Repeating your clothes isn’t really all there is to it. We’re sure you’ve lost count of the number of times you’ve pulled your favorite standard t-shirt out of your pile of clothes to look comfortable yet chic. But when you’re constantly in the public eye, the pressure of living up to unrealistic standards of dressmaking is overwhelming, to say the least. Going back to repeating an entire outfit, even if you don’t put too much thought into your clothes, it’s inevitable that you’ll turn to those over-the-top, quirky items in your wardrobe a second, third, or fourth time with the side of contemplation that everyone you know have already seen you in it – not to mention the much-needed buzz that you’ve done your part to preserve sustainable fashion. Appearance can be special several times and we have enough visual cues to get you on this train.
Newsmaker: Halle Berry
From 2002 to 2024, Halle Berry’s allure seems to be stuck in time. Earlier this week, Elie Saab celebrated the opening of its 1,001st season with a star-studded fashion show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
A special occasion like this, of course, calls for an equally special ensemble, and Holly understood what was needed. She pulled out an elegant all-garnet Elie Saab number with a mesh bodice with floral embroidery that flowed into a draped taffeta skirt, the same one she wore to the 2002 Oscars. The image was not only visually stunning, but also achieved cult status, for which Holly won the award for best actress Ball of monsters (2001), becoming the first black woman to do so in Oscar history.
little things: No alterations were made to the dress before Holly wore it again.
Highlights: Alia Bhatt
When Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor tied the knot on April 14, 2022, the nascent trend of white (Desi) weddings captured the imagination of a sea of brides. Alia looked stunning in her minimalist hand-dyed ivory organza saree with delicate tila work and embroidered hand-woven veil by the brilliant house of Sabyasachi.
Sari made an almost equally big splash when the actor decided to wear it again, this time sans veil for obvious reasons, as she took to the stage at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi to be congratulated on her first-ever National Award for her work in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s critical and commercial success, Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022).
Not just a PR move, Alia staged a similar moment, again, much later. Her mehndi ensemble from the wedding was a beautiful pink Manish Malhotra original that took the Mijwan women who created it 3,000 hours to create. Banarasi brocade, jacquard, bandhani, Kachha Resham knots, Kashmiri and Chikankari threads and 180 textile patches, which incidentally included snippets of some of Alia’s early looks, the final payoff was a beautifully personalized fun look.
This year, the actress switched up the ensemble while attending the designer’s annual Diwali party held in Delhi.
All the way to Hollywood: Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone managed to make a big splash the second she debuted opposite Shahrukh Khan in Om Shanti Om (2007). Five years into his tumultuous career at the time, the actor attended the 2012 Vogue Beauty Awards. Epitomizing chic confidence, Deepika opted for a strapless Dolce & Gabbana outfit with a strapless black bodice and a neatly cut, thigh-hugging gold skirt embellished with cool gold glitter.
About 5 years later, Deepika replicated her look, right down to her hair style, for the Vanity Fair Oscar Party. She was there instead to celebrate her Hollywood debut in xXx: The Return of Xander Cagein the same year, against Vin Diesel.
Green: Jennifer Lopez
For all that Jennifer Lopez has accomplished, and for all of her utterly gorgeous red carpet couture, the fact that Versace’s jungle gown has been an evergreen part of her legacy since 2000—pun intended—speaks volumes for the absolute fascination that was at that moment at that time. If you can’t quite appreciate HOW iconic the bohemian chiffon moment was, just know that the staggering number of Internet hits trying to get to the photo of the moment led to the birth of Google Image Search, as Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO and executive, shared the chairman.
An updated and bejeweled version of the sheer and risqué dress was presented as the focal point of Donatella Versace’s Spring 2020 womenswear collection, modeled by Jennifer, of course. The new interpretation covered the navel – what the original version had a plunging bust – and instead spread aesthetically over the torso, running down the legs in panels.
Royal Update: Princess Diana
The OG inspiration for today’s raging #princesscore aesthetic, a May 1989 Claridge’s banquet in London saw Princess Diana looking as elegant as ever in a petite yet regal all-lavender ensemble. An embroidered full-sleeved blouse fell off a ruched bodice and a pleated skirt of fizzy satin. The blouse was kept for a public appearance, 3 years later for a banquet in Seoul, and the ball gown was replaced with a pale purple straight skirt. Once an icon, always an icon.
So, when repeating sharp looks become fashionable, which famous celebrity style would you like to see a second time?
