If you’ve been wracking your brain trying to figure out what’s going on with Blake Lively’s recent parade of outfits, you’re not alone.
In the last few days, the actress has taken to the New York streets while promoting her new film, It Ends With Us, in a series of fancy floral frocks, some intricate denim, and whole lot of mind-ogling matching sets.
We can’t quite pinpoint what has changed, but for me, it all started with the bedazzled mushroom purse.
At the launch event for her new hair-care line, Blake Brown Beauty, the star, who famously styles herself, attended the celebration in a brightly beaded, fish-covered “Under the Sea” mini dress by Dauphinette, accessorized with sparkling ruby red slippers and the mushroom purse (which she expressed her love for during the event). Yes, it was certainly a lot of look, but so were the other Dauphinette styles she’s showcased in the last week, including the tiered pastel-feathered dress she wore with matching rainbow heels and a black leather jacket and shorts set with bright floral embroidery.
On Sunday, the star was snapped in a red ladybug and floral sheer mini she styled over bright-yellow stockings of the same print with red pumps and pink lipstick. Then there are the denim moments that have popped into the mix. For example, the one night she stepped out in bejeweled Versace jeans styled over logo boxers with a sheer crystal top. Or my ultimate favorite look: a Tory Burch tank paired with Stella McCartney leather chap jeans, which she then wears with an oversize brown chunky cardigan styled off her shoulders. But then, just hours before, the actress looked classy on the same day in a micro-floral Dior suit (though it was mix-matched with the polka-dot Mary Janes).
Now, Ms. Lively doesn’t usually shy away from color. She certainly loves a feminine dress, and has always been a fan of a bold, monochrome suit style. But it’s possible her recent looks are a result of reuniting with It Ends With Us costume designer Eric Daman, whom she previously worked with on Gossip Girl. Let’s recall how much Serena loved her mix-matched layers and often chunky accessories.
Like us, the internet has some thoughts: “Her style is usually good, but it’s getting a bit wacky tbh,” said a commenter on Instagram.
“All I’m gonna say is you can tell she styles herself …” one X user commented on a post of Lively’s recent looks.
“She is so gorgeous, but she def needs a stylist,” one X user agreed.
And as the grande finale to the press tour parade, Lively chose nostalgia. For her final look, the Blake Brown Beauty founder attended the It Ends with Us New York premiere in the same one shoulder, pastel-embellished archival Versace gown famously worn by Britney Spears in 2002. While the dress isn’t exactly floral, it incorporates whimsy butterfly motifs, which you could argue goes along with the fairy tale garden “theme” it appears the actress has been trying to evoke.
Basically, there have been a lot of prints, a lot of textures, and a lot of accessories — we all know Blake can stun on a red carpet, but these recent looks have felt like a departure from her normal style. Is she just having fun? Or is there something more? Time will tell. Either way, her hair looks great.
