The "Scandal" star uses her fashion in other ways, too. She's spread awareness of financial abuse through purse design, co-designed a clothing line based on her hit television show and, as proven as recently as the 2017 SAG Awards, uses her platform to make political statements about troubling new policies.
A look back at the way Washington's style has evolved since those beloved "Save the Last Dance" days shows she's always had a flair for fashion, if not quite as high fashion as she wears today. Her gowns have gotten a chic upgrade, but the boldness and willingness to have fun through fashion is definitely unchanged.
In honor of Washington's 40th birthday, we revisit those earlier days, and celebrate some of our favorite recent moments, too.
2004
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Evan Agostini via Getty Images
At the 15th Annual Glamour "Women of the Year" Awards on Nov. 8
2004
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Michael Buckner via Getty Images
At Movieline's Hollywood Life 2004 Breakthrough Awards on Dec. 12
2005
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Michael Buckner via Getty Images
At the 57th Annual DGA Awards Dinner at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 29
2005
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Evan Agostini via Getty Images
At the National Board of Review Annual Gala 2005 on Jan. 11
2006
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Pascal Le Segretain via Getty Images
At the "The Wind That Shakes The Barley" premiere during the 59th International Cannes Film Festival on May 18
2006
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Frazer Harrison via Getty Images
At the Premiere Lounge after party for "The Dead Girl" during AFI Fest 2006 on Nov. 7
2007
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Peter Kramer via Getty Images
At the premiere for the film "Ocean's Thirteen" at the Palais des Festivals during the 60th International Cannes Film Festival on May 24
2007
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Amy Graves via Getty Images
At the 7th Annual Breakthrough of the Year Awards on Dec. 9
2008
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Jemal Countess via Getty Images
At the L'Oreal Legends Gala to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund on Nov. 10
2008
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Venturelli via Getty Images
At the Palme d'Or Closing Ceremony at the Palais des Festivals during the 61st International Cannes Film Festival on May 25
2009
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NBC NewsWire via Getty Images
At the Young Patrons Of Lincoln Center Fall Masquerade Gala on Oct. 29
2009
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George Pimentel via Getty Images
At the "Face" Premiere at the Grand Theatre Lumiere during the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 23
2010
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STAN HONDA via Getty Images
At opening night at The Metropolitan Opera House on Sept. 27
2010
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Jeffrey Mayer via Getty Images
At the "Mother And Child" Los Angeles Premiere at the Egyptian Theatre on April 19
2011
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Jason LaVeris via Getty Images
At the 2011 BET Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on June 26
2011
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Stephen Lovekin via Getty Images
At the 2010 New York Film Critics Circle Awards on Jan. 10
2012
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Getty
At the Emmy Awards on Sept. 23
2012
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At "The Details" premiere on Oct. 29
2013
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At the Golden Globe awards on Jan. 13
2013
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At the NAACP Image Awards on Feb. 1
2013
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At the MTV Movie Awards on April 14
2014
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Jason LaVeris via Getty Images
At the 66th annual Directors Guild of America Awards on Jan. 25
2014
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Jeffrey Mayer via Getty Images
At the 66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Aug. 25
2014
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Gregg DeGuire via Getty Images
At the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Jan. 18
2015
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Jeffrey Mayer via Getty Images
At the 67th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 20
2015
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Lester Cohen via Getty Images
At the 2015 Baby2Baby Gala at 3LABS on Nov. 14
2015
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Desiree Navarro via Getty Images
At The Paley Center for Media Presents "An Evening with The Cast of 'Scandal'" on May 14
2016
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Larry Busacca via Getty Images
At the 102nd White House Correspondents' Association Dinner on April 30
2016
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Alberto E. Rodriguez via Getty Images
At the 68th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 18
2017
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George Pimentel via Getty Images
At the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 8
2017
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Jon Kopaloff via Getty Images
At the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Jan. 29