As method dressing becomes more prominent within Hollywood spheres, it’s a paramount question to ask how an actor detangles themselves from the grips of a character they’ve been playing for so long, especially one that’s made them a household name. This is something that Sarah Pidgeon is currently facing.
After rising to prominence after playing Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in FX’s darkly romantic limited anthology series Love Story, the nascent superstar has found herself deeply intertwined with the memorable looks and off-duty moments that made the former Calvin Klein publicist such a beloved fashion icon.
Of course, physical similarities aside, including their shared trademark icy blonde hair, it appears Pidgeon can’t seem to shake the vein of understated dressing that was so prominent in the decade and subsequently became so synonymous with the person she portrayed on screen.
With her latest outing, this tension reached new levels as Pidgeon just revived one of CBK’s most iconic outfits of all time. Stepping out in Brisbane on the set of her latest project—just one of the few celebrities like Pamela Anderson and Meghan Markle who have been spotted down under in Australia this week—the 29-year-old went full ‘90s minimalism mode by wearing a spring dress trend chic savants have been adopting for years.
For the occasion, she wore a chocolate brown knit dress and knee-high boots, which is the perfect outfit formula for the pre-summer weather pattern we’re facing, where chilly mornings turn into crisp afternoons and sun-drenched days.
Of course, to the trained eye, you’ll also know that CBK herself was an adherent of this ensemble. In fact, she unforgettably wore this exact silhouette during a casual stroll through Manhattan with her husband, John F. Kennedy Jr., in 1996.
Her dress was a new-season, fresh-off-the-runway design from Miu Miu and was part of the brand’s autumn/winter collection presentation that year, which also featured Kate Moss walking in the show. She topped it off with a Prada coat, her well-adored Selima Optique sunglasses and signature tortoiseshell headband.
It’s hard to say at this stage whether Pidgeon will think it opportune to shed this new persona as a stalwart of contemporary elegance and pared-back dressing. (We’ll wait for the day she steps out in head-to-toe Dries Van Noten to make that call.)
But until then, there are still a few things to be gleaned from this sighting. The most apparent being that classic style truly never dates. So, call it quiet luxury or call it timelessness, but investing in anything-but-basic basics like cashmere knit dresses and leather boots will always be a wise sartorial move.
Perennially appealing and effortlessly elegant, shop the pieces you need to channel this CK-approved look below.
Shop CBK-Inspired Knit Dresses and Knee-High Boots:
From the ribbing to the ribbon waistband, this Free People mini is the closest thing you'll find to CBK's Miu Miu dress currently on the market.
Preppy and polished, these boots will suit every occasion.
Made with a blend of wool and cashmere, this belted style will sit like butter on your skin.
The contrast between the black leather and brown heel is something decisively minimal designers like Jil Sander and Helmut Lang are known for.
With slight bell sleeves and a key-hole cut out, this knit will take you from day-to-night.
The razor-sharp point is incredibly sleek.
This LBD would certainly get CBK's seal of approval.
With a rounded toe and glossy black finish, this style is sumptuousness embodied.