Twenty minutes before I sat down for dinner last night, I found myself personally attacked. A seemingly harmless Instagram DM, my best friend and fellow pink enthusiast shared a photo of Gen Z superstar Olivia Rodrigo at the White House. Dressed in a vintage Chanel tweed ensemble, the message that followed from my friend was one of few words: “Swoooooon!!”
I may have audibly gasped.
Among the people that know me best, I’m known for a few things: My height (buying mini dresses for a 5’11” frame is a challenge); my endless enthusiasm (I was once told I’m the personification of an animated Disney movie which may or may not have been a compliment); a very loud laugh (which I have no control over); and my love of both Clueless and mod fashion. Essentially what I’m getting at is Olivia Rodrigo stole my dream look.
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On Wednesday, Rodrigo met with U.S. President Joe Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci to film videos promoting youth vaccination in the country. As teenagers remain some of the least vaccinated in America, it was actually Rodrigo’s idea to collaborate with the Biden Administration. According to CNN, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters, “I will say, not every 18-year-old uses their time to come do this, so we appreciate her willingness to.”
Moving on from the politics of Rodrigo’s appearance, for those who haven’t yet dissected the outfit, let me do so for you. The “Driver’s License” singer wore a polished yet trendy pink, black, and white Chanel tweed skirt suit, accessorized with white Giuseppe Zanotti platforms, Justine Clenquet earrings, and a tiny black Amina Muaddi purse. The 1995 vintage ensemble was a nod to not only the fashion of historic First Ladies (hello, Jacqueline Kennedy!) but also iconic heroines Elle Woods from Legally Blonde and Cher Horowitz from Clueless.
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The fashion choice felt especially serendipitous given Legally Blonde’s 20th anniversary just the day before and Burberry’s ode to Cher’s infamous plaid look, recently seen on Bella Hadid at the Cannes Film Festival.
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Both film characters are cemented in pop culture herstory (a RuPaul-ism that plays on the word history, of course) for their fashion: In the case of Elle Woods, her pink wardrobe was more than just an emblem of the prevalent Malibu Barbie stereotype. It was a feminist reclamation of exaggerated femininity — symbolized by her love of pink fashion — as society has traditionally discounted pretty women who enjoy “girly” things.
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In Cher Horowitz’s case, the film itself is beloved for its female friendships, female empowerment and the costumes that sparked a thousand trends (including matching co-ords, plaid skirts, slip dresses and Mary Janes, just to name a few).
While it has yet to be revealed if Olivia Rodrigo chose her pink Chanel ensemble as an ode to iconic feminist fashion figures or to unleash my inner green-eyed monster, her look remains the perfect inspiration for 2021 power dressing. Now all I have to do is find another pink vintage Chanel suit. In the immortal words of Elle Woods: “What, like it’s hard?”
The post Can I Dress Like Olivia Rodrigo, Please? appeared first on FASHION Magazine.
