Mariah Carey has long been a fixture on the red carpet for music industry awards shows since she show rose to fame in the ‘90s. She’s attended the Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards and more. Her style choices at the American Music Awards, however, have truly stood out.
Throughout her appearances on the red carpet at the AMAs, the “Fantasy” singer demonstrated her proclivity for trendy styles and fashion choices that speak to her own approach to sartorial statements. Since 1991, Carey styled variations on the little black dress, added sparkle to her wardrobe and so much more.
With a highly anticipated performance from the award-winning singer teased for this Sunday’s AMAs show, see how Carey’s style evolved through her appearances on the American Music Awards red carpet over the years.
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1991
Image Credit: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images For her appearance at the 1991 American Music Awards, Carey opted for her take on the classic little black dress. The dress featured an off-the-shoulder V neckline with sheer long sleeves. Carey styled her hair in natural, voluminous curls and accessorized her look with a pair of dangle earrings that grazed her collar bone.
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1992
Image Credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images For her look at the 1992 American Music Awards, Carey pivoted from the little black dress to an all-over glittering minidress. The look featured shiny crystals on the form-fitting dress. Carey coordinated the dress with shiny tights in a metallic silver tone.
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1993
Image Credit: Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images The 1993 American Music Awards saw Carey return to a formal black dress. The singer wore formal black dress with a plunging neckline and subtle criss-cross detail. She paired the dress with peep-toe heels and styled her hair in her signature curls with drop earrings. Carey also sported a red ribbon on her dress. The red ribbon is often associated with AIDS research and awareness.
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1996
Image Credit: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images Mariah Carey opted for black-and-white dressing for the 1996 American Music Awards. The venerated singer wore a black, sleeveless dress with a thick white sash at her waist, creating a defined figure. The dress also featured a plunging neckline. Much like her previous attire for the music industry awards show, Carey wore a red ribbon in support of AIDS awareness on the strap of her dress.
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2000
Image Credit: KMazur/WireImage By 2000, Carey brought Y2K fashion to the American Music Awards. The singer wore a black, sleeveless dress with major cutouts on the bodice, including beneath the plunging neckline and on the sides. The singer also opted for straight hair, a hairstyle trend of the era.
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2003
Image Credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage The American Music Awards in 2003 featured Mariah Carey in a sleek slip dress with a metallic silver tone. The sleeveless dress featured subtle fabric ruching at the scoop neckline and a reflective fabric. Carey wore her hair long and straight with glittering silver dangle earrings to accessorize her look.
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2005
Image Credit: Vince Bucci/Getty Images) The 2005 American Music Awards featured Mariah Carey wearing a glittering black gown with a key-hole cutout on the bodice. Favoring a trend that’s since become even more popular in 2024, Carey’s sleeveless dress featured a form-fitting silhouette with a dramatic cutout from the base of the neckline of her dress to her waist. The singer styled her hair in long, soft curls.
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2008
Image Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for AMA At the 2008 American Music Awards, Carey wore another classic iteration of the black dress, featuring glittering embellishments on the neckline. The strapless dress featured a form-fitting silhouette with crystal detailing that added a touch of sparkle to the look. Carey wore her hair in soft waves and coordinated the glittering motif with a statement bracelet.
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2018
Image Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images At the 2018 American Music Awards, Carey wore a glittering and sheer long-sleeve gown by Yousef Aljasmi. The form-fitting gown featured a cinched waist for a defined silhouette and s sheer element on the sleeves, bodice and skirt of the dress. The skirt also featured black feathers cascading down the fabric. Carey styled her hair in long soft waves.
