Reclaiming The Spotlight
Fame is often a blurry horizon as celebrities rise and fall at incredible speeds. The turnover at which celebrities experience their 15 minutes of fame has increased dramatically with the rise in social media, namely Tiktok. The increasing consumption of media by average people across the globe leads to trend cycles ending just as soon as they start, often experienced by celebrities as well. Without a constant stream of media coverage and popular projects, celebrities often fall out of relevance as their personas don’t engage the general public. Many household names are buried deep with the passage of time, striking an “Oh! I totally forgot about her!” when brought up in casual conversation. However, with a revamped look and fresh style, many celebrities are reemerging into the spotlight.
The well known Transformers (2007) actress Megan Fox found herself in the public eye from a young age, charming the audience with her striking features and acting skills. Her signature look consisted of straight black hair, makeup accentuating her piercing blue eyes, skinny jeans, and a cropped top. She was the “it girl” of the early 2000s and a role model for many young girls. However, as time passed, Megan stayed fairly consistent with her image and wasn’t as innovative as she was once perceived. Almost 20 years later, Megan has once again become the talk of town with her reinvented, experimental style. Ditching her signature black hair for bolder colors, pink being the most recent, the public has watched her stray from conventional trends to express her personality. Many have commented on the influence her relationship with Machine Gun Kelly, a popular rapper, has had on her style. MGK is known for his punk rock outfits, often featuring fitted silhouettes and studded accessories. Megan has gone on to adopt elements of this genre, often seen in her liking towards darker tones and figure accentuating outfits. She’s mentioned how this new style embodies the character she played in the movie Jennifer’s Body (2009), full of spunk and attitude. The sharp turn in self expression ignited floods of news outlets and social media to comment on the change, praising the actress for stepping out of the box.
Adele is a celebrity of generations, with parents and grandparents alike recognizing her songs in an instant. She has had a tremendous impact on the music industry, topping the charts throughout the 2010s. Following her hit releases “Rolling in the Deep” and “Hello”, she took a break from releasing any albums for nearly six years, fading into the background. With her reemergence in 2021 with the song “Easy on Me”, Adele dominated the media, but this time not just for her music. Her comeback into the industry also garnered attention due to her weight loss and elevation of style. Working with her new stylist Jamie Mizrahi, Adele stepped into the high fashion sphere, an avenue she wasn’t previously known for exploring. Stepping onto stages in large, beautifully crafted ballgowns as well as being styled in pantsuits, the public got to see a new side of Adele they hadn’t known. Much praise was also given to Adele’s new makeup style, blending into her features seamlessly rather than taking away from them. At her long term residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, she shocks the crowd time and time again with dazzling haute couture dresses. With this new focus on all elements of how she presents herself, it’s no wonder the public couldn’t help but be wooed.
Dakota Johnson first shocked the internet with her role in 50 Shades of Grey (2015), a mature theme that seemed to contrast so heavily from her shy, calm demeanor. Following the release of two more sequels, she cemented her name into the Hollywood industry and gained a solid reputation. But what has Dakota Johnson done to return to the limelight nearly six years later? Dakota’s old style could long be described as tomboyish, featuring many menswear pieces from suit sets to blazers over any and all articles of clothing. With a passion for formal wear, her red carpet appearances consisted of modest clothing, long coats, and midi dresses. However, in recent years, as she’s transitioned from blond to brunette and rocks bolder makeup styles, the public is loving her new looks. Working with well known stylist Kate Young for her movie “Madame Web”, her press tour dresses have garnered a lot of attention. Rather than sporting outfits one would assume was a safe choice, Dakota has stepped out of her comfort zone to try daring silhouettes and designs. Many of her recent looks feature spider themed odes to her movie, including a chainmail inspired design and flowy evening gown. Dakota has also utilized Tiktok to reach a wider audience, collaborating with @joeando on tiktok who designs and creates dresses on his own. In a video with over 35 million views, he presented Dakota with a spider web inspired corset dress that won over millions of hearts. As Dakota steps onto the red carpet in these innovative looks, she has experienced a rise in fame coupled with newfound confidence.
Let’s face it - Rihanna will never not be famous. From her successes as a singer into dominating the beauty and fashion industries, she’s doing it all. Rihanna has never been out of the style game, even influencing many of the trends circulating now. Rihanna and Asap Rocky are well known as the fashion couple of celebrities, never failing to break the internet with their paparazzi photos. Nevertheless, in recent years, she has managed to find even greater success within the media for her fashion choices as a new mom. Throughout her two pregnancies she has never backed away from embracing her baby bump, showing it off as an accessory. Many pregnant women have mentioned how Rihanna has made them feel more confident in their changing bodies, seeing their baby bumps as an appreciation of life. Her pregnancy outfits still maintain her sexy, confident style, as seen through her fashion week appearances and stunning Met Gala appearance. Rihanna’s 2023 Met Gala look featured a Valentino, white rose adorned head cover which she later draped around her arms to reveal a figure hugging outline. A big statement was made showing off her baby bump at an event with high media coverage, reinventing maternity wear to build upon current trends instead of shying away from fashion during pregnancy. The confidence Rihanna exhibits through her clothing and accessories at all stages of her life empowers millions to continue expressing themselves during maternity.
Featured Image Courtesy of Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY