Gone but never forgotten. Today, Betty White’s death shocked the nation, leaving many reflecting on the Hollywood icon’s life — and her many memorable red carpet moments.
The Golden Girls star, who would have turned 100 on January 17, passed away at her home on Friday, December 31 at 99. Per the LAPD in a statement to Us, her passing “appears to be natural cause of death with no evidence of foul play.”
“Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever,” her agent and close friend, Jeff Witjas, told People in a statement on Friday. “I don’t think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again.”
White got her start in the entertainment industry at the humble age of eight, working in radio. It was in 1949 that she started co-hosting Hollywood on Television alongside Al Jarvis, which paved the way for her first TV series entitled Life With Elizabeth — for which she won an Emmy.
A ton of career-altering opportunities followed suit, two of which you’re likely very familiar with: her role of Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and then, of course, her character Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls. Both of these gigs — which barely break the surface of White’s fruitful career — earned her Emmys.
With a lifetime in entertainment comes a ton of red carpet appearances. Through the years, the five-time Emmy Award winner mastered the art of red carpet dressing, frequently embracing bold colors and eye-catching patterns. Judging from her looks through the years, it’s clear that the comedian loved sequins and metallic details.
Take her 1986 Emmy Awards dress, for example, which epitomizes White’s feminine fashion aesthetic. She accepted her Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress for her role in Golden Girls wearing a sequin-embellished lavender gown with sheer sleeves. The number easily goes down in history as one of her most fabulous numbers.
To celebrate White’s vivacious life, Us Weekly’s Stylish is taking a look back at some of the beloved actress’s best fashion moments from the 60s to the 2010s. Check them out ahead.