It may be July, but celebrities are already ready to take it back to school. Despite the impossibly high temps, stars are layering up—specifically in suits and uniforms—and looking like they’re going to be late for third period geometry.
Ana de Armas became the figurehead of this current wave of uniforms while promoting her new Netflix movie, The Gray Man. On Tuesday, the actress wore what was basically a Louis Vuitton uniform for a stop by a local London radio station. If it weren’t for the logo badge, it would have look like de Armas stepped out of her elite London all-girls school during lunch hour to meet up with her 19-year-old boyfriend. Even the Constance Billard girls add more spice to their uniforms than this. The pleated knee-length skirt, jacket, and shirt and tie could easily look like a costume from a movie set, yet we’re still kind of into it. If she switched out the black leather boots with some loafers, it would have completed the school girl fantasy in the best way.
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Just a day later, Yara Shahidi joined in, wearing a less literal take on a uniform during an appearance on Good Morning America. Shahidi wore Thom Browne (It’s hard to talk suiting and uniforms without him). While the actress wasn’t wearing a kilt and sweater vest, she was still giving off private school vibes, wearing a double-breasted, navy blazer dress with white detailing. Underneath, Shahidi layered a sheer, white button down dress that peeked out below the bottom of the blazer and sleeves. She finished off her look with the footwear we wish de Armas had nabbed—some gray calf-high socks (with the classic Browne double stripe), and a pair of monkstrap penny loafers heels.
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Speaking of penny loafers, they’re absolutely having a moment. Bella Hadid paired them with her own version of a school girl chic look last month and earlier this week, Joey King grabbed a platform pair for a press stop on the Bullet Train tour. She paired her shoes with a full Kenzo fall/winter 2022 look, including pinstriped, wide-leg pants, a white button down shirt, and a tie. All she needed was a fedora to theoretically throw it into this suiting ring.
But not all of these suits and uniforms need to be school-approved; they also work for after school activities and jobs. Ryan Gosling proved that when he showed up to the Berlin screening of The Gray Man looking like he was coming off a shift at his local AMC. The actor wore a head-to-toe Gucci look featuring a red jacket, black pants, and skinny black tie. In our minds, he’s the 19-year-old movie theater usher de Armas is sneaking off to meet between lunch and biology (the blonde Ken hair likely helps with this narrative), his work uniform making him seem more grown-up when, in reality, he graduated just last year.
This is all to say, it might be time to dig your old private school kilt out of your closet (or invest in a new pleated skirt if you were lucky enough to avoid uniform-mandated schooling). While you’re at it, snap up some penny loafers and a good tie, because class is officially in session.
