Outdated Trends Blake Lively Was Caught Wearing

It's no secret that Blake Lively doesn't have a stylist. This isn't just obvious in some (read: a lot) style choices she's made, but she prides herself on not having one because, at least in her mind, she's a fashion icon.

As she told WWD in 2018, Lively doesn't have a stylist due to her "control issues and big ego." From there, she delved into how fashion lets her be creative in a different way than her job allows. "In my job I get to be creative, but it's over a period of time and so many other people are involved, whereas this is a beginning, middle and end, and I get to be creative and there's an end date in the near future," Lively told WWD.

While Lively has stunned at the Met Gala a handful of times — designers and stylists were clearly involved — at the end of the day, no one will remember Lively as a fashion icon. Some people, like Zendaya, have it, whereas others, like Lively, don't. Although Blake Lively's style transformation over the years is evident, that hasn't stopped her from wearing some painfully outdated trends. But that's probably inevitable when you think you know more about fashion and style than you actually do.

In May 2023, Blake Lively showed up to an event at Tiffany and Co. looking as though she was dressed for a night at Studio 54. While paying homage to Studio 54, the iconic club known for its celebrity clientele, drugs, and overall debauchery that clubs just don't offer today, would make sense for certain events, it just doesn't here. For starters, the '70s are long gone, Studio 54 closed in 1980, and Tiffany and Co. is so far on the opposite end of the spectrum from the hedonistic vibes of New York City during that decade, that this outdated look is wrong on so many levels. Even Lively's hairstyle totally missed the mark. 

It was also May when Lively chose to wear this leather dress. May in New York might not be as brutal as July or August, but you're still likely to run into some hot and humid days. This entire disaster could have been avoided with a stylist, or even a caring friend unafraid to point out the obvious.

In the early 2000s — well before 2016 — skinny scarves were everywhere. And, like a lot of Y2K fashion styles, they were a fairly pointless accessory, but one that was rocked by people of all genders. Both Kate Moss and Lenny Kravitz were huge fans of them. Although the skinny scarf trend officially came back in 2024, in 2016, it was, without a doubt, dated.

But because Blake Lively either doesn't care or isn't aware of what's in fashion and what has been temporarily shelved for the moment, she attended a photo call during the 69^th Cannes Film Festival in May 2016 for her movie, "Café Society," wearing a skinny scarf and a matching jumpsuit. (The movie was written and directed by Woody Allen, but that's a whole other issue.) While it's not necessarily a bad look on Lively — although appearing in an Allen film definitely is — it still didn't work in 2016. This is amplified by the fact that 2016 was known for empire waists, pleats, and 3D florals, none of which she's rocking here.

If you watched the entire series of "Mad Men," then you know that it took place from 1960 to 1970. You probably also know, because its creator Matthew Weiner was such a stickler for historical accuracy, that the costumes evolved to perfectly reflect the fashion and style of the time. Once the late '60s rolled around — both on the show and in real life — mini-dresses, wide headbands, hoop earrings, and platform shoes were all the rage. In other words, Lively may have been attending the 10th Annual Forbes Power Women's Summit in September 2022, but she looked more like she was going out with the girls on Friday night in 1968. Or auditioning for a work holiday party scene on "Mad Men."

Similar to her look for her Tiffany and Co. appearance, if this was a themed event, this outfit might have made sense. But there's no theme. It's a women's summit hosted by Forbes and it's 2022. So not only is this entire ensemble outdated, but it's missing the mark. 

The 1980s were cool. There were John Hughes films, Madonna was putting out fantastic music, Gizmo the Mogwai was the dream pet of the decade, and every kid wanted to be a member of The Goonies. However, where the 1980s failed miserably was when it came to fashion. In fact, if we look back over the last 100 years of fashion, it might be safe to say that the '80s were the worst of all.

But when you're Blake Lively and overly confident in your ability to dress yourself and be en vogue, you wake up in the morning and think that a near-fluorescent orange blazer, matching wide-leg pants, and a one-shoulder cut-out leotard is fashionable. Lively even managed to pair the gaudy outfit with one of the tackiest Louis Vuitton bags ever designed. Blake, the '80s called and they want their entire aesthetic back.

As we've covered, Blake Lively is pretty out of touch when it comes to what decade she's living in and, in this case, what planet she might be on. When she attended the 2021 premiere of Ryan Reynold's movie, "Free Guy," Lively wore a sparkly full-length halter dress. Although this pink dress by Prabal Gurung is definitely fun (which she paired with white Chuck Taylors), again, Lively isn't making sense. It looks like a cross between a half-hearted attempt at something intergalactic with a strange 1970s twist.

What's even more bizarre is that it has nothing to do with Reynold's movie, and considering how popular method dressing has become in recent years, we just can't help but scratch our heads at this choice. Shortly after the premiere, Lively's nail artist, Elle, told Glamour how they came up with the idea for her nails for the event. "We usually draw inspiration from the movie promos and try to match the theme, but this time we decided that didn't work," Elle said. "We went off the dress instead, opting for pressed flowers paired with a more rock-and-roll style." What would have been helpful is if Elle had spoken up about the dress choice, but perhaps that was above her pay grade.