Few Hollywood stars have a career that started as early as Drew Barrymore's did — after all, this celebrity mom has been acting practically since she was born. And because Drew grew up in the public eye, and continues to live her life that way, it's easy to see the way her style has evolved over the years. And in some ways, it's also grown up with her. We know Drew to be a bit of a free spirit, and that definitely has shown up in her wardrobe through the years.
Drew's had a seriously impressive career that's spanned her entire life so far, and it doesn't seem like she's slowing down anytime soon — and neither is her style! We've seen a lot of celebrity's style choices change with the trends. But for Drew, it seems to be all about how she can express herself, and as she's gotten older, we love how she continues to keep it real.
Case in point: Drew recently revealed the elastic waist extender she had sewn into her pants. "I guess I've been eating my stress," she joked. Drew is one of those celebs we feel we can totally relate to.
Here is how Drew's style has transformed, going all the way back to the early '80s, not long after she starred in E.T., all the way up to what she's done in 2020. There have been so many changes over the years in Drew's closet (and her hair!) but she always seems to have remained true to who she was at the time.
Her Career Begins
When Drew Barrymore began acting in the late '70s, she was just 3 years old. In those earliest days of her career, she made her mark with roles in movies like E.T. and Stephen King's Firestarter, and as we all know today, that ended up being just the beginning for her.
Kid Style
Around the time Drew was 10 years old, she was sporting regular '80s kid style — just take this photo from 1985 for example! Neon yellow capris and big earrings? Yep, that's exactly what we'd expect from her, and it was totally adorable.
Preteen Drew
Here's a 12-year-old Drew, all dressed up for the American Cinema Awards in 1987. At the time, what she was wearing would have been considered super cool and, even then, she liked to wear black for fancy events. And of course, we're loving her curls and her big smile.
Early 1990s
In the early 1990s, when Drew would have been around 17 years old, her look was very much in line with trends at the time: That dark lipstick and choker are so '90s, right? She kept her hair short, and at the time, she was appearing in movies like Poison Ivy and No Place to Hide.
The Mid-1990s
In this photo, which was taken in 1995, Drew was still sticking to her dark lip colors, but she was also sporting a flipped out hairstyle that was popular back then. Her style seemed to trend more toward vintage, quirky pieces at the time, which really made her stand out.
Drew in 1998
Here's Drew at the premiere of her movie Ever After in 1998, and it's easy to see how her style had already begun to evolve. She started going a bit lighter with the color palette of her wardrobe — and her makeup. And she wore her hair in soft curls. At the time, she was dating Luke Wilson after they co-starred in Home Fries together.
The Early 2000s
By 2001, Drew had a lot going for her. She was starring in movies like Charlie's Angels and Riding In Cars With Boys, and that was also the year she married Tom Green (though their relationship wasn't going to last). At this point, Drew started going a bit more casual with her wardrobe, still seeming to favor short hair over long.
The Mid-2000s
In the mid 2000s, Drew was still constantly evolving. By 2004 — the year she and Adam Sandler starred together 50 First Dates (what a throwback!) — she was wearing a longer, wavier hairstyle that she's really become famous for. When it came to clothes, she was still all about jeans and graphic tees.
Drew in 2007
By 2007, Drew had fully embraced Hollywood glam, which was evident with this amazing look. She wore this red, ruffled Salvatore Ferragamo number to The Late Show with David Letterman.
Welcome to 2010
By 2010, Drew was in her mid '30s and seemed more confident than ever — plus, she looked good standing outside of David Letterman's studio in this photo! Around this time, she was going for smokier, glam makeup looks and her style was a mix of casual and trendy pieces, like this top.
Big Things Happening in 2012
2012 was a huge year for Drew! Not only did she marry Will Kopelman, whom she stayed with until 2016, but she also gave birth to her first child: daughter Olive. At the time, her style was becoming more consistent. Though she did go for a darker hair color, Drew was sticking to a lot of classic pieces and wearing a lot of black and white.
Her 2014 Style
2014 ended up being another big year for Drew. It's the year she welcomed her second daughter, Frankie, into the world! She also seemed to be consistent with her style, going for classic looks like a red lip and a lacy white dress at her movie premiere for Blended.
Classy in 2017
By 2017, Drew had really figured out her personal style and seemed to be sticking to it. For her, that meant soft blond curls, a more natural makeup look, and dressing in black and more neutrals. Here, she's wearing a classic ensemble for the premiere of her Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet.
The Summer of 2019
Drew's style has always been super whimsical, especially in the last few years — she has everything in her closet from T-shirts to colors that pop to big patterns, and even vintage-inspired pieces. She's frequently spotted with a red lip, especially when she's promoting her Flower Beauty cosmetics brand.
Drew in 2020
These days, Drew's style is more varied. She doesn't mind posting fresh face photos like this one on Instagram, especially since everyone's been hanging out at home more in 2020. But she's also getting a bit more dressy with lots of colors and floral prints when she films episodes of The Drew Barrymore Show.
