Sophisticated jumpsuits, head turning blazers, and simple silhouettes. Since bursting onto the scene as the squeaky-voiced Bernadette on "The Big Bang Theory," Melissa Rauch has gone through plenty of style transformations.
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00:00Sophisticated jumpsuits, head-turning blazers, and simple silhouettes. Since bursting onto
00:05the scene as the squeaky-voiced Bernadette on The Big Bang Theory, Melissa Rauch has
00:09gone through plenty of style transformations.
00:13By the time Melissa Rauch landed the role of Bernadette on The Big Bang Theory, she
00:16had been working hard to build a career in the entertainment industry for a while. From
00:21endless auditions to one-woman shows, Rauch was truly putting the work in. She even landed
00:26roles on shows like Kath & Kim and The Office.
00:29Despite appearing on popular shows, however, Rauch still hadn't found a lasting gig. While
00:33talking to Backstage, she opened up about getting the role of Bernadette, saying,
00:37"...I was so grateful when Big Bang happened. It was supposed to be a one-time guest star."
00:41Although it was initially a guest role, Rauch's character became an integral part of the show,
00:46especially once she became engaged to one of the main ensemble characters, Howard.
00:50"...Will you marry me?"
00:52"...Is this more comedy that I don't understand?"
00:56Along with becoming a standout new character on The Big Bang Theory, Rauch proved that
01:00her style choices were worth looking at, too. During this period, she rocked lots of bold
01:04colors and feminine cuts, like puff-sleeved mini-dresses. She was also totally capable
01:09of toning down, however, and looking polished but professional in blazers, slim pants, and
01:13glittery blouses, like the outfit she wore to the In Time premiere.
01:18In 2012, Rauch was attending events like Comic-Con, where she met fans and discussed topics like
01:23her Big Bang Theory character's plotline. She was also truly showing off her style sense,
01:28as bright, solid-colored dresses continued to be a style staple for her. Some great examples
01:33are the strapless, deep purple dress she wore to a pre-Emmy party, and the green gown with
01:37an asymmetrical neckline that she wore to the Emmys.
01:40This is also when Rauch began to branch out and wear looks with a little more edge. At
01:45an Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ceremony, she donned a long-sleeved black lace dress,
01:50which she paired with a black clutch and nude pumps. At an Alzheimer's Association event,
01:54she wore another black dress, this time strapless and with a feather skirt. Rauch was once again
01:59looking sultry that year, in black, in a mini-dress with a plunging neckline and diamond detailing
02:04under the bust at a Warner Bros. event.
02:07By 2013, Rauch began to take on voice acting roles. Some of her first jobs were on children's
02:12shows like Awesome Magical Tales and Captain Jake and the Neverland Pirates. With more
02:17projects coming down the pipeline, Rauch was making a colorful splash on red carpets. Then,
02:21more than ever, she was rocking her go-to bold-colored gowns. Instead of opting for
02:26cooler colors like bold blues, purples, and greens, she was donning warm-hued dresses.
02:31At the People's Choice Awards in 2013, she rocked a canary yellow strapless dress, along
02:35with a gold belt and clutch. For the People's Choice Awards in 2014, she wore another strapless
02:41dress, this time hot pink, with an asymmetrical neckline and minimal black accessories.
02:47While the Big Bang Theory was still going strong, Rauch took her career into her own
02:50hands by writing a movie, The Bronze, with her husband. While talking to Backstage, she
02:55opened up about her character Hope, an ex-gymnast with an unlikable attitude, and how she felt
02:59playing a character so different from Bernadette. She told the outlet,
03:02"...I've always been drawn to characters, male or female, that don't apologize for who
03:06they are. The people that I've always loved are like Bette Davis in All About Eve. She
03:11didn't shy away from that anger and that was always something I wanted to play."
03:14In the interview, she also joked about having control of her outfits, saying,
03:24"...I only want to write scripts for myself where I'm in a loose-fitting uniform the entire
03:29time. It was the only job I've had where I didn't have to wear Spanx."
03:32While Rauch may have been tired of Spanx, she looked completely professional and elegant
03:36at a 2015 Alzheimer's Association event, where she wore a silky black blouse along with a
03:41black pencil skirt. When she attended co-star Jim Parsons' Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony,
03:46she wore a navy blue blazer dress with some platform pumps, which struck a perfect balance
03:50of both sophistication and glam.
03:54In 2016, Rauch was rocking lots of trendy looks. The actor was spotted out and about
03:58wearing lacy dresses and leather jackets. Along with her increasingly edgy street style,
04:03she was also trying new things on the red carpet. At the Big Bang Theory 200th episode
04:07party, she wore a strapless white mini dress with geometric shapes scattered across the
04:11bodice and hem. While attending the People's Choice Awards that year, she wore a black
04:15gown with large white stripes running across it diagonally. Both of these looks were bold
04:20departures from her usual solid-colored gowns.
04:24Throughout the second half of 2016, Rauch's style took on a feminine but laid-back vibe.
04:28In addition to Season 10 of the Big Bang Theory premiering, Rauch was showing a new side of
04:33herself in her style choices. At an InStyle celebration for the start of the Golden Globe
04:37season, she rocked a lacy short-sleeved blue dress along with some strappy nude platform
04:42sandals. She added some rings to the look and wore her hair in soft waves with a deep
04:46side part.
04:47While attending a SAG-AFTRA Foundation event, she wore an even more relaxed and adorable
04:52Rocking some bold black-framed glasses, Rauch also wore a long-sleeved floral print blouse
04:57with sheer panels, which she paired with black boots. With this look, she still kept her
05:02signature deep side part, but this time she wore her hair straight.
05:06By 2017, Rauch was experiencing a major life change — becoming a mom. That year, she
05:11opened up about her pregnancy and her fertility struggles in a piece she wrote for Glamour.
05:16She said,
05:17Rauch is the only statement regarding my pregnancy that doesn't make me feel like a complete
05:20fraud. Melissa is expecting her first child, she's extremely overjoyed, but if she's being
05:25honest, due to the fact that she had a miscarriage the last time she was pregnant, she's pretty
05:29much terrified at the moment that it will happen again.
05:32Pregnancy wasn't the only change for Rauch that year, however. She was also trying new
05:36things on the fashion front. At the People's Choice Awards, she ditched the dresses and
05:40wore an ultra-elegant black jumpsuit, with a lace panel across the chest and a bow at
05:45the collar. At the SAG Awards, she was doing something new once again. Instead of opting
05:49for one of her go-to bold colors, she wore a sleek nude gown with a deep V-neck and all-over
05:55lace detailing. Not only did she go out of her comfort zone, but she looked completely
05:59sophisticated while doing it.
06:01In 2018, Rauch was supporting causes close to her heart. At a March of Dimes event, she
06:06wore a black dress with a lace panel across the chest, black tights, black pumps, and
06:10a nude crossbody purse. In an Instagram post about the event, Rauch talked about the work
06:15that March of Dimes does, as well as the importance of community for mothers. She wrote
06:19in the caption,
06:20"...I'm in love with the work March of Dimes does for both babies and moms. They guide
06:24mothers through every stage of their journey."
06:26In another Instagram post, Rauch can be seen in some nude sunglasses and a bright purple
06:30shirt to bring attention to another important cause. She shared her encouragement for LGBTQ
06:35youth, saying,
06:36"...got my purple on to stand against bullying and to show support for LGBTQ youth. You are
06:41loved and I stand with you not only on Spirit Day, but every day."
06:46Taking a turn away from her more sleek and polished looks, Rauch was having a lot of
06:50fun with her style in 2019. This year, she wore things like black sequin mini dresses
06:54with bold shoulder pads, long blue dresses with intriguing square prints, and salmon-colored
06:59pantsuits with ruffled blouses underneath. While she was exploring new aspects of her
07:03style, she was also taking a look back at her character Bernadette over the years, as
07:07this was the year that the long-running sitcom The Big Bang Theory came to an end.
07:12I met so many wonderful people here that will be my friends for life."
07:15While talking to Today, Rauch discussed the changes in her character Bernadette, saying,
07:19"...over the years, she's sort of found her big-girl voice."
07:222020 was another big year for Rauch, as this was the year that she welcomed her second
07:27child. In an Instagram post, Rauch announced the news, saying,
07:30"...I'm incredibly thankful and overjoyed to announce the birth of our son, Brooks Rauch,
07:35who we just welcomed into the world and directly into our hearts."
07:38Honestly, I would say being the mother to my two kids is the best role ever."
07:46She also went on to thank the hospital staff and acknowledged others who have had difficulty
07:50with pregnancies, writing,
07:51"...as I've previously shared, I am no stranger to loss on the road to motherhood. So to those
07:55dealing with infertility or grieving a loss, please know you are in my heart and I'm sending
08:00you so much love."
08:01While there may not have been many awards ceremonies to attend in 2020, by 2022, the
08:06actor was showing off her style once again. At a gala that year, Rauch hit the red carpet
08:10in a green-print mini-dress with voluminous puff sleeves and buttons down the front. Not
08:15only was the look adorable, but it had a lot of unique vintage charm, too.
08:20As Rauch was promoting her new show that she starred in, 2023's Night Court, her fashion
08:24choices became both more classic and more bold. Black was a big theme for her in particular.
08:29At an American Society of Cinematographers event, she donned a floor-length black dress
08:33with a large ruffle around the neckline. For an NBC Universal Press tour, she wore
08:38a long-sleeved navy blue dress with a subtle black floral print and mesh sleeves. Furthermore,
08:43at an event celebrating comedian Carol Burnett, she wore a black gown with velvet shoulder
08:47pads.
08:48Rauch also showed up at picket lines to show her support of SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild
08:52of America during their strikes, and looked back at what inspired her to get into comedy
08:56in the first place. She recalled to The Times of Israel,
08:59I think so much about family dinners. Often around Jewish holidays, those dinners were
09:03just filled with laughter. And that's where I really fell in love with the idea of making
09:07people laugh, because it was doing imitations of my mother. That became such a driving force
09:12of, oh, you can create happiness for other people. And there's something addictive about
09:16that.
09:17By 2024, Rauch was having fun with color again. While in New York to appear on Today, the
09:21actor wore a bright red dress along with red pumps, which she tossed a knee-length winter
09:26coat over in the city's cold. One of her most notable looks, though, was an adorable
09:30and fresh-looking short mint suit that she wore on her press tour. Layered with a white
09:35top underneath, Rauch proved that she could nail business casual dressing and show off
09:39her personality simultaneously.
09:42Along with her exciting outfits, Rauch was also excited about reviving the 1980s sitcom
09:46Night Court. In a talk with Hollywood Life, she gushed,
09:49We are really, really excited about it. I was a fan of the show growing up, and having
09:53John Larroquette coming back to reprise his role is a dream come true.
09:57She also opened up about her opinion on reboots in general, saying,
10:00I think there is such a comfort factor to it. It is like revisiting old friends. They
10:05were a part of your life, and the fact that you get to be reunited with them again in
10:08a fresh capacity feels like a really cool reunion.