The Stunning Style Transformation Of Millie Bobby Brown

In 2016, the Netflix hit "Stranger Things," set in the world of the '80s aesthetic — when people actually found messy eyeshadow and shoulder pads attractive — premiered, and nobody could have predicted its global success. Of course, the hit show does star '90s legend Winona Ryder (who also knows a thing or two about stunning hair transformations), but nobody could have assumed that the show's young cast would explode into stardom overnight, finding themselves in the spotlight before they were even teens.

Today, Millie Bobby Brown — who was still a tween in Season 1 — is one of the biggest young stars in Hollywood. And even though she has only entered her 20s, she already has an impressive style transformation behind her. From her tween beginnings in fun red-carpet dresses to the way she found an edgier approach to fashion, let's walk down Millie Bobby Brown's fashion memory lane together!

With her 2016 breakthrough thanks to "Stranger Things," Millie Bobby Brown found herself in the international spotlight pretty much overnight. Even though she wasn't even a teenager when she became famous, her style quickly became the talk of the town (or should we rather say talk of the world). Unlike her on-screen character, Brown was early on embracing glamorous clothes and fashion that foreshadowed the evolution of her career.

"I was going to these events and ceremonies, and all these big fashion brands wanted to style me," she revealed to Elle in 2024. "I didn't know what my personal style was, and the only time I got dressed, other than for ceremonies, was to go to work." In fact, at the time, Brown had little say in what clothes she would wear to industry events. "Everything I wear has to go through every person on my team," the young actor revealed (via Bravo TV ). "It has to go through my mum first. If she approves, it'll go to my agents, and then, obviously, the last stop is my dad — and if he doesn't like it, then I'm not wearing it."

When Cosmopolitan asked the actor in 2021 what her all-time favorite red-carpet look was, Brown revealed that it was a major fashion moment from 2017. " ... I would say the Calvin Klein By Appointment look I wore to my first Emmys as a nominee in 2017," she admitted. "It was so special and everything I hoped for and envisioned for that experience." And we have to agree with the star: The tulle-dress moment was the perfect introduction to the world of fashion for Brown.

By 2018, Millie Bobby Brown was a teen who was now ready to explore fashion on a more personal level. However, with the whole world watching her every step, daring to wear something you might fear others will disapprove of is definitely not an easy choice to make. Luckily, Brown quickly realized that what others think doesn't really matter.

"It's always difficult to dress for a red-carpet event because a lot of people have opinions and unfortunately you say you won't listen to it, but you actually kind of have to," Brown told Harper's Bazaar in 2019. "For me, I sit there and think, I'm not going to listen to what they have to say, journalists or whoever wants to write badly about my inappropriate outfit." The star also admitted that as she was growing, she was enjoying exploring new styles of clothing. "I would really enjoy wearing more fitted clothes now," Brown added. "I feel like I'm becoming someone and being a woman so I just want to show that." 

While the young star had numerous jaw-dropping fashion moments during this period, our favorite one is undoubtedly the pink Rodarte dress she wore to the Season 3 premiere of "Stranger Things" in 2019. The dress was youthful and fun while also a bit extravagant and avant-garde, perfectly capturing Brown's fashion fearlessness. 2019 also marked a big business year for Brown as she launched her beauty brand Florence by Mills, with which she joined plenty of celebs who have expanded their business with skincare lines.

In 2020, Millie Bobby Brown turned 16, and one thing we couldn't help but notice is that with the beginning of the new decade, the actor's red-carpet style became much more elegant and classy. In fact, the Louis Vuitton look she sported at the Screen Actors Guild Awards remains one of our favorite fashion moments by the star.

In a candid conversation with Bustle, Brown admitted that when she isn't working, her approach to fashion is rather simple. "I just don't think you can go wrong with a T-shirt, jeans, and Converse," Brown admitted. "It's casual, but you can dress it up with some accessories." However, when it comes to her red-carpet attire, Brown is always aiming to give us something fun and new. "The first thought is normally that I want to wear something that I haven't worn before," she said in the interview. "That could be the color or the style. I always want the next outfit to be different from the last."

As the world went into a standstill in the spring of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Brown admitted that dressing every day became something she dreaded. "I had to force myself to have a few dress up days during quarantine to make myself feel more human," the star admitted. "I was just lounging around the house with full hair and makeup and a fun outfit. But most days, I am wearing an oversized shirt and tracksuit bottoms."

By mid-2021, Millie Bobby Brown was known for more than her work on "Stranger Things." With projects like "Enola Holmes" and two Monsterverse movies, Brown was portraying characters we were not used to seeing her play. Not to mention that her brand Florence by Mills was thriving, and the star — who hadn't even turned 18 yet — was proving that she was ready to explore every opportunity that came her way.

During the year, Brown continued exploring what fashion meant to her, and in her interview with Cosmopolitan, she revealed that she loves the changing nature of fashion. "Style is constantly evolving, and my personal style is no exception," Brown said. "That's the beauty of fashion. Since I was a young girl, my style has ranged from boho chic to glamorous sparkles to comfy sweats and back again."

When asked about her style icons, the actor admitted that she doesn't necessarily have a favorite, but she does have a few celebs she often references for inspiration. "I will always reference Audrey Hepburn as someone who just exudes elegance and style," Brown admitted. "That being said, I also think Zendaya makes really interesting fashion choices and always looks amazing!"

In 2022, Millie Bobby Brown turned 18, and even though most are still discovering their style at that age, Brown seemed as confident in her fashion as ever. Her style was always feminine and chic, but during 2022 and 2023, the actor introduced an edginess and quirkiness to it. And if we had to summarize Brown's style at the time in just one look, it would definitely be the intricate lacey Louis Vuitton number that she wore to the 2022 BAFTAs.

With more than seven years in the spotlight, by the time she was 19, Brown knew a lot about how to deal with public expectations of her, and that also included her style. "Other people want you to be the version of yourself that they want you to be, but, ultimately, the people that raised you are reminding you of the person that you are," Brown told Elle Canada in 2023. "[It's important to] understand that and not be afraid to evolve. I think it's important to hold onto the people that truly know you."

Today, Millie Bobby Brown is a stylish young woman who isn't afraid of exploring everything that fashion has to offer. "For me, fashion has always been ever-evolving," Brown told Elle in her 2024 interview, in which she discussed the expansion of her brand Florence by Mills into the fashion industry. "It's fluid, and I wanted to create something so that girls going through that similar experience have a resource to be able to try innovative new outfits and styles and phases."

While the star loves dressing up, anyone who follows her on social media knows that privately, Brown is a simple girl who loves comfort. "If I was to describe an aesthetic, I'm into a boho vibe," she added. "Anything loose-fitting and very comfortable. I like lighter colors. I'm not especially femme; sometimes I feel [femme] and then sometimes I don't."

And even though Brown has become a fashion inspiration for many out there, she has admitted that style isn't on her mind that much. To Elle, she said that she has often been asked what style means to her, but the truth is that she isn't sure. "I've been like, 'It means this...', 'It means, like, you know, self-expression!' But actually, I'm not sure it really means anything to me," Brown admitted. "I wear the clothes; the clothes don't wear me."