The internet is currently buzzing about Lili Reinhart’s press tour wardrobe for her new film, The Love Hypothesis. She has been dressing in outfits that recreate iconic looks from classic rom-coms, and it has sparked a fascinating debate. Here is a breakdown of the situation and the contrasting reactions.
The Fashion Homages: A Trip Down Rom-Com Memory Lane
Lili Reinhart, alongside her stylist Ib Abdel Nasser, intentionally crafted a press tour that serves as a tribute to the heroines of romantic comedies from the ’90s and early 2000s. The concept started with a shared Pinterest board titled “Rom-Com Baddie” and evolved into a series of specific, recognizable recreations.
The looks have included:
- Kate Hudson in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days: Reinhart wore a vintage yellow silk-satin dress from the early 2000s label Caché, inspired by Hudson’s famous butter-yellow gown.
- Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality: She wore a custom lilac halter mini dress by Hervé Léger, the same brand that created the original dress for the film .
- Jennifer Garner in 13 Going on 30: Reinhart was spotted in a lace slip dress paired with the original Nanette Lepore polka-dot trench coat from the movie, which her stylist tracked down.
- Drew Barrymore in Ever After: A custom Rodarte gown based on the original costume design.
- Keira Knightley in Atonement: A custom Tory Burch gown in the same deep emerald green, with Reinhart even posing on a library ladder to echo the film’s famous scene.
- Brittany Murphy in Uptown Girls: She wore an archival Blumarine dress from the same collection as Murphy’s character, calling it a “genuine dream dress”.
The tributes weren’t limited to just a few looks. Reinhart also referenced My Date with the President’s Daughter, Mean Girls, and Uptown Girls through her wardrobe choices.
The Backlash: “Is She Doing Too Much?”
While many fans have praised the press tour as a “masterclass in nostalgia-dressing,” others have pushed back, feeling the constant references are excessive for a Prime Video rom-com. Critics have voiced their fatigue with the trend of “homage dressing,” with comments like:
“Everything is a homage these days. Let’s come up with something fresh, mamas.”
“Stuck in a nostalgia loop because no one wants to be a trendsetter anymore.”
“Very pretty, but enough with everything being a reference.”
Reinhart’s Response and the Film’s Reception
Reinhart has addressed the criticism, explaining that the intention was never to wear costumes. “It’s rather a homage and a tribute to iconic women that I grew up watching,” she told Film Updates, adding that the process was “just fun and playful and for the love of the genre”.
This debate surrounding the press tour comes as the film itself receives mixed reviews from critics. While Reinhart’s performance has been widely praised as the film’s “ace,” some critics feel the movie itself lacks the spark and chemistry to match the excitement of its promotional campaign.
