The 20 best dressed men and women of 2023
The fashion scenarios presented in 2023 have been diverse to say the least. In just 365 days we’ve seen high fashion takes on Coronation dressing and Eurovision regalia, courtroom styling (Gwyneth Paltrow) and punditry chic (Alex Scott and Gary Lineker).
There were many worthy contenders. But here, The Telegraph’s fashion editors have selected their top 20 best dressed men and women of the year – those who displayed authentically interesting taste, and whose outfits we actually wanted to copy at home.
In no particular order…
Women
Akshata Murty
This time last year, Akshata Murty was very much a behind-the-scenes chatelaine at Number 10. But since the spring (and a particular spotting in her £570 sliders) she’s thrown herself into a First Lady mission to be a prominent presence at her husband’s side with a cleverly stylish wardrobe to match. Advised by Lady Cameron’s former right hand woman, Isabel Spearman, Murty has flown the flag for British fashion in labels like Self Portrait, Claire Mischevani and Boden alongside personal references to her Indian heritage. – BH
Chioma Nnadi
Chioma Nnadi, British Vogue’s new head of editorial content, has only been back in London for a couple of months but already she’s offered up several examples of her refreshingly eclectic yet polished personal style. In this one look alone, worn for a Vogue event in November, Nnadi proves that you can mix your metallics and that there’s a non-saccharine way to wear double pink. A Vogue editor with a genuinely joyful outlook on getting dressed. – BH
Zawe Ashton
As the face of Marks & Spencer, actress Zawe Ashton can shift high street party dresses in their thousands. But she also embraces the best of London’s smaller designer labels on the red carpet, with outfits spanning amber Vampire’s Wife capes, to zesty Rejina Pyo ruffles, and vintage-tinged Erdem. Her fashion range is perhaps unrivalled. – CL
Penny Mordaunt
Apologies to Their Majesties, but Penny Mordaunt was the unlikely star of the Coronation when, as Lord President of the Privy Council, she carried the Sword of State. Instead of a version of the garb worn by the Marquess of Salisbury in 1953, she commissioned a new caped dress by Safiyaa, which represented her role and status, but also her taste. Her elegant look in her political life has not gone unnoticed either; she relies on sleek tailoring, which, it was said at the Conservative Party Conference, gave her movie star presence. – TA
Eva Langret
A French woman in London, Eva Langret is the artistic director of Frieze and a serene, graceful presence in the sometimes frenetic London art scene. Whether she’s wearing The Row or Jigsaw, she makes everything her own, juxtaposing tailoring with jogging pants, balancing oversized silhouettes with elegant heels. As she does with art, she mixes new names in fashion such as Ahluwalia with modern blue chip names. Practicality is key, as is comfort – this is no passive muse. – LA
The Princess of Wales
The Princess of Wales has never been one to shock with her style, but there have been some genuinely gasp-worthy moments this year. A favourite was the ultra-chic Erdem skirt suit she wore to the Commonwealth Day service in March but she also looked dramatic in black opera gloves and a white gown at the Baftas, and in a red cape to greet the president of South Korea last month. Hers is a job for life and the Princess knows how to keep us interested. – BH
Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson’s nomination on this list is as much about what she didn’t wear, as what she did. The 56-year-old has been proudly makeup free since September – a beauty-world statement that shouldn’t feel revolutionary, yet in 2023, when every other celebrity seems contoured to the hilt, it really does. She’s teamed her natural beauty with some beautiful clothes too – flounced dresses and crisp suiting by Victoria Beckham are her go-tos. It’s the chicest era yet for the bombshell. – CL
Greta Lee
One of the year’s best experimental dressers, The Morning Show’s Greta Lee (who also conquered indie cinema this year with her moving turn in Past Lives) can always be relied upon to try something truly different on the red carpet. She’s a big fan of the British designer Jonathan Anderson, both at his own label and Loewe, and isn’t afraid to wear his more outre silhouettes. Her trick, though, is that she can do avant garde without ever looking clownish. – CL
Gabby Logan
The presenter, who turned 50 this year, has worked with stylist Charlotte Handley Green for years, but she never looks “styled”, which can result in clothes outshining the woman wearing them. Her example is one we could all follow: favouring block colours over print, impactful tailoring (see: her sparkly Elie Saab suit for the Sports Personality of the Year awards) and never wearing anything in which she looks uncomfortable. That, and she’s usually got a smile on her face, which makes everything look better. – TA
Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson’s seventh decade is shaping up to be her best, sartorially. What used to be hit and miss exuberance has matured into a reliably sophisticated presence. Now a minimalist (in the main), she never takes herself too seriously and doesn’t fall into the trap of looking austere. Thompson can work a lemon, lavender or cream trouser suit with the best of them. With her hair currently settled at a mid grey crop with playful variations on the flick, she looks like a woman who’s at the top of her game and confidence. – LA
Men
King Felipe of Spain
King Felipe’s impeccable suiting is often eclipsed by the wardrobe of his wife, Queen Letizia. This year, though, it got the attention it deserved when menswear guru Derek Guy identified all of the reasons he looked so sharp at Wimbledon (the collar hugs the neck, there’s no pulling, lapels end halfway from collar to shoulder bone). Men everywhere who consider themselves to be tailoring aficionados were forced to check their own fit passed muster. – TA
King Charles III
The King’s Coronation this year was a celebration of pomp and splendour (with the ceremonial robes to match). But in his day-to-day life the King adheres to his time-honoured ethos of make do and mend, wearing excellent quality clothes built to last. A case in point is this handsome Anderson & Sheppard coat, which has been a mainstay of his wardrobe since 1986, and a grey checked suit with a repaired patch on the torso. – SD
Lewis Hamilton
The daredevil of Formula 1 loves to test the limits in terms of his style too. But the flashy labels have this year been replaced by bonafide fashion credentials; Lewis Hamilton has been opting for immaculate suiting from British talent Grace Wales Bonner, as well as experimental #looks from the achingly cool Rick Owens and Bottega Veneta. It’s encouraging to see a man with such influence amongst teenage boys and young men ripping up the style rulebook. – SD
Erling Haaland
The 6ft 4in Norwegian – who looks like he’s about to plunder an Anglo Saxon township – has fully embraced the flashiest echelons of fashion during his rise to fame. He particularly relishes all things bright and brash at Italian house Dolce & Gabbana, famed for their vivid, splashy prints. The house’s silky pyjamas became his calling card via a series of “blue steel” Instagram posts, and he graced the front row at their show in Puglia. – SD
Brian Cox
On screen in Succession, 77-year-old Brian Cox cemented the “soft power” look of plush knits and sporty athleisure wear. Off it, he became a front row regular at the cutting edge Loewe house, donning their outre designs with his signature steely glare. Who needs sedate cardis and slippers as a septuagenarian? Cox is proving men of all ages can spice up the fashion stakes. – SD
Jacob Elordi
Being Elvis on screen in Sofia Coppola’s film Priscilla clearly had an impact on Jacob Elordi’s off-stage wardrobe – he wears a wide winged collar shirt as well as the original heartthrob ever did. But here is a man who won’t be sartorially typecast (nor professionally, as the Australian actor also starred in Saltburn and Euphoria this year). He is as known in fashion circles for his love of a Bottega Veneta It bag, or a leather Valentino blazer. – CL
Daniel Craig
2023 was the year Daniel Craig went bookish – adding spectacles, pocket squares and a side swept wave of hair to his impeccably tailored look. The internet went wild for it, comparing his makeover to a bank manager, an Antiques Roadshow presenter and a sexy tenured professor. What a mix, you might say. – CL
David Beckham
The former England ca TAptain isn’t afraid to have a bit of fun with his style – the sarong, the his ‘n’ hers matching leather – all of that was revisited in his Netflix documentary series. But his 2023 style has offered a masterclass in smart-casual dressing with an upscale twist, from Loro Piana knits to Celine coats. – TA
Richard E Grant
The national treasure doesn’t tend to frighten the fashion horses, instead sticking to a clean, sharp aesthetic. And it works; at 66 years old, Richard E Grant is in the spotlight thanks to his star turn in the Oscar-tipped Saltburn, donning debonair black tie, pristine suits and, at Vivienne Westwood’s memorial this year, a veiled pillbox hat with a Union Jack scarf. A welcome dash of romanticism alongside the neat tailoring. – SD
Ncuti Gatwa
The Scottish-Rwandan actor, who this year stepped into the Doctor’s shoes, has upped the fashion ante in some serious looks. From Prada bubblegum pink suits (worn topless, as one does) to cinched-in coats from the experimental designer Louis-Gabriel Nouchi, to silken, gender fluid extravaganzas from emerging label Burc Akyol, the Sex Education star’s style is playful, individual and entirely unapologetic. – SD