The Stunning Style Transformation Of Julie Bowen

Many may know Julie Bowen from the hit show "Modern Family," however, she's been in a long list of big TV shows over the years, from "ER" and "Lost" to "Weeds" and "Boston Legal." While showing her acting chops in so many TV shows and movies, she's also been showing off her style range on red carpets.

In the early 2000s, when she first started stepping out on the red carpet, she stuck to simple black dresses and trendy Y2K looks. In later years, she started branching out to polished minimalist looks, and, eventually, Bowen truly stepped into her own by rocking eye-popping colors and playful prints with a lot of visual interest. Later on in her fashion development, though, Bowen seemed to turn back to basics, opting for simpler and more streamlined looks.

It seems that in many ways, Bowen's style evolution came full circle, from branching out to going back to her style roots. No matter what stage of her journey she was in, again and again Bowen proved she not only knows how to get in on trends, but also how to use them to her advantage, while still expressing herself through her fashion choices. Because of this ability, she's been able to show her knack for conveying her sense of style in a way that feels current, no matter what decade she's in.

At the beginning of the 2000s, Julie Bowen was rocking red-carpet styles that were both trendy and simple. At an NBC event, she wore a quintessential early-2000s look: a cute top with some low-rise jeans. Not only that, but she paired her cuffed jeans with some wedge slide sandals, adding some more Y2K charm to the look. Her pink-and-green top featured a lot of interesting details, and already displayed themes that would play a big role in her sense of style, including bold colors, fun patterns, and playful motifs. Her hair was super on-trend here, too, and her chin-length center-part cut is a great example of Y2K hairstyles that still work.

At Chanel's Fall Makeup Collection Launch in 2001, Bowen showed off another side of her style in a simple but daring look with feminine details. Her sheer-black slip dress was ultra on-trend for 2001, and the lace detailing brought the look to a whole new level. A smooth side-parted hairstyle, minimal makeup, and a lack of accessories kept all the focus on this head-turning dress — and though often overlooked, it should be up there with the most iconic celebrity naked-dress moments in history.

In 2002, Julie Bowen was displaying her perfect understanding of how to master minimalist dressing by wearing multiple black-and-white looks. At Entertainment Weekly's Academy Awards Viewing Party that year, she kept the look straightforward by wearing an off-the-shoulder black top with a white skirt and minimal accessories. At the 2002 film premiere for "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," she kept the same striking color palette, but this time brought more visual interest with a deep-V neckline, a layered gold chain necklace, and shiny satin pants. A shoulder-length hairstyle with subtle flips at the ends brought some trendy zest to the ensemble. 

While she may have been showing off simple styles on the red carpet, it seems that Bowen's personal style was anything but. "I am going through a really deep corduroy phase," she told Vogue. "I own the same classic faded Levi's cords that I've had since my college days." She continued, "I am obsessed with shoes, belt buckles, and, most recently, cowboy shirts. The cut of a cowboy shirt is made for a flat-chested girl, and that's me! I have about 50 of them."

As she headed into the mid-2000s, Julie Bowen started to introduce more patterns, colors, and interesting cuts into her red-carpet looks. At a 2003 premiere, Bowen played with flowing shapes and layered stripes. Her asymmetrical top had a sheer, breezy feel, and looked amazing paired with her flare-legged jeans. By now, she was rocking longer hair and fringey, face-framing bangs, too, which only made the whole look feel more on-trend.

Later, in 2006, Bowen showed up to a "Boston Legal" event in a much bolder and more colorful style. Her bright-yellow dress featured intricate black, lacy, floral motifs that were super attention-grabbing. The overall vibe was dramatic, as well as feminine and refined at the same time. She paired the dress with some black tights, keeping the stark contrast between black and yellow going. She wore her hair pulled back with her bangs side-parted, and kept her makeup neutral-toned, allowing the focus to stay on the bold colors of the dress. 

By the late part of the 2000s, Julie Bowen was having fun with some big prints. While the cuts of the dresses she wore were themselves simple, it seemed she was saying goodbye to the less-is-more fashion trends with some maximalist-vibe outfits. To the opening celebration of the Mary Norton boutique in LA, she donned an olive-colored dress with a large black floral print and a notch neckline. She wore her hair pulled back and accessorized with some playful but polished gold earrings and a small gold clutch.

In 2008, Bowen wore a similar dress on the red carpet of a silent auction for charity: another minidress with a notch neck and a fun, bold print. This time, the pattern was more intricate and featured a neutral color palette. Black detailing at the sleeves and pockets added an extra element of interest to the dress. She wore her long hair down and kept her accessories minimal with some subtle silver jewelry. Her makeup with both of these looks was on the simple side, featuring a nude-pink lip and a light, rosy blush. 

By 2009, Julie Bowen was shifting away from the prints toward solid-colored looks. Not only that, but she was having fun with satin pants, the cool-girl way to keep it light in summer. At the AMAs that year, she wore a stunning black satin suit, which she accessorized with a large gold multi-chain necklace and a black clutch. Wearing her hair in an updo and rocking a smokey eye took this sultry look with an androgynous vibe to a whole new level.

At the 2010 Emmys, Bowen was rocking yet another gorgeous satin look. This time, she wore a blue, draped, strapless dress, which she paired with dramatic teardrop earrings and an ultra-glam updo. Just as with her satin suit, she wore a bold smokey eye and nude lipstick. These looks make it clear that Bowen knows how to rock a sleek, satin style, and it's easy to see why this shiny, sophisticated fabric has been one of her red carpet go-tos throughout the years. 

In the early 2010s, Julie Bowen expanded her style range. She wasn't just going for bold prints or sultry satin; she was having fun with sequins and more textured looks, too. At the 2011 Emmys, where she landed an award for an outstanding supporting role on "Modern Family," Bowen rocked one of her most dramatic looks to date. Her silver-and-black dress featured a deeply plunging V-neckline, along with a detailed sequin pattern all over the gown. Bowen kept her hair low-key by pulling it back in a low ponytail and made sure her accessories harmonized with her dress by opting for black-and-silver earrings and a matching bracelet.

At the AMAs that year, Bowen was rocking yet another glitzy look with a neutral color palette. This time, she wore a striped, long-sleeved minidress with colors like black, white, gunmetal, and bronze. She carried a black clutch and wore her hair in a messy, Pamela Anderson-esque updo to complete the look.

In 2012, Julie Bowen was finding a new way to stand out on the red carpet. This year, she moved away from glamorous neutrals and interesting textures and instead rocked highlighter-bright pops of color. It was certainly clear that she didn't need any tips for infusing more color into her wardrobe.

At the 2012 Emmys, Bowen wore a neon-lime strapless fishtail gown. Reportedly, she was inspired to wear the figure-hugging silhouette by her co-star Sofia Vergara. This was truly a style stand-out moment for her. Not only was it a daring color choice (that totally paid off!), but the cut and style of the gown were more dramatic than many of her red-carpet looks from the past. As the cherry on top, it was a great look to mark her second Emmy win. Bowen pulled her hair back in a half-up, half-down style and wore large gold earrings to complete the look.

In 2013, Bowen donned another vibrant ensemble at the Inspiration Awards Luncheon in Beverly Hills. This time, though, she went for a cool and refreshing shade of mint green. She paired her mint suit with a white shirt underneath and a shiny gold clutch. She styled her hair in a chic, half-up, half-down look with some small pieces of hair framing her face. 

In the mid-2010s, Julie Bowen wasn't just wearing intricate prints; she was wearing prints with a new, more sophisticated, and more artistic vibe. At the SAG Awards in 2014, Bowen donned a dress with bold lines and a pop of color that was truly different from her typical red-carpet looks. The orange and black bodice was structured and featured lots of stitching detail. The skirt of the dress was black and white with vibrant lines that almost looked like an optical illusion, really grabbing attention. She accessorized with long, dangling earrings that matched her dress and a black clutch.

At the 2015 Art Directors Production Design Awards, Bowen wore a royal-blue velvet dress covered in bursting gold shapes with red gem detailing in the center, which gave an exciting firework feel. The tank dress was gathered in at the waist, accentuating her shape. Her accessories, a gold clutch and some gold bracelets, flowed perfectly with the look.

In the mid-2010s, Julie Bowen started to go for looks that were a little more subtle and subdued, yet still super elegant. At the 2016 Baby2Baby gala, Bowen wore a dress with a nursery rhyme vibe that was totally suited to the event. The gray dress featured a large embroidered motif of a bird in a tree filled with flowers. She kept her accessories to a minimum and wore her hair in her go-to, half-up, half-down style. Her soft-glam makeup pulled the look together perfectly.

At the Family Equality Council's Annual Impact Awards in 2017, Bowen looked simple and refined yet again, albeit with a more boho feel this time. Her flowy white dress featured a short cape and a deep-V neckline. Here, she seems to have made a change to her hair, with it looking notably shorter. She was also playing around with her hairstyle, too, by wearing it in waves and parting it to the side. Another notable style shift came through the way she began opting for more daring accessories; Bowen wore an avant-garde necklace with geometric shapes that really drew attention to itself.

At another Baby2Baby event in 2018, Julie Bowen donned an elegant patterned dress with long, curving lines that created intriguing shapes. This look doesn't just have a loud pattern, but it's also in a simple, refined color palette of black and nude with silver overlay, giving it a feel that is both edgy and sophisticated.

By the late 2010s, it was clear that maximalist, playful patterns were an absolute staple in Bowen's wardrobe. However, by this time, she wasn't just showing them off on the red carpet; she was also playing around with patterns in more casual settings, too. Particularly with an outfit that the paparazzi snapped her in, she proved that animal prints can be just as appropriate as neutrals and can be mixed with anything. While out and about in Los Angeles in 2019, Bowen wore a bright-yellow graphic shirt along with leopard-print pants that had red-and-yellow stripes down the side. Along with that, she wore a black crossbody bag, a large beige hat, and some large black sunglasses, resulting in an off-duty look that was both super relaxed and also a lot of fun.

At the start of the 2020s, Julie Bowen introduced a new accessory to her red-carpet looks: a pair of thick, black glasses. These glasses proved to be incredibly versatile and also added some studious yet sophisticated flair to her outfits. At the Season 11 "Curb Your Enthusiasm" premiere, Bowen rocked her statement-making glasses along with a black dress with a sweetheart neckline, and some subtle corset detailing on the bodice. She wore her hair back and kept her makeup minimal except for a glossy lip. The accessories for this look were minimal as well, creating a style that was elegant and sophisticated.

At another premiere in 2021, Bowen rocked a completely different look with a completely different vibe. Jumping away from black, she went for an olive-green utility jumpsuit, which she paired with some eclectic but polished accessories. Layered gold necklaces, layered multicolored bracelets, and a cognac-colored handbag all came together to make an ensemble that blended both masculine and feminine elements, creating a truly intriguing style.

In the early 2020s, it was all about blue for Julie Bowen. Paparazzi snapped her outside "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" rocking a monochromatic sky-blue outfit. Not only was the soft shade of blue super flattering on her, but it looked both comfortable and put-together. She added a matching light-blue rope belt to the style and carried a dark-brown purse, which created a nice contrast. Here, Bowen's shoulder-length hair is styled in a shag haircut and her center-parted bangs frame her face.

At the Inspiration Awards in 2023, Bowen was playing around with the color blue in a different way. This time, she went for a much darker, bolder hue, and her dress also featured some floral embroidery on the bodice. The V-neck dress had a trendy drop-waist silhouette and some pockets, making it functional on top of being eye-catching. With this style, Bowen wore her hair in loose curls pinned back away from her face. Her soft-glam makeup and stud earrings kept the primary focus on her gorgeous dress.

By the mid-2020s, Julie Bowen seemed to be coming full circle in her style evolution. Much like she did in the early 2000s, she could be seen rocking cute jeans-and-top outfits on the red carpet, as well as dresses with subtle lacy details. At the 2024 Baby2Baby Gala, Bowen wore a nude-colored lace dress with a sheer layered skirt. This off-the-shoulder look had a lot of subtle sophistication, and Bowen kept a low-key but elegant vibe by wearing some shimmery nude nail polish and keeping her jewelry and accessories minimal.

At a premiere in 2024, Bowen rocked a totally different look that had the same polished feel. There, she donned a black strapless top with corset-style detailing, which she paired with a dark-wash pair of jeans. When it came to accessories, she truly layered on the necklaces, mixing different metals in a way that's ultra-trendy, and took her simple outfit to the next level. To round out the look, Bowen wore her hair lightly tousled and center parted, and popped on some subtle rosy blush.