A theory about Blake lively’s press tour looks.
Was fashion the ultimate distraction?
I’ve been looking back at Blake Lively’s ill-fated It Ends With Us press tour with fresh eyes. And I have a theory.
At the time, when Lively was photographed all over New York in a flurry of floral-themed outfits, each seemingly brighter and more OTT than the next, the read on her styling was not… good.
Though the looks were dazzling, the general feeling was that they were also quite tone deaf, considering the subject matter of the film.
For a movie that is at its core about breaking the patterns of domestic violence, Lively’s critics felt her fashion choices could’ve been more respectful. There was some discourse about whether that’s an actor’s prerogative when the PR machine also expects (nay, demands) sparkly outfits.
I even wrote a piece for Mamamia about how her tour was yet another example of celebrity method dressing gone bonkers - ever since Margot Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal set the bar so unattainably high with Barbie, the pressure has been on film stars to sartorially nod to their projects in their press outfits, sometimes to comical effect (see: the cast of Madame Web in various interpretations of, er, webbing).
Lively plays Lily Bloom in It Ends With Us, and channelled the character’s name and occupation with her Chanel camelia bags and flower laser-cut Valentino jeans. Subtle it was not.
But I’m now wondering, with all that we know since the fallout between Lively and her director and co-star Justin Baldoni, if the overt costume effect of her looks was intentional. A way to take ownership over her part in the project in a visual way.
Because if you think about it, all eyes really were on her clothes. Many of her looks went viral, the coverage infiltrating all corners of the internet. Before the cracks started to show and the smear campaign began, perhaps this was a segment of the narrative that she could control.
All fashion choices are exactly that - a choice.
Was Lively’s press tour wardrobe actually the ultimate distraction tool?
In hindsight, maybe.
It’s likely she sat in a room with a crisis PR team (and I’m sure Ryan Reynolds was at the table) and said: How can we get ahead of this?
Fashion is a powerful communication tool. She could’ve chosen austerity, but instead she chose optimism and lightness. She chose to look unbothered; to project self confidence… through blindingly bright floral motifs.
She also had a movie (which she had by some accounts commandeered) to sell tickets to. She needed the girls in the cinema. It worked for Margot Robbie, right?
This is just one possible and very hypothetical version of events. But the more I think about it, the more I feel Blake Lively leant into her fashion influence strategically - something she knew Baldoni and his team couldn’t touch.
What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments, but remember to keep it kind please.
Tam x
Blake did a fantastic job of the press tour. The movie was awesome and the flower shop theme to her outfits worked really well. If people haven’t seen it already, it’s a must watch.
It was the wake up call my sister needed to finally leave a toxic relationship with an abusive partner.
An interesting point of view Tam, one that I’m inclined to agree with. I feel Blake has chosen to project positivity and lightness even though this job was an extremely difficult and challenging situation for her both personally and professionally.