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The style highs of D23, from Star Wars to Marvel
Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, live-action remakes — the forthcoming Disney slate is undeniably star-studded, which means this year’s D23 was stacked with famous faces. Onstage announcements and walking the press line ensure style moments that are comparable to San Diego Comic-Con. This is more casual than a film premiere, which leads to laid-back and playful choices including summer frocks, striped sweaters, and colorful pants.
Menswear has taken an interesting turn over the last few years, with stars like Chadwick Boseman, Donald Glover, Rami Malek, and Ezra Miller setting the standard. A plain suit or T-shirt and jeans are no longer going to cut it. To make an impression on this big stage, your outfit has to do a lot of the heavy lifting. Masculine-meets-feminine continues to be a big trend, with more women leaning toward suits, whether at award shows or industry presentations such as SDCC. This year D23 was no different, and there were a number of knockout tailored moments, as well as pretty dresses and elevated style.
Before we get to the best-dressed stars, one of the knockout sartorial highlights came courtesy of our first look at Emma Stone from the forthcoming Cruella de Vil prequel.
Oscar-winning costume designer Jenny Beavan has delivered a look that is part Vivienne Westwood ‘70s punk, part Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek. Beavan also gave us one of the best costume moments from 2018 with Sugar Plum’s sickly-sweet ensemble in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, and it looks like she's raising the costume bar once again.
From the cast of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker to Frozen 2, here are the SYFY WIRE FANGRRLS best looks from the D23 Expo blue carpet and presentations.
One of the best-dressed casts at SDCC, the cast of Marvel's Eternals stepped out in style again for D23. Barry Keoghan joined the squad and kept the sartorial levels high in Calvin Klein (his stylist Ilaria Urbinati dresses everyone from Tom Hiddleston to Donald Glover). Angelina Jolie never strays too far from signature black in Atelier Versace, but Lauren Ridloff added an injection of color and pattern in a fabulous Rixo frock.
The youths continued to impress, with Lia McHugh showing it isn’t just the Stranger Teens who can beat the adults at the style game, donning another fun Armani ensemble. Also benefiting from a great stylist is Kumail Nanjiani (Jeanne Yang also styles Keanu Reeves, Jason Momoa, and John Cho) as this monochromatic look pulled focus. Plus, Brian Tyree Henry delivered strong accessories once again. This is going to be a very fun press tour when Eternals comes out.
One of the most talked-about clothing moments came courtesy of the Star Wars sizzle reel, which showed Rey decked out in black. It may have been an ominous sign, but Ridley was all smiles in a black Dolce & Gabbana polka dot ensemble. This was far from the Dark Side (and minus her new double-bladed red lightsaber).
Meanwhile, Keri Russell offered a few teasers about her new Star Wars character Zorii Bliss during the Rise of Skywalker presentation. Zorii has a past relationship with Poe, which led to some gentle onstage ribbing between co-stars John Boyega and Oscar Isaac. Her connection to Poe also explains why Russell was paired with Isaac during the press line. Well, that and the fact that they are both working the sweater/slacks look to perfection. This will no doubt be another press tour that will definitely serve up some strong sartorial moments.
Women embracing suits is definitely not a fad, and it is no surprise that many are leaning toward this choice, as a tailored look offers a strong powerful visual — while also being sexy as hell. There are many options, too, which don't necessarily involve a button-down shirt.
Kelly Marie Tran's slinky black number paired with fishnets and black heels was a knockout, as was Gina Rodriguez's sequins with a flash of lace. Mulan director Niki Caro and Idina Menzel both opted for more menswear leaning plaid, but with a feminine twist. This is a trend showing no sign of slowing down, which is perfect as we head into fall.
Without a set dress code there can be times in which a cast look like they have come to a very different work event. Case in point: The Frozen 2 squad was experiencing a whole lot of style and pattern clashing. Idina Menzel's suit aside, it was the Frozen 2 newcomers who were making the best style impression.
Evan Rachel Wood offered a contemporary spin on the western park in Westworld. Chinos and a long-sleeve polo is hardly breaking the style wheel, but Sterling K. Brown injected some much-needed bold color into the proceedings.
The Rock has upped his wardrobe game of late (again, look to stylist Ilaria Urbinati as the source), including this pastel-infused Missoni sweater paired with Mango pants. Johnson was on hand to promote Jungle Cruise with co-star Emily Blunt as they riffed on heroic character tropes. Blunt leaned into a summer aesthetic in a delicate Monique Lhuillier frock perfect for the D23 Expo or end-of-summer cocktails.
Michelle Pfeiffer and Elle Fanning showed off two very different looks for the Maleficent: Mistress of Evil presentation. Fanning almost appeared to be cosplaying as a contemporary Aurora in a delightfully over-the-top big bowed pink Kimhekim frock — but considering she is playing a Disney princess, this was very much on-theme. Meanwhile, Pfeiffer's suit and accompanying high-necked collar was an elegant spin on the suit trend.
Not only was the original voice of Mulan, Ming-Na Wen, honored as a Disney Legend at this year’s D23, but it was also announced that she has joined the cast of The Mandalorian. Looking like a summer dream in a tiered orange frock, Wen has gone from Disney animated icon to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. lead to a Star Wars TV show.
Pedro Pascal also got the interesting menswear memo, delivering a look that was wonderfully retro in a floral Liberty of London pattern Todd Snyder shirt.
Like Wen, Pascal has joined the Star Wars family in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. Diego Luna is set to reprise his Rogue One character Cassian Andor for what is probably the most anticipated new show from the Disney+ slate.
Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan gave off serious buddy-cop-movie posing vibes. It is unlikely that Disney+ will take this crime procedural (or musical) direction for the forthcoming Falcon and the Winter Soldier (some casting news was unveiled at D23) series, but you can never truly rule anything out when they pose this well.
Jeff Goldblum loves fashion. He is also not afraid to pattern-clash or even dress to the theme of an event. The combination of a Commes des Garçon comic print button-down shirt with the Prada graphic print tie was ideal for this red carpet — and his reaction to the Sony/Marvel Spider-Man news proved even more theatrical thanks to this shirt.
It also feels like his new Disney+ show, The World According to Jeff Goldblum, was made in a lab specifically for SYFY WIRE FANGRRLS.
There is no better person to bookend this post with than Goldblum as the meat in the Taika Waititi (whose hair has never looked better) and Paul Bettany sandwich, coupled with the teaser trailer above full of wonderful moments from the man himself.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author's, and do not necessarily reflect those of SYFY WIRE, SYFY, or NBC Universal.
