Director Paul Feig didn’t have to look far to find the inspiration for Blake Lively’s style in mom thriller A Simple Favor. He just had to look down.
Feig revealed that Lively’s wardrobe was styled after his own, but says it wasn’t his idea. The director told Entertainment Weekly Lively herself was behind the decision, saying, “Blake just looked over at me and I was wearing one of my three-piece suits like I always do, and she’s like, ‘I want to dress like you.’ And I was like ‘Okay, that’s funny,’ and she was like, ‘No, no. I really do.’”
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In addition to Feig, the wardrobe was inspired by legendary Vogue photographer Helmut Newton, famous for sensual black-and-white shots that helped bring a sense of narrative to fashion photography. Not bad company to keep.
Lively’s dark, twisted character Emily sets herself apart from the other moms through fashion. She wears three-piece suits and six-inch heels to pick her child up from school and walks through a playground in a full tuxedo.
Lively’s style isn’t the only aspect of the movie with close-to-home inspiration. Feig says the prominent martini placements match his personal booze preference, so the film looks like a page out of his life. “It’s probably my most personal movie without the story having anything to do with my life.”
Still, Feig attributes Lively’s transformation to Emily more to her acting skills than her clothing choice. He told EW, “She really just went for it...she’s the sweetest earth mother you ever met in your life and so here comes this sociopath monster onto the screen.”
Lively often styles herself instead of relying on a paid team. Her unique fashion sense makes her a total style queen. If she wants to dress like you, it’s a huge compliment. Even if it’s to play a sociopath.