Angelina Jolie attended a state dinner at the White House on Wednesday hosted by President Joe Biden and South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeoland and his wife, Kim Keon Hee; she brought her son Maddox Jolie-Pitt as her plus-one. The family has a personal connection to South Korea, as Maddox, 21, studied biochemistry at Yonsei University in Seoul.
Jolie often wears white evening gowns with a bridal feel for the red carpet, and last night she wore a sweeping ivory gown with a full skirt, which she paired with a vintage white jacket with quilted detailing on the lapel. It’s a modern take on bridal—and a styling move we saw on the autumn-winter runways, including at Khaite, where an ivory blazer was layered over a beautiful evening gown with a discreet train.
Jolie used small details and clever hair and makeup choices to stop the look from veering too far into bridal territory. Instead of an updo or soft, pretty makeup, she opted for a strong red lipstick and wore her hair down in loose waves. As for accessories, she opted for a statement gold beaded necklace with gold drop earrings and a gold clutch bag.
“I invest in quality pieces, and then just wear them to death,” Angelina Jolie told Edward Enninful, the editor in chief of British in her March 2021 cover story. “Boots, a favorite coat, a favorite purse, I don’t change things often, you know? That’s one of my things.” Jolie also recommended “enjoying your vintage pieces, if you have them, and rediscovering some vintage shops.”
The actor and activist’s signature style is grounded in a few key luxury pieces, and she has been wearing white evening gowns with a bridal feel on the red carpet for decades. One of her most iconic white evening gowns was the white satin Marc Bouwer gown with a plunging halter neckline that she wore to the Oscars in 2004. Almost a decade later it’s a style that still looks modern.
This article first appeared on British Vogue.