Pamela Anderson trades her ‘Baywatch’ swimsuit for a cape as she finally takes control of the backlash narrative

Pamela Anderson is an icon — in more ways than one. She is primarily an actress, but also a model and a worldwide star. Following a career full of ups and downs, as she’s getting her power back, she’s certainly bringing fierce fashion alongside her.

The Baywatch legend made an appearance at a very fancy event where she got an important distinction. On Oct. 8, Anderson attended the 2024 Glamour Women of the Year Awards in New York City. Aside from gracing everyone with her presence, the actress was among the recipients of Glamour’s 2024 Women of the Year.

“It’s really an honor to be chosen…” the actress told Glamour for the cover story. “But I want to be careful with all of it. I want to have integrity. Why do you want me to be Woman of the Year? Because I’m living my authentic life, because I’m making these choices.”

Pamela Anderson was a vision in pastel

For the event, she was nothing short of fabulous. Switching from her Baywatch swimsuit style, she chose the cape life. No, this doesn’t include a role with Marvel or DC — although that would be cool, yet against what she’s trying to achieve here — but a gorgeous teal-green floor-length dress, complete with a sheer mesh neckline covered in glittering gems, with a floor-grazing cape. She kept the makeup to a minimum, similar to the past couple of years, including on the red carpet. And she was stunning!

This is a major feat for Anderson, whose career and life have been filled with ups and downs. Her beauty was more of a curse sometimes, although it did lead to her becoming one of the most famous women in the entire world in the ’90s. Her fame, thanks to the drama series Baywatch, about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of L.A., as well as her role as one of the most famous Playboy models, was thrilling and exciting, but it also included a lot of criticism.

Pamela Anderson has been serving looks on a platter

She recently attended the Zurich Film Festival to promote her upcoming film, The Last Showgirl, and she received the Golden Eye Award. Plus, she was serving look after look. A blush dress with an oversized satin shawl on top with matching shoes? Check. The elegant office-style black-and-white shirt and A-line skirt? Check. A smart, feathery one-shoulder jumpsuit? Check. All while maintaining a very natural and beautiful face, with barely-there makeup. Embracing her natural beauty is something that comes as a breath of fresh air, and Anderson does it well.

As she was primarily known for showing off a lot of skin, Pamela Anderson is reclaiming her life and her power amid a lifetime of backlash. For her Glamour cover story, which featured oversized jackets and leggy beige trench coat, and a business suit, she is just now figuring out who she is. “But my bigger dilemma is… who am I in real life? This been my hardest work over the past few years, to really identify that.”

Although she doesn’t like to address her infamous sex tape, the star continues: “It hit me a lot harder than I even imagined,” Anderson explains, also addressing how much the Hulu series Pam & Tommy affected her. “Because it made me so nauseous to even think about it again when it came out, this Hulu thing. It really felt like another kick in the stomach that people might find that entertaining. And that was… I think I lost my husband, my sanity, my career.”

Luckily, she came out of it winning. It hasn’t been easy by any means, but now Pamela Anderson is finally entering the era she deserves. With awards buzz around her performance in The Last Showgirl, a role in the remake of The Naked Gun, and the drama thriller Rosebush Pruning, Anderson is reclaiming her narrative. She proves that not only diamonds, but fashion, too, are a girl’s best friend.