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These looks are as timeless as it gets.
Date August 30, 2023
Amal Clooney brings a special kind of style prowess to the celebrity fashion world. Working behind the scenes as a human rights attorney, the 45-year-old star (and wife to George Clooney) doesn’t typically spend her days in front of the camera. But when we do get a glimpse at her elegant outfits, they’re reliably put-together, polished, and professional. The best part of this formula? Her impeccable eye for vintage fashion.
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With a taste for refined silhouettes and clean-cut tailoring, Amal Clooney is an expert at curating retro-leaning ensembles. Though she has a penchant for 1960s designs, her references span decades — from flapper-inspired ’fits to 2000s-era couture. Each time, these looks are accessorized to perfection for a fresh modern spin on otherwise classic oeuvres. And with a crisply-dressed George as her complementary plus-one, Amal Clooney shines when serving sartorial history lessons. Below, FASHION rounded up her best vintage-inspired looks yet.
The 1960s mini-dress moment
The 2023 Venice Film Festival kicked off on August 30, and a day earlier, Amal Clooney arrived in the Italian city in true vintage style. Sporting sheer slingbacks (a.k.a. an elevated take on trending mesh flats) and a matching black handbag, her floral-printed shift stood out as a nod to 1960s-era mini-dresses. With its minimalist detailing, the archetypal shift dress de-emphasizes the waist for a structured look that is both comfortable and chic. What better getup to kick off a notoriously hectic festival?
The nineties bridal look
Earlier this summer, Amal Clooney put a vintage spin on the minimalist bridalwear mood of the moment — sans wedding, of course. On a dinner date with her husband of eight years in Lake Como, Italy (where the couple share a summer house — NBD), the philanthropist was spotted in a gauzy slip dress from the spring/summer 1999 Christian Dior by John Galliano collection. With ever-so-subtle lace embroidery and dainty ruffled detailing, it honed in on the sophisticated simplicity of nineties-era going-out clothes.
The 1920s-inspired eveningwear
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Flapper fashion, but make it Versace. This is the energy Amal Clooney brought to the 2022 Albie Awards — an event established by the Clooney Foundation to honour “courageous defenders of justice” across the globe. Designed by Donatella Versace specifically for the occasion, the gold fringe gown was dripping in intricate gilded embellishments. She finished the look with voluminous side-part waves and a bold red lip for an all-around retro mood. The best part? Flappers are famous for pushing back on unfair societal constraints. So for an affair celebrating just that, this reference feels all the more right.
The impressive archival pull
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What exactly does one wear to spend an evening with the royals? For Amal Clooney, the decision seems easy. At the Prince’s Trust dinner in 2019, she donned a one-shouldered Jean-Louis Scherrer by Stephane Rolland gown, sourced from the luxury boutique William Vintage. The (haute couture!) ensemble came from the designer’s 2007 collection and featured an asymmetrical cascading cape. Paired with a box clutch and side-swept soft curls, the ensemble captured the essence of Old Hollywood glamour.
The retro career uniform
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In April 2022, two months after Russia invaded Ukraine, Amal Clooney visited the United Nations in New York to advocate for war victims wearing a decidedly to-the-point ensemble. Her look of choice? A vintage Christian Dior polka dot skirt set. The top flared into a subtle peplum silhouette, while the pencil skirt hit slightly above the knees. It’s an outfit she previously wore when speaking at the Supreme Court in London in 2015. With the addition of large ’60s sunglasses this time around, the ensemble felt like a vestiary acknowledgement of the 1960s working woman image.
The mod maternity outing
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While pregnant in 2017, Amal Clooney put a refined retro spin on the coveted French Girl style. The star stepped out in Paris wearing a crisp ivory dress-and-coat set adorned with sharp black square-shaped piping. The look — sourced from William Vintage — reportedly dates back to 1965 and appears reminiscent of the fashion icons of that era. It’s breathable, smart, and perhaps her most classically vintage serve yet.
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