The Stunning Style Transformation Of Michelle Trachtenberg

When you think of Michelle Trachtenberg, the first thing that likely comes to mind is her character Dawn from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (or possibly Georgina Sparks from "Gossip Girl"). While these two roles are undoubtedly iconic, Trachtenberg has done so much more than that. Ever since age three, she's acted in commercials, TV shows, and movies. This long history in the spotlight means she's been showing off her amazing style for a long time, too. In fact, she was even discussing her style as early as 1996 when she spoke with the Chicago Tribune about her role as Harriet in "Harriet the Spy." After mentioning that she likes to spy just like her character, Trachtenberg added, "But that isn't the only thing I have in common with Harriet, though. I also dress like her, and I love tomato sandwiches."

In her early days in the spotlight, Trachtenberg sported some incredibly trendy looks — but over the years she began to find her personal style and stuck with it. Trachtenberg is a great example of a celeb who knows how to stay true to themselves. While some of her go-to looks have fluctuated over the years, she can be regularly seen in black and jewel-toned colors, layered necklaces, and simple, long hairstyles. In a world of fast fashion and ever-changing trends, her ability to be true to her own inner fashion compass is truly something to admire.

In the early 2000s, Michelle Trachtenberg walked her fair share of red carpets. By now she was already an established actor and had been in a range of productions, from appearing on "All My Children," a long-running soap opera, to starring as the childhood icon Harriet in "Harriet the Spy." Despite all of this early success, she didn't garner major attention until she starred in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." This newfound stardom meant more time on the red carpet, and more attention on her style.

Trachtenberg's early looks were the epitome of 2000s trends. The outfit she wore to the 2002 Teen Choice Awards is a prime example of this. Along with some low-rise flared jeans, she wore a fringey cropped halter top, and some long, layered leather and turquoise necklaces. Paired with some turquoise earrings and a leather belt with some feather and bead details, her look combined a lot of the timely trends and already hinted at the boho vibe that would make appearances in later looks.

In 2003 and 2004, she donned some more pared-down styles on red carpets, like simple off-the-shoulder sweaters and black pants, as well as minidresses paired with belts and necklaces. However, by the premiere of her movie "Ice Princess," her boho glam was back in full swing, with an intricately embroidered brown dress, gold arm bands, and bangle bracelets.

By the mid-2000s, Michelle Trachtenberg's style was taking a new shape. Many of her looks from the period displayed a new maturity and were more sultry than some of the cuter, trendy styles she wore in the past. Her color choices also began to shift around this time, with more black appearing in her wardrobe — which would be a big theme throughout the rest of her style evolution. "Fashion means a lot to me. Not in a shallow way," Trachtenberg told MTV News at the time. "Any girl knows that what you're wearing gives you your comfort and your attitude and your karma for the day."

At the 2006 "Do Something" Brick Awards in New York, she wore a simple black satin dress with a low back and minimal accessories. In the same year at the Us Hot Hollywood Awards, she donned a dark gray dress with sheer black trim that had a slinky, night-gown feel (which is super similar to the more recent flirty lace slip dress trend). She paired the dress with a black clutch, black heels, and a long necklace, while at a disco-themed charity fashion show, she wore a strapless dark brown dress with some strappy silver heels and tear-drop earrings. With more minimal accessories and a greater focus on the fit of the dress she wore, it seemed that Trachtenberg was truly beginning to find her voice through fashion.

At the tail end of the 2000s, black was a big feature in Michelle Trachtenberg's wardrobe, highlighting that she really understood the color psychology of black clothing. That doesn't mean her looks from this period were boring, though. Many of her black dresses had interesting details that elevated her ensembles. At a 2008 CW event, Trachtenberg wore a black minidress with a sweetheart neckline that really highlighted her figure. She accessorized with some black peep-toe pumps, hoop earrings, and bracelets. Some black nail polish and long soft waves all came together to create a look that was elegant with edgy details.

While attending the "10,000 BC" premiere in Los Angeles, she wore a black dress with one cap sleeve and a subtle diamond pattern. Paired with black accessories, the details of the dress truly stood out. At the 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Trachtenberg wore another simple black dress, this time with some eye-catching stitching, which she paired with a layered black necklace and silver T-strap shoes.

Even though Trachtenberg's wardrobe involved a lot of black and refined details at this time, she still made room for trying out trends in her wardrobe. At an American Eagle Outfitters grand opening, she paired a teal minidress with a white and black blazer, some ultra-strappy gladiator style heels, and an animal print purse, proving that she knew exactly how to blend the trends of the time with her own personal style.

In the early 2010s, Michelle Trachtenberg was rocking some seriously gorgeous jewel-toned outfits. While black may have been her go-to, deep colors truly made her glow. Color analysis can be way more complex than it might seem, but Trachtenberg definitely understood her "season" and she was completely tuned into her personal style. 

At a Golden Globes afterparty in 2010, the actor donned a red and maroon color block dress with a plunging neckline. She accessorized with some purple peep-toe heels, a black clutch, and a black cocktail ring, and she wore her hair straight. Meanwhile,at the 2010 CFDA Fashion Awards, she rocked a glitzy and strapless navy blue floor-length gown, which she paired with understated silver jewelry and silver heels. She wore her stand-by dark nail polish and styled her long hair in soft curls. Not only are these looks elegant and refined, but they also take her style into new and more glamorous territory.

In 2011, Trachtenberg discussed how working on the show "Gossip Girl" impacted her fashion choices. In an interview with Elle, she said, "It really changed my style. It made me more bold. It made me confident about over-accessorizing, which they super do on the show." She also described her style, saying, "I think I'm probably a little less girly and a little more tomboyish, but I try to keep a sophisticated element to it and rock it out here and there."

Although she still had the tendency to stick to darker and more subdued hues like black, navy blue, and slate gray, by 2012, Michelle Trachtenberg was playing around with prints. At a 2012 Grammy pre-party, she wore a long, flowy dress with a large tropical-looking print. Styled with some soft, mussed waves and smoky eyeshadow, the look is on the fun side — without totally abandoning her moody, smoldering style.

At a pre-Emmy event in 2013, Trachtenberg was playing with prints again, however, this time her overall look was more in line with her darker style. Wearing a black minidress with a dark green brocade-style print, she kept her accessories minimal and her hair tied back, which put the focus on the intriguing print of her dress.

That wasn't the only time that she rocked a print that year, though. At the Lay's 2013 "Do Us a Flavor" contest, she wore a black and white leopard print dress paired with a black blazer and silver pumps that really flattered her and proved that wild prints can look refined when styled well.

In 2015, Michelle Trachtenberg opened up to Cosmopolitan about her fashion idol, Kate Middleton, and the importance of re-wearing clothes: "[Kate] is like, 'I love this coat, Imma wear it a bunch more times.' It's great. Like, 'You know what, yes, I do really love that purse and so I carried [it] three whole times. Oooooh.' I think we have to change the game and start wearing stuff a little more aggressively." And while she might not have had the opportunity to re-wear the exact same dress when walking multiple red carpets, Trachtenberg's ensembles certainly began to start incorporating some style standards — one of which was a plunging neckline. 

A regular feature in the actor's wardrobe for many years, the sultry design became even more prominent in her looks from the mid-2010s. At the Critics' Choice Television Awards in 2014, Trachtenberg donned a dark, floor-length gold dress with — you guessed it — a dramatically plunging neckline. Her waist was accented with a belt, and she paired the ensemble with simple earrings and bracelets. Her hair was worn straight and swept off to the side. As usual, some smokey eye makeup and dark nail polish completed the look. 

And as Trachtenberg's red carpet outfits became increasingly minimal and refined, her off-duty looks were becoming more eclectic and multi-dimensional. In paparazzi snaps from this period, she can be seen mixing prints, layering short dresses with jackets of a similar length, and carrying bold-colored bags. But while attending a 2015 gala, the actor traded her street style for another glamorous 'fit: a minimalist black satin mermaid gown paired with a multi-strand diamond necklace and a gold clutch. Her hair was pulled back, showing off the bold neckline of her gown.

Since her early days in the public eye, Michelle Trachtenberg has had some boho tendencies. By the latter half of the 2010s, this style preference came into clearer view. Increasingly, Trachtenberg could be seen in loose and flowy styles, although she still stuck to her color palette of blacks, grays, and rich blues.

At the 2016 "Sister Cities" premiere in Los Angeles, she wore a flowy royal blue dress, accessorized with long, layered necklaces, strappy black heels, and a snakeskin clutch. Her hair was pulled back, and she sported her signature dark nail polish. In 2017, at a Chateau Marmont launch event, Trachtenberg rocked a flowing navy blue print dress, along with a long velvety blue coat. While the outfit itself was adorable, it was her accessories that added the most intrigue. Her glitzy layered necklaces provided some understated glamour, while her mismatched shoes brought a playful vibe to the look.

By the end of the 2010s, Michelle Trachtenberg's often subdued looks were becoming a little more daring. Black was, as always, everpresent, but when it came to accessories and styling, she was becoming more adventurous. Some of her looks were even starting to take on a subtle punk flair.

At an Alice + Olivia launch party, Trachtenberg wore an eclectic and ultra-cute outfit that combined a lot of seemingly different elements with ease. By pairing a band tee with a Chanel-style jacket, she created a look that was equal parts edgy and sophisticated. Her accessories were on point, too. A headband and some bejeweled flats helped finish off the outfit perfectly.

Also that year, Trachtenberg rocked a black velvet gown with bejeweled appliques at The Art of Elesium's 12th annual celebration. Paired with a metallic striped clutch and some metallic nails, the look was a great example of using glam details to take a simple look into new and more eye-catching territory.

Early in 2020, Michelle Trachtenberg hit the red carpet in a very classically "her" look. At The Art of Elysium's 13th annual event, she wore a structured black jumpsuit with a plunging neckline and bold shoulder ruffles. Her glitzy silver jewelry polished off the look, however, the accessory that stood out was her cane, which she needed due to an ankle injury. Trachtenberg kept her hair low-key and pulled back, but it was her smokey red-orange eye makeup that grabbed attention and truly made her eyes pop.

Later on in 2020, though, Trachtenberg took a major departure from her typical fashion staples and wore a champaign-colored sequin dress with shoulder pads and a train. The effervescent look that she wore to an Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party was form-fitting and accented at the waist with a slim gold belt, showing that she knew just how to style sequins for the event. Her silver clutch and large silver rings made for subtle accessories compared to her ultra-glamorous dress. The look is a great example of Trachtenberg taking a leap outside of her comfort zone, and totally sticking the landing.

With the pandemic, everyone was masking up. While masks aren't always the easiest thing to style, it didn't stop Michelle Trachtenberg from serving some serious looks. In a post from her Instagram, Trachtenberg can be seen rocking a bold leopard print face mask along with a gray and black faux fur coat. In this pic, her street style is on full display. Along with her faux fur, she donned a black V-neck top and layered on several gold and black necklaces. Her hair and makeup have an easy, effortless vibe with her hair tied back with a few tendrils hanging out in the front.

In another face mask selfie from that year, Trachtenberg can be seen in a navy blue face mask, a graphic tee, and a few layered gold necklaces. With no makeup and her hair in soft waves, Trachtenberg proved that looking stylish doesn't have to be complicated.

Michelle Trachtenberg's style has undergone lots of shifts over the years, and by 2022, she was having fun playing around with different kinds of accessories. In an Instagram post from that year, Trachtenberg could be seen in a tweed newsboy cap along with some oversized and green-rimmed aviator sunglasses. It's definitely an intriguing combo, especially paired with her black graphic tee and red zip-up jacket. While this look is super casual, the safety pins in the collar of her shirt give the actor an unmistakable punk vibe.

Experimenting with tweed seemed to be a theme for Trachtenberg in 2022, as another Instagram post showed her wearing a plaid scarf along with a tweed biker jacket. Despite the different patterns and textures going on, the overall look was effortless and polished. Paired with a black mask and a black shirt, Trachtenberg clearly knows how to let the right pieces of her outfit stand out.

In 2023, Michelle Trachtenberg was all about bold details, and her Instagram is great evidence of this. In a post from November of that year, Trachtenberg could be seen in a black outfit with sheer ruffle details and a huge jewel-encrusted lion necklace. In another post, she donned a 2022-favorite: some oversized sunglasses. This time, though, they were cat-eye-shaped and encrusted with pink, heart-shaped gems. Trachtenberg captioned the post, "I like big sunglasses and I cannot lie!"

Her love of sunglasses is displayed again on her Instagram in a December 2023 post where she wore another pair of large cat eye sunglasses with metal accents at the corners. Combined with a headpiece with feathers, black leather roses, and netting that covers her face, the look gave off a decidedly vintage vibe.

While many of her posts feature her in bold and dramatic styles, Trachtenberg has also posted some pared-down looks. In one Instagram post, she wore a blue velvet hoodie and no makeup. She opened up about her thoughts on aging with the caption, "One of my best friends dared me to take a selfie with no makeup being dramatic! What do you think? Ps. Saying "still" before any fake comment is so pathetic. I'm 38 years old and grateful. Get a calendar."

By 2024, Michelle Trachtenberg's style had evolved into being both comfortable and glam. Featuring equal parts ultra-sophisticated with feminine details and punk-inspired with edgy accents, her style has both a drama and an ease to it that's truly worth taking note of. In posts where she pairs band shirts with tweed jackets, this is more evident than ever. However, it wasn't just her signature style that was getting attention in 2024 — some fans were talking about Trachtenberg's own appearance, and not all of the comments were completely positive.

In a January post where she showed off her snake shirt and some newly dip-dyed hot pink hair (a grungy trend seeing a huge comeback), she posted a caption addressing the concern: "I've received several comments recently about my appearance. I have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters." The next day, she made another post where she addressed the comments even further, saying "Fun fact. This is my face. Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have you [sic] hate? Get a calendar." Just as Trachtenberg has always had a strong sense of style, it seems she's also strong when it comes to defending herself and staying true to who she is, no matter what anyone else might say.