Great Outfits in Fashion History: Lily Collins’ Bow Dress at the 2013 Costume Designers Guild Awards

There are perfectly good celebrity style moments, and then there are the looks that really stick with you, the ones you try desperately to recreate at home. In ‘Great Outfits in Fashion History,’ Fashionista editors are revisiting their all-time favorite lewks. 

Before Lily Collins was “Emily in Paris,” she was (and still is) the headlining style sensation. She’s had plenty of memorable outfits, many of which hail from the early 2010s. (Remember when Tumblrcore and Alexa Chung twee trends were at an all-time high?) Circa 2013, the then-23-year-old starred in films like “Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” — naturally, that meant she was making a lot of awards show appearances. 

Out of the Lily Collins fashion archives, though, her ensemble from the 15th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards was just too good to pass: That year, Collins arrived at Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles wearing a floor-hitting black gown by Paule Ka, featuring a deep V and an oversized white bow at the back.

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While her now-infamous Netflix character is known for her experimental (and at times, controversial) taste in fashion, Collins went the complete opposite route on this carpet, keeping things classic. Accessories were pared back — diamond earrings and rings, letting her gigantic bow make the ultimate statement. She completed the look with a bold red lip with matching scarlet nails, her thick eyebrows brushed to messy perfection.

The big bow trend never went out of style, and with TikTok’s balletcore trend (and everything -core, for that matter), the slouchy ribbons are going stronger than ever. Collins clearly agrees: She recently wore a shimmery bow mini dress from Valentino to the premiere of “Emily in Paris” Season 3 in the French capital.

As a certified balletcore fan – so much so that I even wrote about Hayley Williams’ all-over bow outfit the first few days on the Fashionista job – I firmly believe bows are destined for fashion greatness especially. While we tune into the latest season of “Emily in Paris,” shop the trend in the gallery, below.

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