In 2005, the world was smitten with a young star on the rise: Blake Lively. Even before stepping into the iconic shoes of Serena van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl, Blake was already turning heads, thanks to the blockbuster Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.
An endearing video recently resurfaced on TikTok, offering fans a delightful glimpse into a younger Blake prepping for prom. Joining her in the footage was none other than her Sisterhood co-star, America Ferrera.
"She's on the cheerleading squad, her boyfriend is captain of the football team, and they're both nominated for prom queen and prom king," America shared playfully, adding with a jest, "And she's a movie star to boot. Sooo...you make me sick."
The video further showcased Blake’s early fashion preferences. "I love sparkly — anything sparkly," she gushed. Reminiscent of Britney Spears' iconic 2000 MTV Video Music Awards ensemble, Blake flirted with a similar style. However, she eventually chose a salmon pink, sparkle-infused dress.
"This is the one that when I walked by the door — I gasped," she beamed. The resounding sentiment from fans? Blake was everyone’s favorite girl-next-door.
Comments poured in, ranging from "She was the moment" to nostalgic remarks about her quintessential 2005 straightened bangs.
Interestingly, Blake's fashion journey didn't end there. In a candid 2019 interview with The Handmaid’s Tale star Sydney Sweeney for InStyle, Blake opened up about her unique fashion choices and the charming ploy she employed when sporting Forever 21 on red carpets.
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Instead of revealing the brand, she cheekily referred to it as 'vintage.' She confessed, "I wore Forever 21 much longer than I admitted. I just started saying it was vintage because I was so shamed for it."
But behind her fashion choices was a profound self-expression. "For me, fashion is a form of self-expression. It also really takes me out of my comfort zone," Blake shared.
Not many know this, but the dazzling actress admitted to being inherently shy, which led her to the world of acting and the liberating experience of adopting a persona. Even during red carpets, she treated interviews as character portrayals.
She remarked: "The only way that I feel comfortable doing red carpets and interviews is when I adopt the same thing that I do when I’m acting, which is to play a character."
© GettyBlake's fashion evolution also stemmed from her tenure on Gossip Girl, where she developed close ties with designers.
This cultivated her unique approach to self-styling, though she conceded to seeking fashion advice from three very close critics: her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and their two eldest daughters, James, eight, and Inez, six. With a chuckle, the mother-of-four quipped about her daughters’ feedback, "Kids do not filter."
