Ariana Grande’s Dramatic 10-Year Fashion Transformation

Ariana Grande’s style has transformed dramatically over the course of ten years. Her career began in the teen television realm with her role as Cat Valentine on Victorious, then took a sharp turn into the music industry a few years later. Her appearance and style have obviously evolved since her early days in the spotlight, so follow along as we re-trace Ariana Grande’s ten-year fashion transformation!

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October 2009

During her early years attending events and red carpets, Ariana Grande was most recognizable for her bright red hair. While attending the premiere of Fantastic Mr. Fox she rocked a tight green mini dress which she paired with coordinating heels. This look was very safe, but still had a youthful touch with her funky hair and bold bow bracelet.

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April 2010

In April 2010, Ariana rocked a blush-toned mini dress with sequined stripes for the MTV Movie Awards. Her hair was noticeably longer, but her style still remained quite safe and simple.

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October 2010

In October 2010, Ariana’s style definitely started to look more mature. She rocked a white chiffon minidress with a bustier-style top for the Variety Power of Youth event. 2010 was the beginning phase of her iconic sleek ponytail, but the style wasn’t perfected just yet.

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February 2011

The next year in February 2011, Ariana stepped out for the Justin Bieber: Never Say Never premiere wearing an adorable powder blue minidress. She accessorized with a metallic clutch and rocked her bright red tresses in the signature high ponytail, which quickly became her go-to hairstyle that we still recognize her for today!

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October 2011

Later that year in October 2011, Ariana stepped out for the 2011 TeenNick HALO Awards wearing a floral pink minidress paired with metallic shoes. This outfit was during Ariana’s uber-feminine fashion stage, which evolved in her later years in the spotlight. The one thing that has always remained the same, however, is her iconic high ponytail!

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July 2012

One of Ariana’s most unique outfits of all time occurred in July 2012 when she attended the Teen Choice Awards wearing this macaroon-embellished minidress! While we can certainly appreciate the combination of food and fashion, we’re not sure we’d see Ariana wearing something this quirky and girly nowadays. Her once red tresses also looked a little darker and it was clear she was transitioning back towards her naturally brunette locks.

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November 2012

Later that year in November 2012, Ariana stepped out wearing one of her most mature looks yet. She was walking the red carpet for Twilight Breaking Dawn and opted for a sweeping floor-length dress in an abstract pattern. Her hair was back to her natural shade of brown and swept into an elegant updo, which also really added to the sophisticated quality of the look.

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April 2013

In April 2013, Ariana’s look had evolved even more! She stepped out at the American Music Awards looking like a full-blown Hollywood starlet in this floor-length crimson gown. Aside from her obvious style makeover, her hair also made a huge transition as she debuted sun-kissed brunette tresses and said goodbye to the red locks of her Nickelodeon days.

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November 2013

Later that year in November 2013, Ariana stepped out in a sweet but glam pink dress. We love the cutouts and sheer layering of this dress, which added something unique. She wore her fresh brunette tresses in a half-up hairstyle and accessorized with a multi-color headband.

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March 2014

In 2014, Ariana was in the midst of evolving her style from that of her youthful Nickelodeon days to a more mature, sophisticated image. Rather than the girly, tulle dresses of her past, Ariana opted for a chic fitted dress for the Kids Choice Awards in 2014. With this look, the bright tangerine color did all the talking and worked fabulously with her olive skin and warm brunette locks.

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August 2014

The true turning point in Ariana’s style evolution came in 2014 when she significantly changed her image. We no longer recognized Ariana as a sweet tween on television, but rather a respected, mature woman in the music industry. Along with the shift in her career, she began to shift her wardrobe and favored more sultry pieces like this leather Moschino dress and over-the-knee leather boots. She still wore her hair in her iconic high ponytail but opted for darker, more sultry makeup.

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February 2015

In February 2015 Ariana stepped out on the red carpet at the Grammy Awards wearing a glam white and silver asymmetrical gown. Both her style and her beauty regime had evolved dramatically by this point! She was rocking her iconic cat eye with a high ponytail, which quickly became known as her signature look.

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November 2015

In 2015, the petite pop star stepped out for the American Music Awards wearing a bold sculptural dress. While her look had matured and evolved by this point, it was clear she was still in the process of nailing down her signature style. This look definitely had a lot going on and didn’t seem to quite suit the personal style trends we were beginning to recognize from her.

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February 2016

The next year in 2016, Ariana attended the Grammys rocking a sleek red dress. The look fit her like a glove and was a little sultry with the corset-inspired bust. She wore her hair in her signature ponytail and rocked a smokey bronze eye.

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November 2016

November 2016 is when the real change came in Grande’s style and entire image! Her ensemble for the 2016 American Music Awards definitely rings quite true to what we recognize her for now. The dramatic ponytail, heavy lashes, and sexy-but-cute ensemble feel true to Ariana’s iconic pop image.

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June 2017

In 2017, Ariana Grande retreated from the spotlight after the tragic event that occurred during her concert in Manchester. During her benefit concert, she opted for an oversized sweater with loose jeans, which have since become a staple look in her wardrobe.

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March 2018

In March 2018, Ariana stepped out wearing another oversized shirt for the March For Our Lives concert in Washington. An oversized sweater paired with over-the-knee boots has been an iconic casual outfit of Ariana’s for years, but especially so during 2018.

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December 2018

One of Ariana’s final stages of fashion evolution came in 2018. Her look for the Billboard awards featured a lavender ruffled dress which she paired with over-the-knee boots. The look is the perfect combination of feminine yet fierce, which is the epitome of her style. Of course, she topped the look with her go-to sky-high ponytail, which is an iconic Ariana Grande hairstyle that she’s remained loyal to for many years!

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