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How the Pants-Under-Dress Look Became a Red-Carpet Staple

A four-year odyssey.

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By Chelsea Peng
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Getty Images

Since the dawn of time/whenever the first red carpet was rolled out, the only "acceptable" attire for women was the gown. No longer—now we've got suits and Kerry Washington's pregnancy crop top and, yes, dresses over pants, which are becoming a black-tie basic of their own. See its gradual ascent, from early adopter Emma Watson to Tracee Ellis Ross at this year's Emmys.

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<p>Blazing a trail in Dior<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p>
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Emma Watson, 2012

Blazing a trail in Dior

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<p>In Dior&nbsp;</p>
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Ruth Wilson, 2012

In Dior 

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<p>In Dior&nbsp;<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p>
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Mélanie Laurent, 2012

In Dior 

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<p>In Jason Wu</p>
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Jessica Paré, 2013

In Jason Wu

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<p>In Christian Siriano</p>
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Solange Knowles, 2014

In Christian Siriano

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<p>In Dior</p>
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Emma Watson, 2014

In Dior

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<p>In Lanvin</p>
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Emma Stone, 2015

In Lanvin

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<p>In Christian Siriano&nbsp;</p>
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Solange Knowles, 2015

In Christian Siriano 

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9 of 25
<p>In Donna Karan Atelier</p>
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Diane Kruger, 2015

In Donna Karan Atelier

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<p>In Dior&nbsp;</p>
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Emma Watson, 2015

In Dior 

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<p>In 3.1&nbsp;Phillip Lim&nbsp;</p>
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Liya Kebede, 2015

In 3.1 Phillip Lim 

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<p>In The Row </p>
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Kendall Jenner, 2015

In The Row

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<p>In Gareth Pugh</p>
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Solange Knowles, 2015

In Gareth Pugh

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<p>In Stella McCartney&nbsp;</p>
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Rita Ora, 2015

In Stella McCartney 

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<p>In Dior</p>
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Kiernan Shipka, 2015

In Dior

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<p>In&nbsp;Razan Alazzouni<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p>
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Elizabeth Banks, 2015

In Razan Alazzouni

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<p>In Monique Lhuillier</p>
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Diane Kruger, 2015

In Monique Lhuillier

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<p>In Brandon Maxwell</p>
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Lady Gaga, 2016

In Brandon Maxwell

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<p>In Osman</p>
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Emma Watson, 2016

In Osman

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<p>In David LaPort&nbsp;</p>
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Solange Knowles, 2016

In David LaPort 

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<p>In Calvin Klein</p>
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Emma Watson, 2016

In Calvin Klein

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<p>In <a href="http://store.saintheron.com/c-meo-for-saint-heron-golden-age-pant-blush/" target="_blank">CMEO Collective for Saint Heron</a><span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p>
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Solange Knowles, 2016

In CMEO Collective for Saint Heron

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<p>In Creatures of Comfort</p>
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Solange Knowles, 2016

In Creatures of Comfort

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<p>In Ralph Lauren&nbsp;<span class="redactor-invisible-space" data-verified="redactor" data-redactor-tag="span" data-redactor-class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></p>
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Tracee Ellis Ross, 2016

In Ralph Lauren 

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<p>In Monique Lhuillier</p>
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Sarah Hyland, 2016

In Monique Lhuillier

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