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“Wear What You Want” Icon: Cate Blanchett

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Actress Cate Blanchett has become known for her bold fashion choices. I think we’d all be surprised if she turned up at an event looking merely “pretty.”

Wearing Alexander McQueen in 2008. Photo from Getty via the New York Daily News.

The couture gown by Givenchy that Blanchett wore to this February’s Oscars was no exception.

2011 Oscars. Photo by Getty/AP via The Huffington Post.

I didn’t love that dress in an “I want to wear it” way, but I respected it. And I did love what Blanchett said about the dress to InStyle last week:

“People get so worried about dressing for other people, but you’ve got to wear what you like,” Blanchett said. “If people get it, they get it. If they don’t, then it doesn’t matter. There are so few houses that can afford to do couture, and since the red carpet is such a wonderful showcase, we should be celebrating that.”

That makes Cate Blanchett my second Wear What You Want icon. The first was Helena Bonham Carter, of course. Can’t beat a woman who wears mismatching shoes. Feel free to post links to your favorite Blanchett looks in the comments.

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Comments

  1. I just love her. Equal parts gorgeous and talented. And yes, I know I can always count on her to wear something out of the norm. And thank god, Hollywood can be so boring sometimes.

  2. Wendy, I’m with you on Cate! She is an extraordinary actor, she keeps her private life private and she has a style of her own.
    I simple adore her; I’ve seen all, all of her movies!

  3. Cate… she can do no wrong. Her Oscar dress got trashed by lots, but I loved it. And it was different… thank God!

  4. Even as a total dufus of fashion, I appreciated the architectural structure of that dress. I tried expressing this at an oscar party with friends but only my English friend agreed. All others were either making disparaging comments.

  12. I loved her Oscar dress. She always looks fantastic. Excellent choice for your second “Wear What you Want” icon.

    I’m still bitter she lost the Oscar to Gwyneth Paltrow, a Who Cares What She Wears icon.

    Cate is by far the better actor.

  13. I’m so glad you featured Cate. I have always admired her fearless approach to style. She always looks regal and gorgeous, and in a sea of professional styled actresses and starlets she always stands out.

  15. She definitely walks to the beat of her own drum. She looks beautiful no matter what she’s wearing.

    xo L.

  17. Aww, my anti-spam word is ‘blessyou’. So, bless you, WendyB!

    Love Cate. From the start, she has made bold choices and clearly enjoys the art of fashion. Brava!

  26. I love Cate! She puts all those stylist dressed, boringly similar starlets and celebrities to shame. She’s funky and quirky and even if you don’t agree with her choices always, she’s memorable in a sea of mediocrity.

  27. I love both dresses. I remember that purple one being bashed and I was astounded. It’s so unique and different. I totally feel in love with the structure and flowy bottom.

  30. I LOVE THIS WOMAN! I am convinced i do because of that quote on wearing what you want and if people get it, they get it! been my mantra since high school.

    Love this post Wend!
    xoxo
    Marian.

  32. I loved her dress that night and she is one smart lady. These actresses have the finances and access to couture/stylists, yet they choose to wear different variations on the same old prom dress.

  35. Cate Blanchett is one of the few celebrities I get excited over- I’m not much a celebrity follower but I love her- talent, beauty and real style is aces in my book. I love the way she presents herself- cool as a cucumber and fearless in her choices.

  36. Two things: 1. You don’t hear Cate whinging about what a terrible tragedy it is that she hasn’t died yet, i.e., actresses complaining about how “hard” ageing is; and

    2. GFY and other humorous fashion critique sites, having lost novelty, have now become instruments for women to attempt to enforce conformity of dress on other women. Those who step out of line by wearing something slightly different than what every other woman wore are ruthlessly punished. Why would anyone willingly participate in this? Let’s hear it for fearless chicks!

  37. I’m with you on both of these.

    But we must consider Cher. Maybe we don’t love her choices, but it can certainly be argued that she wears what she wants.

  39. One of my favorite Cate looks is the gold-spangled Balenciaga she wore at 2007 Met Ball. The best photo is WWD, but here’s a style.com: http://bit.ly/eLHYyl
    Also, every one of her pregnant looks, sheez she must have been most stylish pregnant woman ever.