Zendaya opens up about her favorite looks ever for InStyle’s Best Dressed issue

Zendaya is one of the biggest names in Hollywood not only because of her acting roles, but because of her constantly-evolving personal style.

During an interview with InStyle editor-in-chief Laura Brown for the magazine‘s annualBest Dressed issue and podcast, the cover star explained that her captivating presence offscreen is simply “an extension” of her acting career.

“I think about red carpets as having their own characters and narratives. We build a little story for all the looks,” Zendaya said during her interview. “It’s like an extension of my acting career in a weird way—you just pop this wig on or whatever it is.”

She continued, “Clothes sometimes are very emotional, so I get to embody these different facets—maybe they’re of myself, or maybe they’re alter egos. But I get to meet these different women through clothes.”

While many might assume that everything comes naturally to Zendaya, it’s not without constant preparation. According to the Euphoria actress, she sometimes practices poses in the mirror to see what angle works with a certain silhouette. 

Still, no matter what you’re wearing or how you post, the 25-year-old insisted that nailing a high-profile appearance comes down to one thing: confidence.

“When I was 14 and at my first movie premiere, my outfit was a bunch of stuff that I had from Target. And I thought I was fly. I felt cool,” she revealed. “To this day, I think that‘s really all that matters. Then you know you’re doing the right thing.”

Now, all these years later, the actress has worn looks from the biggest names in fashion--and of course, she has favorites.

When asked about looks that stand-out the most, Zendaya listed the Moschino butterfly gown she wore to the Australian premiere of The Greatest Showman in 2017, the Joan of Arc-inspired chainmail dress she wore to the 2018 Met Gala, and the hot pink Tom Ford breastplate she wore to the 2020 Critics Choice Awards.

She also touched on some of her looks that weren’t so well-recieved, like the menswear-inspired outfit she wore to the 2016 Grammys.

“I got dragged for my mullet at the time, but kids love mullets now. I’m happy about my David Bowie mullet,” she said.