Nicole Kidman's Gorgeous Style Transformation After Her Divorce

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In Los Angeles in 2001, an apocryphal story suggested that Nicole Kidman was papped breathing a sigh of relief on a street, after signing the documents that ended her marriage to Tom Cruise. However, the actress later revealed that wasn't quite the case. "That was not me," Kidman told British GQ. "[T]hat was from a film, that wasn't real life." She confirmed that all was, indeed, not what it seemed. Unfortunately for Kidman, the photograph — and others from Kidman's Getty Images oeuvre — have had something of a renaissance in the 2020s, gaining a new life through memes.

Enter the band Haim, who mimicked the photo on the cover of their March 2025 single "Relationships." Quite fittingly, it's a song about the universal struggles of love. The "Want You Back" hitmakers even took style inspiration from Kidman's look in the photo, wearing sheer tops and sneakers. It showed, even early in Kidman's divorce from Cruise, that she was delivering looks that would be remembered for a long, long time.

Reddit sleuths suggest that the jury is still out as to the exact provenance of the infamous photo. What film is it actually from? Wasn't the original story that Kidman had been papped sneezing? Either way, that tumultuous post-divorce period in her life signaled a new dawn for Kidman. A new gorgeous style dawn.

At the 2003 Oscars, behind her stunning Jean Paul Gaultier dress and gleaming Oscar trophy, Nicole Kidman was experiencing a post-divorce crisis. "I was struggling with things in my personal life, the Academy Award winner told author David Karger in his book "50 Oscar Nights." "[Y]et my professional life was going so well." Ain't that just the way it goes? While looking stunning and being sad — isn't that just the chicest way to be? — the actress took home the Oscar trophy for her portrayal of the fittingly lovelorn Virginia Woolf in "The Hours."

But dwelling over her personal strife didn't stop Kidman from moving on sartorially. Her dress was a take on the classic little black dress, a post-divorce look pioneered by Princess Diana in the late '90s. The late royal stepped out at a gala in a dress not dissimilar to Kidman's in 1994, the same day that Prince Charles (later King Charles) confessed his infidelity. The little black dress continues to be a staple for fashion-forward women, from Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's classic looks to Lauren Boebert. Not only did Kidman show ex-Tom Cruise what he was missing, she also showed she knows her fashion history.

Nicole Kidman did a complete volte-face for her awards look the next year. Black was out, and gold was in. It was a look that divided opinion. Kidman was nominated for her film "Cold Mountain," and maybe in an act of manifestation, she wore a golden sequined dress with a plunging neckline and a matching headband.

It was certainly a look; however, when looking back on her outfit, Kidman no longer thinks it was a good one. "My mama thought I had many bad red carpet looks," she told W Magazine. "I remember wearing a headdress once to the Golden Globes. I didn't know what I was doing. Got to have a few train wrecks!" As anyone with a penchant for threads will know, personal style is a war of attrition and takes serious trial and error.

But we disagree. In a world where red carpet awards outfits are getting more and more outlandish by the year — just take a look at some of the worst-dressed stars at the 2025 Oscars — Kidman's 2004 look feels almost understated. Moreover, in 2024, gold came back in style as people wanted to exude glamour through the famously lavish colorway. Although Kidman would disagree, we believe that time proved her right with this fit. She put the gold in the Golden Globes.

Nicole Kidman continued to develop her fashionable je ne sais quoi as she joined Karl Lagerfeld at a Chanel Spring/Summer show in 2004. In Paris, Kidman went back to black in a tight black blazer, sparkling diamonds, and a very French neckerchief. The monochrome look is one that, ironically, is evergreen. Maybe in response to her gold Golden Globes look, Kidman went back to basics with a muted shade that simply always works.

It was a time when Kidman was reaching the zenith of her powers. As she entered the fashion show, paparazzi hollered, "Nicole!" "Nicole, over here!" "Baz!" "Nicole!" "Baz ... !" (via Vogue). The Baz in question is fellow Aussie and director, Baz Luhrmann, who directed Kidman in "No. 5 the Film." The promotional video for the French fashion house in 2004, in which Kidman reprised her role from "Moulin Rouge," cost an eye-watering $33 million. 

Kidman seemed to be living her best life, indulging in the finest things that life had to offer. The actress was demonstrating to the world, via the gaze of the paparazzi, that she could do both simple, chic looks and loud statements. As Kidman walked the red carpet, she embraced Lagerfeld. It was the start of a long and fruitful fashion friendship.

Nicole Kidman co-hosted the 2005 Met Gala with Karl Lagerfeld, wearing jaw-dropping Chanel Haute Couture. The mid-'00s was Kidman's Chanel era as she became the face of its famous No.5 fragrance. It was also an era characterized by chic, classy, and timeless red carpet fits. The theme of that year's Met Gala was The House of Chanel, and aptly, she was decked out head to toe in the French designer.

But given that this was the Met Gala, Kidman's look was never going to be totally straightforward. Her dress — to Anna Wintour's amazement — had a disco-ball silver sequined lining. The dress itself was a strapless navy blue number, with buttons running down the center and sparkling sequins on the lining.

In 2023, Kidman went full circle when she again attended the Met Gala wearing Lagerfeld-era Chanel. It was the same dress that Kidman wore in the aforementioned "No. 5 the Film," in a classy tribute to the designer, who passed away in 2019. Kidman showed here that she knows what is timeless and what isn't.

In another gorgeous style transformation that took place at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, Nicole Kidman wore a Balenciaga halter gown dress and peep-toe heels. At the 2007 Oscars, Kidman's bright red dress was a major departure from her previous looks. Although still monochromatic, it was much lighter than the looks that preceded it. As any English major will tell you, red symbolizes love. Maybe, just maybe, she was trying to tell us something.

The event marked a stark transformation for Kidman, not just sartorially but also emotionally. A year earlier in 2006, Kidman and her then-new beau, the "One Too Many" singer, Keith Urban, tied the knot in their native Australia. Their marriage got off to a rocky start when Urban was admitted to rehab soon after he kissed the bride. But after 2007, they went from strength to strength. For Kidman, as she showed with this new look, things were looking brighter and brighter.

In 2008, Nicole Kidman was all loved up with Keith Urban, and she joined him in attending the ACMs in 2008. As ever, her look that evening meant more than one thing. Her dress, from French designer label Yves Saint Laurent, showed that another member was joining the family soon.

Kidman's loose strapless gray number, cut at her knees, flaunted a large baby bump beneath it. Kidman and Urban were expecting their first daughter, Sunday. Maternity style is a famously tricky one, navigating a changing body type while nurturing a baby inside you. "Not to be such a psychologist about it," Jessica Zucker, a psychologist specializing in maternal health, told Refinery29, "but to me these numbers are kind of troubling, because it seems that it's more of an identity crisis than it is a simple matter of buying stuff. Women are having difficulty knowing how to best take care of themselves in the midst of new motherhood." However, Kidman showed that, stylistically, you don't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Her dress at the ACMs wasn't a major departure from her pre-pregnancy style. She just changed the shape from long, tight-fitting garments to looser, more cropped silhouettes. Kidman showed she was ready to adapt and make style transformations while remaining quintessentially herself.

At the 2010 SAG Awards, Nicole Kidman went all boho on us. It was a new look for a new decade, a striking departure from her typically monochrome style. The Aussie actress — who was on presenting duties at the awards — wore a kaleidoscopic bronze, red, and teal tulle sequin embroidered strapless gown from Oscar de la Renta. She accessorized with bangles and necklaces from Fred Leighton.

The look was a departure from Kidman's pre-2010s 'fits. After her divorce from Tom Cruise in the early '00s, the keywords associated with Kidman's style were classic, chic, and structured. However, boho is very much antithetical to those three descriptors. The trend was characterized by bold patterns and floaty fabrics. Kidman's dress at the 2010 SAG Awards was certainly bold. "Boho is always hugely popular for many reasons," Jane Shepherdson — the woman who brought boho to the shopping malls — told The Guardian. "It has attitude, is easygoing, relaxed and effortless with a real insouciance that few trends can match." Indeed, Kidman, in a new relationship and at a new stage in life, exuded such an attitude.

Nicole Kidman had clearly been taking a leaf out of her rock star husband Keith Urban's book in 2012 in another style transformation that took her from hippy to rocker. Kidman again showed that she was just as stylish performing day-to-day errands as she is on the red carpet. The then-44-year-old actress jetted out of Paris in an all-black look, wearing leather trousers, a scarf, a blazer, and gold-rimmed sunglasses.

Perhaps Kidman was motivated to take a style risk after visiting the City of Lights for fashion week. Gone were the patterns of boho, and now, Kidman was in her rock era. In a proto-TikTok trend-hopping way, the actress moved seamlessly between ostensibly vastly different styles. At a Paris airport, she was giving indie sleaze — read: lots of leather and lots of mess — a style favored by rock star girlfriends like Kate Moss and Alexa Chung. With this look, Kidman was in very stylish company.

However, there are more similarities to boho and indie sleaze than meets the eye. Spiritually, they have a lot in common. "It was an organic, free-spirited time of not caring, which I think people crave," Mark Hunter, aka legendary indie sleaze photographer Cobrasnake, told Harper's Bazaar. "They're not focused on the phone in their hand or posing for the camera. They're living, basically." Between this look and Kidman's boho dress, she was living her best, most free-spirited life.

In 2016, the Met Gala's theme was "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology," and Nicole Kidman understood the assignment, wearing Alexander McQueen. The goal was to juxtapose the manual aspects of haute couture against modern machinery in fashion design. This theme, to many celebrities who attended, meant simply wearing silver — the universally accepted color of the future.

Kidman, however, went in a different and refreshing direction. Her dress was a dramatic and flowing number — in black and silver — with crystal star-print detailing creating a literal galaxy on her dress. Kidman juxtaposed the meticulously sewn intricacies of the dress with an almost steampunk-looking metallic Fred Leighton tiara. Kidman was honoring one of man and machine's most impressive achievements: going to space. Kidman was in her Alexander McQueen era, in the same year she wore the designer at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas.  The British designer, who famously used robotic arms to paint a dress at a 1999 runway show, was a fitting choice for this Met Gala.

At the premiere of her 2019 film "Bombshell," Nicole Kidman made a statement in her sequined Saint Laurent suit. The masculine look featured angular shoulders and a skinny tie, with a shimmering silver sheen across it and silk lapels. Below the waist, she wore pleat-front trousers that accentuated the shape of her blazer and crystal shoes.

It was certainly a statement from Kidman. "Bombshell" is a film about women's struggles in a male-dominated industry. So, Kidman (who portrayed Casey Close's wife Gretchen Carlson in the film) chose to wear a traditionally male-coded outfit, which made for an apt style transformation. Women wearing suits is nothing new. From Marlene Dietrich in "Morocco" to Diane Keaton in "Annie Hall," it has long been a staple of women's red carpet wardrobes. But that doesn't make it any less of a statement. "There's a growing perception that married women do fine at home, but designers are challenging this by styling women in jackets and ties which project authority and power." Dr. Gaby Harris, a fashion cultures sociologist, told the BBC. "Women adopting this look are aligning with a traditionally male expression of power, at a time when strong, macho leaders are in office," she said.

When speaking to Deadline about the film, Kidman said, "Nothing's changed [regarding gender changes in the industry], but at the same time things are changing. Women aren't as muzzled as they once were." Kidman's style here showed that she, at least stylistically, was ringing in a new dawn.

After weathering a dressed-down coronavirus pandemic, Nicole Kidman was ready to be the belle of the ball once again. In an Armani Privé tulle gown at the "Being the Ricardos" premiere, the Australian actress showed she's a woman who can do both. Back in a more feminine look, her dress featured a sweetheart neckline and was completed by Jimmy Choo shoes, diamonds, and bright red lipstick.

Although Kidman switched up her look in the film — transforming herself with thin eyebrows, retro styling, and Lucille Ball's deep voice — her red carpet look was actually a return to her classic style. It was a dress we wouldn't have been surprised to see Kidman wear back in the '90s. Time is a flat circle, and fashion remains as cyclical as ever. The "Moulin Rouge" actress showed that she can move between the feminine and masculine like David Bowie in his prime.

At the Paris Olympics in 2024, Nicole Kidman showed she could also pull off a dressed-down look. Alongside her husband Keith Urban and their daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, she donned a very Parisian style. The "To Die For" actress wore a beige ruffled blouse, Jane Birkin-esque high-waisted jeans, and cherry red Lanvin pumps outside the Place de la Concorde. As ever, she accessorized masterfully, this time with Khaite x Oliver Peoples cat-eye sunglasses and a timeless leather watch.

Kidman was in town to watch the skateboarding and U.S. women's gymnasts take home gold. Although we're not sure if she was supporting the USA (where she was born) or Australia (where she was raised). Regardless of which side of her bread was buttered, Kidman's look was very European. The aforementioned Birkin could have been on a Kidman Pinterest mood board for his look. Heck, in the '70s, Birkin was even pictured in nearly identical ballet pumps to the ones that Kidman wore. However, Kidman had one accessory that Birkin didn't: a slew of laminated lanyards around her neck that could get her into any event she needed. This was Kidman as a bon vivant.

In the 2020s, suits became a major part of Nicole Kidman's wardrobe — she even wore one in her infamous AMC ad — as seen on the red carpet at the Critics' Choice Awards in 2025 when she was nominated for her Paramount+ show "Lioness." Her suit was oversized and tan in color, with a striped shirt, and a polka dot tie — all courtesy of Saint Laurent.

Although Kidman is no stranger to suits, she was also riffing on the corp-core trend. The look emerged on TikTok and is essentially a high-fashion twist on officewear. A style synthesis somewhere between Patrick Bateman and Bella Hadid. It's very '80s, very shoulder pads, and very business. At the forefront of this trend was Saint Laurent, and their Fall 2024 show featured Hadid in a big suit that looked like it could have come from a thrift store. However, Kidman is far from a trendhopper. As we've covered, she rocked a Saint Laurent suit back in 2019.

"I love clothes. And I love dressing up, and you don't get to dress up a lot. So when you do get the chance, you go, 'Well, let's have some fun.'" Kidman told Access Hollywood. "[R]ight now ... there's beautiful things to wear and I'm very grateful I get to wear them." Despite her expensive threads, Kidman remains humble. That's part of her enduring appeal, regardless of style transformations; she's down-to-earth.