Spotted: Blake Lively telling reporters at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards that her yellow strapless mini dress was vintage. But is that a Forever 21 tag we spy creeping out of the back of the dress? 

That’s right—we might be used to seeing 2019 Blake Lively strutting into movie premieres wearing designers suits and arriving to the Met Gala in custom couture gowns, but 2005 Blake Lively used to rock none other than Forever 21 on the red carpet—and tell reporters it was “vintage.” Serena Van Der Woodsen, we’ve never been more impressed. 

Lively revealed this excellent bit of style history in a recent interview with InStyle. “I wore Forever 21 much longer than I admitted,” the actress (and wife of Ryan Reynolds) told up-and-coming actress Sydney Sweeney who interviewed her for the story. “I just started saying it was vintage because I was so shamed for it. [laughs] For me, fashion is a form of self-expression. It also really takes me out of my comfort zone. One of the reasons I’m an actor is that I’m naturally very shy, so it’s liberating to dress up and pretend to be someone else.”

This made us immediately hop online and try to figure out what Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants-era red carpet outfits were, in fact, procured for the low, low price of $19.90 at her local mall. And because now we’re obsessed with old pics of Blake, here are some of the best ~vintage~ Blake Lively red carpet looks:

  • Blake Lively's Most Iconic 2000s Looks

    The red carpet newbie wore a truly legendary mid-aughts ensemble to the Kids Choice orange carpet—a combination of extreme low-rise jeans, a floating belt laying ON TOP of said jeans’ actual belt loops (amazing), a tiny tank top and pointy pumps with a most exaggerated toe. The pièce de résistance, though, is the sheer pink sequin-covered microscopic tee layered over her tank, giving the ornamental belt a run for its money in terms of uselessness. What a time to be alive!

  • Blake Lively's Most Iconic 2000s Looks

    This outfit is a true blast from the past. Lively rocked a 2005 classic the baby doll top—with mid-wash denim for an event at Planet Hollywood. She accessorized the lewk with multiple strands of pearl necklaces and, seemingly, didn't take the jewellery off for the next five years...

  • Blake Lively's Most Iconic 2000s Looks

    If you’re like us, you’ve probably seen Lively’s iconic performance as Bridget in The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants at least one thousand times. A baby-faced Lively wore a silky, knee-length orange dress to the film's premiere which she paired with her beloved long necklace and two wrists full of chunky bangles, naturally.

  • Blake Lively's Most Iconic 2000s Looks

    The 2005 Teen Choice awards was one of Lively’s earliest red carpet appearances. The newly famous star accessorized her butter yellow stretch minidress with (what else?) a long necklace and chunky bracelet.

  • Blake Lively's Most Iconic 2000s Looks

    Early 2000s Blake loved a shorts + tights + heels combo almost as much as she loved a vest!

  • Blake Lively's Most Iconic 2000s Looks

    This is a classique 2009 outfit combination, non? The miniskirt and oversized blazer combo was a favourite of that era (beloved by Blake Lively and Serena van der Woodsen alike) and, as usual, Lively chose a bunch of long necklaces to finish it off.

  • Blake Lively's Most Iconic 2000s Looks

    It was business on top, party on the bottom for a charity benefit in 2009. The star wore a striped office-appropriate blouse with a tight white mini for the occasion which she topped off with a—say it with me now—long, layered necklace.

    With files from Sydney Wilson

 

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