The Stunning Style Transformation Of Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis has been in the spotlight for over two decades as she has grown from a teen into a mother right in front of our eyes. Since she's been a working actor since the late '90s, we've gotten to see Kunis experiment with fashion and find her style as her go-to choices for industry events changed over the years.

While Kunis isn't the first star to come to mind when it comes to incredible fashion moments, there's no denying that the actor has actually had plenty of them. However, unlike many of her industry peers, Kunis has never felt as if she needed to prove herself through fashion or use it as a means to be in the spotlight. Instead, Kunis approached fashion in a healthier way — she explored clothes while gravitating toward pieces that made her feel comfortable, brought her joy, or made her feel confident. And it is precisely this approach to beauty that made us realize Mila Kunis' fashion choices aren't for the critics, fashion experts, or designers — instead, they are for the people.

Those who didn't watch "That '70s Show" in the late '90s and early aughts may not be aware that Mila Kunis rose to fame as a teen. "I did the pilot for "70s' when I was 14," Kunis told Interview Magazine in 2012. However, years later, Kunis admitted that she was indeed lying about her age when she auditioned for the show. "There's a rumor going around that I may or may not have lied about my age," Kunis told Vanity Fair. "I'd like to make it very clear now that I did lie. I did. However, by the time I went to what was then a producer's network call ... they were like, 'Well we loved you at that point, and so what did we care?'"

At the time, the dark-haired and green/brown-eyed (Kunis has one green and one brown eye due to a condition known as heterochromia iridum) actor was all about exploring what fashion dictated at the time, often through her portrayal of Jackie Burkhart. In fact, when the New York Post asked the teen how her style was different from Burkhart's in 2001, Kunis responded, "I am totally not like Jackie. I'm not big on skirts and dresses and that whole girly thing. I don't go for matching things. I don't match well. The only thing I like are the cute tops she wears."

In the early aughts, Mila Kunis began experimenting more with her style as she effortlessly embraced the trends of the time. Low-rise jeans and cute tops were the norm — whether she was running errands or hitting up red carpets. In 2001, the New York Post asked that actor just how she decides what to wear when she wakes up, to which Kunis responded with, "I don't. I wear whatever is laying on the floor when I wake up. I don't have enough time to decide. And my job doesn't require me to look pretty 24 hours a day. But I do a lot of running around, so I want to be comfortable and wear sneakers, instead of heels."

While the star's outfits often incorporated trends, Kunis stayed away from the glittery and pink clothes that were popular with A-listers like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton at the time. Instead, she gravitated toward darker colors and preferred pants over dresses. "I'm a bit of a tomboy. If I had a choice I'd wear jeans and sneakers every day, but on occasions it's fun to dress up," Kunis revealed (via New York Post). "I'm not really into the fashion trends, I dress my own way with my own stuff. Nothing that I ever wear is ever outrageous. I like simple clothes because I'm a simple person." The actor added that some of her favorite brands include "Gucci, Prada, Betsey Johnson and BCBG."

By the mid-2000s, Mila Kunis had become a well-known name in the television industry — and soon, she'd be just as well known on the big screen. The star's style was becoming noticeably more refined and chic, as Kunis was now in her early 20s.

She ditched the low-rise jeans and crop top combo for more sophisticated options, yet her style still remained rather causal and effortless. With more industry events to attend, Kunis also seemingly became more and more fond of dresses. One of our favorite ones from this period is undoubtedly the off-white tulle midi dress and matching cardigan the actor rocked at the William S. Paley Television Festival in 2006. The light color and princess-like cut perfectly contrasted the star's dark locks and edgy eye makeup, while her up-do gave us a preview of Kunis' take on the ballerina bun which she'd wear in 2010's "Black Swan."

It's no secret that with maturity comes a new fashion boldness — and for Mila Kunis, that seemingly meant embracing bright and fun colors. Toward the end of the 2000s, the actor was frequently seen in bold dresses and pieces we couldn't have imagined her in just a few years earlier.

Two of her best boldly colored fashion moments of the time include a funky long-sleeve teal minidress she rocked to the 100th Episode party for "Family Guy" (where she voiced Meg Griffin) and a gorgeous red halter-neck midi dress the actor opted to wear to the 2008 Chrysalis Butterfly Ball. Both colors suited the brunette perfectly, bringing out her hair color as well as her eyes. However, while Kunis was willing to dabble into brightly colored clothing, she wasn't keen on exploring funky accessories as she mostly stuck to minimal, classic pieces.

At the end of the 2000s and beginning of the 2010s, Mila Kunis had grown into a true Hollywood star. In fact, in 2010, she starred in the psychological thriller "Black Swan" alongside Natalie Portman — a role that helped Kunis go from a television star into a big-screen actor.

Kunis' fashion began resembling that of a major Hollywood star, as she was now a staple at the most prestigious industry events. For the 2009 Emmy Awards, the actor opted for a wine-red corseted Monique Lhuillier dress with plenty of tulle that gave the gown lots of movement. And while Kunis wasn't a fan of bold accessories in her teens, now she was all about dangly statement earrings, which became a staple for her red-carpet looks. With her role in "Black Swan," Kunis allowed herself to explore sultrier fashion, and in the early 2010s, she was frequently dancing on the fine line between classy and sophisticated, and sexy and revealing. This helped her to find her true style, and it allowed her to shed any fashion fears she may have had.

In 2011, Mila Kunis wowed everyone on the Academy Awards red carpet when she showed up in a lavender lace and chiffon Elie Saab Haute Couture gown with quite a few see-through spots. While the choice could have easily been met with backlash, the dress ended up becoming one of Kunis' most memorable fashion moments. At the time, the star opened up about the pressures of working in Hollywood, where perfection is always sought after. "Everybody is starting to look the same," Kunis told The Talks in 2011. "It is bizarre how everyone has the same facial features now. One person dyes her hair brown, everybody dyes her hair brown. I think people lose all sense of themselves. It's unfortunate." Kunis added that the shift towards always looking perfect isn't something she can get behind. "There is no such thing as perfection. What I consider beautiful, most likely you don't. That doesn't mean that I am right and you are wrong, it's just a difference of opinion."

In 2012, Kunis became the face of Dior, a collaboration she was very excited about. "I am absolutely thrilled to be working with Dior," she said in a statement (via Reuters). "The brand is iconic in so many ways. It defines fashion, elegance and sophistication." 

As the mid-2010s approached, a shift toward neutral colors in fashion became noticeable, and Mila Kunis was one of the stars who was often seen in neutral staples. And while she always looked stunning when attending industry events, privately, Kunis was very down-to-earth and minimal — and so were her beauty and fashion choices. "If I wore eyeliner on my bottom lashes in LA at 1 in the afternoon, I would look a little crazy, because I have such dark features anyway," she told Allure in 2013. "It would just look like I forgot to take my makeup off from the night before."

In a candid interview with Cosmopolitan in 2014, Kunis admitted that she and her husband, actor Ashton Kutcher, have a T-shirt date night tradition. " ... it's when you wear jeans and a white T-shirt and you go on a date," the star said. In the same interview, Kunis also touched upon sexy fashion, which she is no stranger to — and how it made her feel. "I don't see myself as not-sexy, it's just not [one of] the top 40 adjectives I would use to describe myself," Kunis admitted. "But I do see myself as confident."

In 2014 — while she was pregnant with her first child — Mila Kunis also designed a "motherhood ring" in collaboration with Marina B and Gemfields. "Throughout history, every culture has its own way of recognizing this extraordinary event, often with a gift for mother or child ... Precious green emeralds are traditionally symbols of motherhood, wisdom, and long-lasting love," Kunis revealed in a Gemfields video promoting the ring, which was reportedly worth $4,800.

Now in her 30s, Mila Kunis was all about looking stylish while also being comfortable. Often, the star was playing it safe by leaning into minimalism with classic black pieces. By 2016, Kunis and Ashton Kutcher had two children, and becoming a mother surely influenced Kunis' preference for simple fashion — the kind of clothing that she could just put on and know it would look great.

"I don't wear makeup. I don't wash my hair every day," she admitted to Glamour in 2016. "It's not something that I associate with myself. I commend women who wake up 30, 40 minutes early to put on eyeliner. I think it's ­beautiful. I'm just not that person." Even though Kunis undoubtedly enjoyed the fun that fashion and beauty can provide, she was by no means constricted by them, as she always ensured she was confident enough to be herself, without any makeup and pretty clothes. And even though she may not have been aware of it, this outlook would eventually turn her into a very relatable fashion icon.

During a 2015 Reddit AMA, Kunis revealed what she thought the most stupid clothing item was. "I've worn a hand-crocheted poncho, don't get me wrong, but no one made me wear it, I chose to," Kunis admitted. "Corsets. Corsets are the stupidest thing I've needed to wear."

With the end of the 2010s, it became clear that Mila Kunis — who had been in the spotlight since she was a teen — was now fully accepting herself, which is certainly something that often comes when we mature. When Cosmopolitan asked the actor about being a common topic in tabloids in 2018, she simply responded, "I don't read anything about myself. I genuinely don't know what's written about me." And this confidence in herself is something that was now also visible in her fashion, as Kunis effortlessly switched between casual and safe pieces and edgy and unexpected outfits.

In 2018, Mila Kunis served us a major fashion and beauty moment when she showed up to the Billboard Music Awards, rocking blunt bangs and a wavy lob. The actor combined the chic hairstyle with a long-sleeve black top with an edgy shoulder cutout and a bedazzled black and silver skirt.

For many, the world halted during the COVID-19 pandemic — and the entertainment industry was certainly affected by the lockdowns. Mila Kunis, who was in quarantine with her children and husband, admitted that there were times she needed a break from her family — something most parents could relate to. "We were so quarantined, and I was dying to get out of the house," she admitted on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. "And I got two days off from my kids — I'm a horrible mom."

During the pandemic, Kunis was mostly seen in very casual outfits — jeans and comfortable tops were a staple for the actor. Of course, with no major industry events happening, there was no need to dress up in glitzy and glamorous gowns. Instead, just like everyone else, Kunis focused on her and her family's well-being and health while waiting for the world to slowly continue going back to normal.

Once the pandemic was over, Mila Kunis — just like everyone else — was eager to go out to socialize and experience the fun that fashion can provide. The star decided to be braver with her choices as she often gravitated toward funky colors, patterns, sparkle, and sheer materials. Even though she stayed true to classic and comfortable cuts, the actor made sure to infuse some fun into most of her looks. While visiting the SiriusXM studios in 2022, Kunis rocked a pair of gray and green plaid pants with a green sweater. This in itself wouldn't be mention-worthy had the green not been a very bright neon shade — one that made it hard to miss the actor. Similarly, when attending the 2023 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony, Kunis showed up in a pantsuit and button-up, which, again, in itself seems pretty basic. However, the pantsuit was covered in sequins, and the button-up was sheer, making this outfit that much more fun.

As her style became very authentic to the star, Kunis opened up about how motherhood changed her outlook on her career. "When I was in my 20s, even my teens, my drive was always 'How can I be more successful at work," she told C Magazine in 2023. "After I had kids, it was 'How can I be a person that I want my kids to admire?' So I went from career growth to self-growth."

Mila Kunis has successfully transitioned from a teen television star into a Hollywood diva. However, one thing has remained the same: The actor has always been authentically herself. This was noticeable in the projects she worked on, her interviews, as well as her fashion and beauty choices. Even when dressing up for the most prestigious events, Kunis — once she had figured out her preferences — stuck to clothing choices that were authentically her. And if we had to sum up her style in a few words, it would be simple and comfortable with a hint of unexpectedness.

Kunis may often gravitate toward safe fashion choices, and in her private life, she's all about comfort — but that is precisely what makes her a relatable fashion icon! After all, while we adore the avant-garde and extreme fashion choices stars like Julia Fox or Lady Gaga (if anyone remembers her iconic meat dress?) are known for, the world of fashion is big enough to honor those who prefer classic and easy clothes, too.