Jennifer Aniston broke our hearts with the announcement earlier this week that she won’t be attending the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, even though she’s snagged a nomination for Outstanding Variety Special as executive producer on the internet-breaking Friends reunion earlier this year. In 2020, Aniston made a triumphant return to the Emmys scene with her first nomination since 2009, for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series after her star turn as Alex Levy in Apple TV+’s The Morning Show, and charmed the crowd as usual in a long sleeveless black dress (and an epic look at her behind-the-scenes prep for the night). But the Emmy queen — nominated a whopping five times for her role as Rachel Green in Friends — is well within her rights to red carpet or not red carpet as she sees fit, and that leaves us looking over her awards show looks from years past for our fix of Aniston fashion.

From appearances alongside the entire Friends crew to a series of ’90s and ’00s date nights with ex-husband Brad Pitt that make our heart hurt, Jennifer Aniston has showed up and showed out on the Emmys red carpet in exceptional style time and time again, and particularly proving that no one works a strapless gown quite like she does, from her 2000 strapless red Prada minidress to her white Grecian-style strapless gown in 2005.

For her 54th birthday, read on for Aniston’s best Emmys red carpet looks across her many years at these awards.

This story was originally published on September 16, 2021.

Photo : ASSOCIATED PRESS.

1995

Jennifer Aniston walked the Emmys red carpet with Friends co-star Matthew Perry this year, though she wouldn’t see her first nomination for the show until 2000.

Photo : ©RAMEY PHOTO AGENCY

1996

Aniston’s mid-length caramel-colored hair and sleek one-shouldered grey gown are timeless red carpet fashion in action.

Photo : Hubert Boesl/picture-alliance/dp

1999

This brown Randolph Duke beaded gown might be the most ’90s thing ever — right after Brad’s sunglasses, that is.

2000

This red strapless Prada gown, choker, and mini-bag cemented Aniston as the “It Girl” of the moment.

2002

In 2002, Aniston wore a pink Dior gown we can’t get enough of and picked up her very first Emmy for playing Rachel on Friends.

Photo : ©2002 RAMEY PHOTO 310-828-3445

2002

We’re giving you one more look at this dress because: a) look at her holding that Emmy! and b) look at the rest of the Friends crew! Why are the men so, uh, in character?

Photo : Fairchild Archive/Penske Media

2004

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston walked the Emmys red carpet for a final time together in 2004. Aniston was once again nominated for Friends and wearing white strapless Grecian-goddess-style Chanel.

Photo : Invision for the Television Acad

2020

She’s baaa-aaack! Aniston took on the Emmys in 2020 like a woman who knows she owns the place, and her simple black dress let her famous features do the talking.