reba McEntire event. By the end of 2006, she became the youngest member in history to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and, with an income of $4 million, also made the top 5 in Forbes's list of highest-earning stars under age 21.

Steve Granitz/WireImage

March 2007

Officially a teenager, Dakota still took her younger sis, Elle, as her date to Nickelodeon's 20th Annual Kids' Choice Awards. It was around this time that she began developing the red carpet pose — looking straight ahead while crossing one leg in front of the other — that she has used at nearly every star-studded premiere since.

Steve Granitz/WireImage

July 2008

It seemed as though the child actress grew up overnight in mid-2008, when she appeared in a strapless dress at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Annual Installation Luncheon.

Theo Wargo/WireImage

September 2008

Dakota came out to support her role in Hounddog at the premiere in New York City. Her parents were criticized for allowing their daughter to film a scene in which her character was raped. Dakota's response? "It's not really happening," she had said. "It's a movie, and it's called acting."

Jeff Snyder/FilmMagic

September 2008

The 14-year-old star proved she was red hot in a one-shoulder bubble dress at the Washington, D.C., premiere of The Secret Life of Bees.

Steve Granitz/WireImage

January 2009

Dakota looked all grown up as she presented at the 35th Annual People's Choice Awards in a blue BCBG minidress. Since then, she began wearing a series of sparkling designer minis by the likes of Marchesa, Valentino, and Elie Saab.

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

February 2009

The starlet added a popular new accessory to her look at the premiere of Coraline: 3D glasses. Dakota lent her voice to the title character in the stop-motion fantasy feature.

dakota fanning at twilight new moon premiere

Jordan Strauss/Getty Images

November 2009

Although she didn't don her vampire character's trademark cape and Mary Janes, Dakota did get into the spirit of The Twilight Saga: New Moon L.A. premiere. She vamped it up in a short black lace Valentino dress for the festivities surrounding the teen-obsessed sequel.

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

March 2010

Fresh off her 16th birthday, the star promoted The Runaways — the biopic in which she plays Cherie Currie opposite real-life pal Kristen Stewart — at the Hollywood premiere.

Todd Williamson/WireImage

June 2010

Now a real force in fashion, Dakota walked the red carpet at the L.A. premiere of Twilight's Eclipse in a beige lace Elie Saab Couture cocktail dress and a towering pair of Christian Louboutin studded heels.

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