Serena Williams' Most Iconic Outfits From the Carpet to the Court in 2023

 The GOAT's fashion evolution is all bangers, no skips.

You don't become one of the world's most famous athletes without taking a few risks, and the same can be said of earning fashion icon status. Serena Williams has done both throughout her career. Her iconic fashion looks, worn both on and off the court, are a testament to her individuality and a celebration of her body.

Serena Williams' best outfits defy convention, much like the athlete herself. It's no secret that detractors once considered her body, technique, attitude, and, yes, even her 'fits a bit too much. Williams has spent over a decade keeping her chin up despite this othering, defying the tennis whites standard (applicable in more ways than one) with bold prints, bright colors, and layers of tulle. On the red carpet, Williams keeps the grand slams coming. She was named 2023's CFDA Fashion Icon Award winner, and one glance at her daring Thom Browne red carpet look shows that the award was well-earned.

Williams takes risks, goes hard, and experiments on the red carpet, whether attending the Vanity Fair Oscar party—she's been a guest for years and never once stopped serving A+ style — or the Met Gala. Williams' tennis outfits and red carpet looks are so consistently iconic that it was difficult to narrow our list of Serena Williams' best outfits to a mere 20 gowns, tennis two-piece sets, and decadent dresses, but we, like Williams, are always down to serve.

Serena Williams in Thom Browne at the 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards

Say it with us: iconic. To accept the 2023 Fashion Icon Award, Williams wore a sequined Thom Browne gown with oversized sheer satin puff sleeves and a long train. Her stylist, Kesha McLeod, accessorized the look with David Yurman jewelry, including a spiky floral collar necklace fit for a queen.

Serena Williams in Gucci at the 2023 Met Gala

There were lots of pearls and black velvet at the 2023 Met Gala celebrating designer Karl Lagerfeld, but Williams' custom Gucci gown stood out thanks, in part, to its seamless blending of menswear and eveningwear details. Aside from the gorgeous gown and Tiffany & Co. jewelry, the night was a special one for Williams: the tennis camp cheekily announced that she and husband Alexis Ohanian were expecting their second child in the caption of her Met Gala Instagram post.

Serena Williams in Brandon Blackwood at the 2023 NAACP Image Awards

For the 54th Annual NAACP Image Awards, Williams donned a custom Brandon Blackwood velvet gown with a thigh-skimming side-slit and dramatic train.

Serena Williams in Versace at the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party

Williams loves a gown but also seems to adore a mini dress red carpet moment. For the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, the A-lister wore a silver sculptural Versace mini dress that served up a sensual celebration of her curves while evoking the strength and power of medieval armor. Styled by Jason Boldman, the showstopping look was accessorized with silver jewelry that leaned into the liquid metal of it all.

Serena Williams in Gucci at the 94th Annual Academy Awards

Both Williams sisters served as producers on the Oscar-winning film King Richard, and Serena delivered old Hollywood glamour on the Academy Awards red carpet for the big night. The floral appliqué on Williams' plunging custom Gucci gown was echoed in the lace pattern on her sheer black gloves. A gown like this one can hold its own on a red carpet with minimal accessories. Williams opted for minimal jewelry with just two cocktail rings and a pair of stud earrings from her own jewelry line.

Serena Williams in Balmain at Paris Fashion Week in 2022

Only the very best looks will do if you're sitting front row at Paris Fashion Week, and Williams certainly got the memo. The A-lister attended the Balmain Fall/Winter '22/'23 show in a two-piece rich velvet set that accentuated her shape with quilting and pleating.

Serena Williams in Sheer Black Sparkles at the 2022 US Open

No shade to standard tennis skirts, but Williams prefers a bit of sparkle in her competition looks designed by Nike. On Day Three of the 2022 US Open, Williams wore an inky black tennis dress with a swirling skirt, rhinestone-embellished bodice, and sheer long sleeves. The 'fit, accessorized with a matching headband, said "star power" loud enough for every spectator to hear.