Helena Bonham Carter Is the Red Carpet Rebel Hollywood Needs

The year was 2011, and everyone couldn’t stop talking about one thing on the Golden Globes red carpet: Helena Bonham Carter’s mismatched shoes. The British actor hit the step and repeat in a shapely Vivienne Westwood frock with a pink satin pump on one foot, and a green satin pump on the other. E!’s Fashion Police dubbed the clashing footwear a “fashion fail.” But Carter went on to defend her style choice, telling People, "Why not wear mismatching shoes? Who says we can't? I was just having fun.”

Ten years later, Carter’s Golden Globes fashion moment continues to pop into my brain. Why did we attack Carter for such a whimsical, fun styling choice? There have been bolder styling jobs! Fashion should be about embracing individuality, after all. Not that the criticism has stopped her: At 55, the actor’s red carpet style is still as quirky and irreverent as ever—and thank god for that! So, in honor of her birthday today, Vogue is looking back at some of her most memorable looks.

Photo: Getty Images

Over the years, Carter has displayed a penchant for retro, corseted gowns—often complete with a full, ruffled skirt—and whimsical accessories. These signatures have been part of her red carpet look since the late 1980s, when she first burst onto the scene. Where other Hollywood stars will gravitate towards sleek, streamlined dresses for their premieres, Carter goes for theatricality, and a dash of camp. Just refer to the Oscars in 2011, when she playfully lifted up her black skirt to reveal a Union Jack garter. 

The genius part about Bonham’s fashion choices is that she has always subtly nodded to the film she is promoting as well. Take her 1994 appearance at the opening of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, where she wore a spooky (but chic) black gown with a velvet shawl and lace gloves. Or her look for the 2010 world premiere of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, where she wore a white dress with a sweetheart neckline and an embroidered heart on it (she played the Red Queen in the film). She’s not only stayed true to her unique point-of-view, but she has also used her red carpet style as an extension of the characters she portrays on screen. If that’s not excellent style, what is?

Below, more of Carter’s best style moments over the years.