Ageless Beauty: Julia Louis-Dreyfus

1980’s: The Saturday Night Live Years

As the youngest female cast member in the show’s history, 21-year-old Louis-Dreyfus had a lot to prove when she joined the cast of Saturday Night Live fresh out of theatre studies at Northwestern University. With her curly hair cropped short and kept unruly along with light makeup, she looked every bit the fresh-faced youngster. The most amazing thing? She looks exactly the same 30 years later!

1990’s: The Reigning Queen of Seinfeld

The anchor of NBC’s “Must-See TV” lineup, Seinfeld ran for nine seasons and earned Louis-Dreyfus a slew of awards, including her first Emmy. Throughout the near-decade she played Jerry’s gal pal Elaine Benes, Louis-Dreyfus defined 90s casual with her long curly brown locks in a top-heavy half-up ‘do, heavily lined wine-stained lips and menswear-inspired wardrobe en vogue at the time. Quirky as her character was, everyone fell in love with her style and sass.

2007: The New Adventures of Old Christine…and Julia 

After five years of film roles, Louis-Dreyfus hit sitcom success again with The New Adventures of Old Christine, a show about a divorcee dealing with life after her amicable-but-awkward divorce. The show gave her a chance to play goofy with a side of glam, thanks to a much sleeker wardrobe and hairstyle. On the show, she kept her curly locks sleek and straight or volumized and wavy. Her makeup was dewy and lash-heavy, giving her a natural but polished look that she’s often emulated on the red carpet.

2012: Hail to the Veep

As Vice President (and now President) Selina Meyer on Veep, Louis-Dreyfus dons tailored dresses and rocks a short brown bob. While Selina’s rouge-heavy makeup is a little more “done” than the actress’s personal style, some of the primary colors and figure-flattering frocks mirror many of her red carpet choices. As for the body under those sleek silhouettes, Louis-Dreyfus told us she works hard for it, but enjoys the process. “The one thing I do every day is exercise,” she said. “That really makes me feel my best.” 

2015: Funny Girl, Glamour Girl

Louis-Dreyfus’s red carpet style has earned her a spot on nearly every Best Dressed list in recent memory. Her ability to rock a fitted gown and sleek, silky silhouettes with minimal-but-marvelous makeup proves that this just may be her best decade yet. As she told NewBeauty during her recent photo shoot for our Spring 2015 cover, “My 50s is my best decade thus far because I really like having the experience of having lived life this long, I still feel really young, it’s nice to be unburdened by a kind of foolishness and I don’t take a lot of you know what from anybody anymore.” That philosophy sure is working for this funny, fabulous lady. 

Photograph by James White