A fashion ace if ever there was one—Kelsea Ballerini ignites the US Open with a look that’s part New York city chic, part vintage tennis court rebellion.
There is an undeniable, sport-infused elegance that defines Kelsea Ballerini’s look at the US Open, a sartorial volley that feels both modern and steeped in tradition. Eschewing the typical courtside sundress, Ballerini serves up a polished, preppy aesthetic that channels a more intellectual take on athletic style.
The look is built on a study in layered contrasts. She pairs a crisp, oversized white button-down shirt—its sleeves cuffed with an effortless roll—with a structural, black-and-white vest. The vest, with its clean lines and graphic black trim, evokes the classic umpire’s uniform, but reimagined with a contemporary peplum waist that adds an architectural flourish. This is a deliberate play on proportion, with the voluminous shirt providing a soft counterpoint to the tailored, almost corseted structure of the vest,
Below, high-waisted black shorts create a sleek, leg-lengthening silhouette. Her accessories are a lesson in minimalist luxury. A white tubular handbag, with a subtle quilted texture, is a perfect visual echo of a tennis ball canister, but rendered in a material that screams high fashion. It’s a clever, almost witty, detail that ties the entire ensemble back to its setting. On her feet, pointed-toe white pumps extend the line of her leg, their glossy patent finish catching the light and solidifying the look’s sophisticated edge.
Her styling is equally considered. Hair pulled back into a simple, polished ponytail with a few loose strands framing her face, it’s a no-fuss look that allows the outfit to take center stage. The whole mood is one of quiet confidence, of a woman who understands that true style is a game of thoughtful details. It’s a masterful blend of feminine tailoring and masculine shirting—a look that feels as ready for a gallery opening as it does for a grand slam final.
Adwoa Aboah brought a sultry edge to London’s fashion elite—her noir lace mini and crimson heels whispered of cabaret glamour (with a punkish wink).
Adwoa Aboah knows how to make a red carpet moment feel like a cultural mic drop. At the ELLE Style Awards 2025, held at Brasserie Zedel in London, she arrived not just dressed—but styled to provoke.
Her look centered on a black lace mini dress, cut with precision to reveal and conceal in equal measure. The spaghetti straps and abbreviated hemline evoked a 90s Kate Moss-meets-Bettie Page sensibility, while the sheer floral lace added a tactile tension—delicate yet daring. The silhouette was lean and unfussy, allowing the texture to speak volumes.
She paired the dress with red open-toe heels, a choice that felt both intentional and instinctive. The pop of crimson against noir lace recalled the visual language of Helmut Newton’s photography—sensual, graphic, unapologetically feminine. No visible jewelry or handbag competed for attention, suggesting a styling ethos of minimal interference: let the dress and the woman do the talking.
Hair and makeup details remain elusive in the image, but the overall styling suggests restraint—perhaps a slicked-back bun or natural texture, paired with a bold lip to echo the shoes. Whatever the case, the cohesion between garment, attitude, and setting was unmistakable.
A tailored shimmer of pale pink sequins and cherry-smoke heels—Gwendoline Christie’s red carpet suit rewrites Emmy glamour with Haider Ackermann’s signature bravado.
There’s something arresting about sequins when they’re wielded with restraint—and Gwendoline Christie knows exactly how to weaponize that shimmer.
At the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, Christie stepped onto the Peacock Theater’s red carpet in a made-to-measure Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford suit that defied the evening gown playbook. The pale pink sequins—soft, almost ethereal—caught the light with a whisper rather than a shout, coating the double-breasted jacket and straight-leg trousers in a gauzy sheen. The tailoring was precise: structured shoulders, classic lapels, and a silhouette that honored her statuesque frame without veering into costume.
Peeking beneath the hem, the cherry-smoke Tom Ford ankle-strap pumps added a moody counterpoint—like a smudge of charcoal on a pastel canvas. No jewelry, no bag, no distractions. Just the suit, the shoes, and the stance.
Christie’s pose was pure confidence: shoulders back, chin lifted, gaze direct. The backdrop—navy and gold with vertical bars—felt almost Art Deco, framing her like a modernist sculpture. Her slicked-back blonde hair and minimal eye makeup emphasized bone structure over embellishment, while the warm red lip tried (and nearly succeeded) to inject warmth into an otherwise icy palette.
But here’s the rub: the makeup’s pallor, intentionally ghostly, clashed with the softness of the pink. It was a bold choice—one that flirted with avant-garde but didn’t quite land. Coming just days after Tilda Swinton’s electric blue suit from the same designer, Christie’s look felt like a quieter sibling: cerebral, daring, but slightly off-kilter.
Still, the risk was the point. In a sea of gowns, Christie’s suit was a statement—one that nodded to Bowie, to Dietrich, to the kind of red carpet rebellion we rarely see anymore. And while the execution may have wobbled, the intent was crystal clear: this is a woman who dresses to provoke, not to please.
For more moments that challenge the red carpet status quo, explore our archive of celebrity style .
