Although people will probably forever associate her with the character of the lovably chaotic Bridget Jones, Renée Zellweger is, at least when it comes to fashion style and grace, her complete opposite. She has long been one of the best-dressed women on the red carpet. And at the same time somehow underappreciated. Therefore, on the occasion of her 55th birthday, let’s remember her best outfits, which often represent pure Hollywood glamour.
Renee Zellweger, who is celebrating her 55th birthday today, has achieved just about every conceivable goal in her film career. First of all, she is the holder of two Oscars – in 2004 she was awarded for her supporting role in the film Return to Cold Mountain and fifteen years later for portraying the famous Judy Garland in a biopic Judy. She is also the holder of four Golden Globes – in addition to the two mentioned films, also for her performance in a comedy Sister Betty (2001) and of course for the musical Chicago (2003). She was also among the top ten highest paid actresses in the first decade of the new millennium. At the same time, she managed to usurp the role of an iconic and popular female protagonist, which has become etched in the collective memory of the audience – we are, of course, talking about Bridget Jones, whose fourth installment is now on the way.
VIDEO TIP: Remember Renée Zellweger’s performance in Judy
Despite the fact that Bridget Jones literally belongs to Zellweger’s essential roles, for the Hollywood actress her portrayal was an exemplary counter-task. First, as an American, she had to learn a British accent. And then of course there’s the whole matter of her fast weight gain and subsequent weight losswhich filled social and women’s magazines at the turn of the millennium and made a generation of millennials believe that a woman weighing 62 kilos is disgustingly fat.
Looking at the original image today Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) we look at ambivalently – some aspects have become socially outdated (thankfully), but from a comedic point of view it is the most successful and most authentic film of the trilogy so far. This is evidenced by the fact that some quotes and scenes permeated pop culture – like the one where Bridget goes to a party dressed as a Playboy bunny.
On the other hand, her representative Renée Zellweger there were no embarrassments in the company – not even the fashionable ones. On the contrary, even when looking at her outfits from the turn of the millennium, it must be recognized that she always had a timeless style and a forward-thinking attitude – while today vintage gowns are a trend on the red carpet, for Renée it is not a novelty that she has to jump on – already in 2001 brought a yellow 1950s Jean Dessès gown to the Oscars.
Hers is also surprisingly consistent a style that clearly favors graceful elegance. As stylist Petra Flannery, who has been working with the actress since 2016, told Vogue magazine: “Renée enjoys simplicity, but one that has depth at the same time.” In a second breath, she adds that it takes hours of rehearsal to achieve such a precise look, but Zellweger has no problem with that.
Her gowns are often custom madei.e. tailor-made, and typically it is fitted or semi-structured cut, which fits the actress like a glove. In other words, don’t look for romantic ruffled skirts on Renée Zellweger. But even in recent years popular nude dresses.
Together with their stylist, they draw inspiration from the silhouettes of the 60s, when fashion reigned supreme column dress – sleek satin gowns ending at shoes whose contours naturally outlined curves. Flannery tries to include a few distinctive cut details such as a finely structured bardot neckline as part of every such look. “It’s a very sophisticated way of dressing that will evoke the style of Jackie O.” the stylist zooms in.
It is from this drawn-out style that Zellweger most often wears monochromatic looks, from black and white to pastels to brightly colored looks. Patterns are not her domain, she made an exception only at the Los Angeles premiere Judy, when she wore an Oscar de la Renta floral train dress. It was the presentation of the film, which ultimately won Zellweger a second Oscar, that required the most intense collaboration between the two professionals to date.
It will be interesting to see what direction they take when it hits theaters the fourth part of Bridget Jones. If the so-called method dressingwhen the stylist dresses the star in the spirit of the promoted film and the central heroine (lately, for example, Margot Robbie at premieres Barbie or Zendaya and her stylish outfits Dunes and then a tennis movie Rivals), or they will remain faithful to the good old Hollywood in a new concept.
You can find the best red carpet outfits of Renée Zellweger in the photo gallery at the beginning of the article.
