Lacey Chabert’s Remarkable Transformation

Lacey Chabert was around 11 years old when she first starred in “Party of Five” in 1994. Back then, her style pretty much mimicked her character, Claudia Salinger’s, with overalls and menswear dominating her wardrobe. As a tween, Chabert kept her look youthful, with shoulder-length hair and blunt bangs. Of course, she didn’t need any makeup then, but as she grew up over the years, the “Lost in Space” actor began experimenting with different looks.

As Chabert grew from a tween to a teen over the years, she showed off her more grown-up look with cute camis and Y2K dress trends that were everywhere in the early 2000s. The “Winter in Vail” star also experienced a lot of firsts on set, including an on-screen kiss. “[My castmates] were always very sensitive around me because it was like, Claudia got her first bra! Claudia got her first period! Claudia got her first kiss!” Chabert shared with Vulture. She recalled, “It was particularly embarrassing having everyone watch me kiss a boy when I had never kissed a boy before in real life!” Sadly, “Party of Five” was canceled in 2000, but Chabert’s star continued to rise as she went from child star to a gorgeous young woman.

After “Party of Five” ended, Lacey Chabert expanded her acting chops with more mature parts, such as Amanda Becker in the 2001 film “Not Another Teen Movie.” In the spoof, she hilariously trolls her former cast mate Jennifer Love Hewitt’s movie “Can’t Hardly Wait” by playing the super-popular high-schooler who stops everyone dead in their tracks when she enters a party. Just like her movie counterpart, Chabert’s fashion was fully Y2K in real life, with low-waisted jeans, which have since staged a comeback, and belly-baring shirts.

Chabert also continued lending her voice to “The Wild Thornberrys” movies as Eliza Thornberry, and took on some minor roles until her epic role as Gretchen Wieners in “Mean Girls.” The 2004 film showcased her comedic talents and solidified her as one of the biggest child stars who had successfully transitioned into more grown-up parts. During this time, Chabert kept her brunette hair fresh and flirty with long side-swept bangs and slight waves. She didn’t give in to overly bronzed skin or the concealer lips trend of the 2000s, but instead kept her makeup timeless with slightly smokey eyes and a perfectly pink pout.

During the mid-Y2K era, Lacey Chabert began experimenting more with her style, opting for lots of color and different patterns. While at an event hosted by Disney in 2006, the “She Said/He Said” star showed up in a multi-colored pastel dress with a jaunty bright-blue scarf as a headband. Chabert continued with her voiceover work as Princess Elise for the “Sonic the Hedgehog” video game that year, and she revealed in a 2007 interview shared on YouTube that she was a huge gamer as a kid. “I remember the first thing I bought with my allowance. I saved it all up, and I bought the Game Gear system and I bought ‘Sonic.’ And I played it until the buttons broke off.”

Aside from the 2006 slasher film “Black Christmas,” Chabert kept leaning toward fun, lighthearted movies like “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,” which her fashion choices reflected. The former theater kid wore a lot of flirty dresses, and told Seventeen in 2009, “I used to always want to wear my hair straight, flat, and dark as possible. Ripped jeans and a tight shirt. I thought that I had to show off parts of my body to be sexy, and now I’m 26 and I feel more comfortable in my skin. I have a very feminine style now.”

Lacey Chabert dipped her toes into Hallmark with “Elevator Girl” in 2010 and “Matchmaker Santa” two years later, but it wasn’t until 2014 that she really got the ball rolling with the network. After starring in “A Royal Christmas” that year, Chabert landed the lead in the “All of My Heart” trilogy, which was a huge success. “Whenever I make a movie, my greatest hope is that the viewers will relate to the character in some way and also be emotionally touched by the journey. When I saw the passion on social media from the fans for there to be a sequel, I was touched,” she told Pop Culture Principle.

Chabert reached another milestone in 2013 when she married David Nehdar, and they welcomed their daughter Julia Mimi Bella in September 2016. “This is my first time being a mom and I’m figuring out as I go. But Julia is the light of my life. I’m very thankful that I’m also able to continue working. I hope to set that example for her to let her know that you can do it all, but with a lot of help and support,” she shared with People.

Over the years, Chabert’s style changed from a young aesthetic to more of a sophisticated feel that much resembled her Hallmark characters’ outfits. From structured sheaths to fitted coats, the actor definitely had a glow-up when it came to her fashion.

Serendipitously, 2022 was Lacey Chabert’s year, as she continued to grow with Hallmark with “The Wedding Veil” alongside other Hallmark familiar faces, Alison Sweeney and Autumn Reeser. After Candace Cameron Bure left the network, Chabert took over as the Queen of Christmas, who is tasked with flipping a switch that indicates the official start of the holiday season. “Once I flip the switch, Countdown to Christmas officially begins,” she told fans on Facebook in October 2022. That year, Chabert also launched her clothing line with the Home Shopping Network that featured adorable tiered dresses and cozy jumpsuits. “Collaborating with HSN on this has been a dream come true. Clothing is such a way to express yourself, and I’m actually a longtime HSN shopper!” she told E! News.

Chabert isn’t just an entrepreneur and a Hallmark star — she’s gone on to develop and produce as well. In January 2025, Hallmark announced that the “Haul Out the Holly” star’s unscripted show, “Celebrations with Lacey Chabert,” has been picked up for another season, and she is working on an exclusive product line that will be sold online, as well as in brick-and-mortar stores. Although she’s a boss babe, Chabert’s makeup still remains fun and feminine, and she opts for soft shades of bronze, peaches, and pinks. Her fashion also reflects her easygoing nature as she chooses simple silhouettes and non-busy patterns. Chabert has undoubtedly come a long way since her “Party of Five” days, and it doesn’t look like she’s stopping anytime soon, but she’ll always look perfectly poised while winning at life.