The Style Evolution of Saoirse Ronan, Young Risk-Taker
Photo: Getty Images
When The Host premiered recently, we realized with a jolt that its star, Saoirse Ronan — the wispy, steely-eyed 13-year-old Oscar nominee for her unsettlingly great work in Atonement — turns 19 next week. With two TV series and twelve films under her belt plus several more on the docket, including both Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut and Mary, Queen of Scots, Ronan is no longer the precocious child we see in our mind’s eye but a nearly grown woman blessed with Fanning-esque composure (and, apparently, a stellar work ethic). So, happy early birthday, Saoirse! We made you a slideshow ode to your red carpet evolution from fashion neophyte to sartorial risk-taker. We hope you like it, because we lost the receipt.
When: August 2007 Why: The Atonement photocall at the Venice film festival What: This is what happens when you are a young actress without a stylist t...
When: August 2007 Why: The Atonement photocall at the Venice film festival What: This is what happens when you are a young actress without a stylist to translate the actual meaning of "casual dress" for you. We worry Saoirse asked James McAvoy what he was wearing, when she should have asked Keira. Always ask Keira.
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/2007 Getty Images
When: August 2007 Why: Atonement’s premiere in Venice What: This is much more charming than her raggedy jeans — it’s ideal on a tween who’s not l...
When: August 2007 Why: Atonement’s premiere in Venice What: This is much more charming than her raggedy jeans — it’s ideal on a tween who’s not letting her dark role define her style. And yet, there is something about that pattern that bespeaks the wallpaper of someone who grew up with A Terrible Secret and ended up becoming a recluse in a garret who only eats whatever can be slid under the door. So, apt.
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/2007 Getty Images
When: September 2007, February 2008 Why: The U.K. premiere of Atonement, and the 2008 Oscars What: As if it's not tricky enough to be a 13-year-old gi...
When: September 2007, February 2008 Why: The U.K. premiere of Atonement, and the 2008 Oscars What: As if it's not tricky enough to be a 13-year-old girl, this 13-year old-girl had to figure out what to wear to the Oscars — as a nominee, no less. Luckily, both there and at the U.K. premiere of the film, Saoirse nailed the balance of being appropriately dressed up without looking too old for her age. In the current era of Kiernan Shipka and Hailee Steinfeld, this may not seem a tough feat, but it is — especially given that this was all happening during the historic summer that every starlet in town decided to flash us her business.
Photo: Getty Images
When: February 2009 Why: The Irish Film and TV Awards, a.k.a. IFTAs (an event Saoirse has attended regularly over the years, possibly because she know...
When: February 2009 Why: The Irish Film and TV Awards, a.k.a. IFTAs (an event Saoirse has attended regularly over the years, possibly because she knows hanging with her fellow Irishmen will free her from the stress of explaining how to say her name). What: We can’t even focus on the dress; we’re too concerned with the fact that her hairstylist made her tresses look simultaneously wet and crispy, which anyone who’s ever spilled Diet Coke on some potato chips — um, not us, obviously — can tell you is tricky indeed.
Photo: Phillip Massey/2009 Phillip Massey
When: November 2009 Why: The U.K. premiere of The Lovely Bones What: Even separately, the dress and shoes are overdone odes to First Aid and the banda...
When: November 2009 Why: The U.K. premiere of The Lovely Bones What: Even separately, the dress and shoes are overdone odes to First Aid and the bandages that make it possible. But put them together and we’re concerned that Saoirse was forced to fashion a harness out of old bedsheets to escape the hospital that was holding her against her will while she recovered from matching sprained ankles.
Photo: Mike Marsland/2009 Mike Marsland
When: November 2009 Why: European photocalls for The Lovely Bones What: After years of covering celebrity fashion, we have found ourselves able to rea...
When: November 2009 Why: European photocalls for The Lovely Bones What: After years of covering celebrity fashion, we have found ourselves able to reach into the past to read the minds of stylists. And here is what Saoirse's was thinking during the glum autumn of 2009: "I'm cold. We're in Europe. She's playing a dead girl. Let's make this all as depressing as possible." Photo: Getty Images
When: December 2009 Why: The New York and L.A. premieres of The Lovely Bones What: We love anyone with a taste for gold gowns. But the cut of the dres...
When: December 2009 Why: The New York and L.A. premieres of The Lovely Bones What: We love anyone with a taste for gold gowns. But the cut of the dress from the Los Angeles premiere is both confusing and confused — the aggressive shoes don’t help — and we wish the cocktail-length frock from New York didn’t have such a whiff of Fancy-Dress Chain Mail to it.
Photo: Getty Images
When: December 2009 Why: The Australian Lovely Bones premiere What: We ... aren’t sure. It’s probably a dress ... ? But the mere fact that any which w...
When: December 2009 Why: The Australian Lovely Bones premiere What: We ... aren’t sure. It’s probably a dress ... ? But the mere fact that any which way she stood still made this look like a capri-genie-pants romper sufficiently damns it to fashion hell.
Photo: Don Arnold
When: January 2010 Why: The Critic's Choice Awards, where Saoirse won Best Young Actor for her part in The Lovely Bones What: If we'd blurred out the ...
When: January 2010 Why: The Critic's Choice Awards, where Saoirse won Best Young Actor for her part in The Lovely Bones What: If we'd blurred out the branding on the step-and-repeat behind her, you'd guess this short, sparkly dress was worn to the MTV Movie Awards, right? The good news for Saoirse is that she also would have been the best-dressed at the MTV Movie Awards that night, because this is totally adorable.
Photo: Jason Merritt/2010 Getty Images
When: January 2010 Why: A Tokyo presser for The Lovely Bones What: Can we assume Saoirse was trying to appeal to Japan’s more unusual fashion tastes? ...
When: January 2010 Why: A Tokyo presser for The Lovely Bones What: Can we assume Saoirse was trying to appeal to Japan’s more unusual fashion tastes? Otherwise, people need to realize that no matter how much you really love The Great Gatsby, those headpieces look just as much like tourniquets when they’re Knitted by Granny as when they’re made by Valentino for your wedding.
Photo: Junko Kimura/2010 Getty Images
When: February 2010 Why: The Irish Film and Television Awards. (We told you she was a regular.) What: How quickly they grow up. It seems like just yes...
When: February 2010 Why: The Irish Film and Television Awards. (We told you she was a regular.) What: How quickly they grow up. It seems like just yesterday, Saoirse was dancing gaily in Japan wearing a knit forehead-warmer and now she’s working a fuchsia cocktail dress like a pro.
Photo: Phillip Massey/2010 Phillip Massey
When: February 2010 Why: The British Academy of Film and Television Awards, a.k.a. the BAFTAs. What: Hopefully no pervy guests felt around for a pull-...
When: February 2010 Why: The British Academy of Film and Television Awards, a.k.a. the BAFTAs. What: Hopefully no pervy guests felt around for a pull-cord to raise the valance.
Photo: Chris Jackson/2010 Getty Images
When: December 2010 Why: Two events for The Way Back, a.k.a., Wait, Why Didn’t We Know She Made A Movie With Colin Farrell?!? What: The lace frock is ...
When: December 2010 Why: Two events for The Way Back, a.k.a., Wait, Why Didn’t We Know She Made A Movie With Colin Farrell?!? What: The lace frock is serviceably young and girly, if a tad boxy. But the polka-dotted smock is a screaming Forever 21 fever dream about fertility.
Photo: Getty Images
When: December 2010 Why: Another premiere and photocall for The Way Back. What: In fairness, it probably is unseemly to look frivolous on an extended ...
When: December 2010 Why: Another premiere and photocall for The Way Back. What: In fairness, it probably is unseemly to look frivolous on an extended basis when you are promoting a movie about a gulag.
Photo: Getty Images
When: February 2011 Why: Another trip to the Irish Film and Television Awards What: If we can sidebar for a moment and be sincere for once: Saoirse ha...
When: February 2011 Why: Another trip to the Irish Film and Television Awards What: If we can sidebar for a moment and be sincere for once: Saoirse has a really great face. It almost distracts you from the fact that we can't tell whether or not this skirt is lined. Let’s pretend it is. We feel more comfortable that way.
Photo: Tim Whitby/2011 Tim Whitby
When: April 2011 Why: The premiere of Hanna What: Real talk: While we have serious concerns about the footwear afoot here, it takes a lot of elan to p...
When: April 2011 Why: The premiere of Hanna What: Real talk: While we have serious concerns about the footwear afoot here, it takes a lot of elan to pull off a slouchy sequined number, and we think that's exactly what's happening here.
Photo: Jason Kempin/2011 Getty Images
When: May 2011 Why: The Met Ball, the year it was McQueen-themed. What: Saoirse is awfully young and lovely to be stuck in a gown that’s a cross betwe...
When: May 2011 Why: The Met Ball, the year it was McQueen-themed. What: Saoirse is awfully young and lovely to be stuck in a gown that’s a cross between a newscaster’s power suit and the collateral damage from a Dynasty catfight.
Photo: Getty Images
When: September 2011 Why: Photocall for Violet & Daisy What: Much better. When you’re her age, you’re blessed with the ability to wear something v...
When: September 2011 Why: Photocall for Violet & Daisy What: Much better. When you’re her age, you’re blessed with the ability to wear something vintage-y and look whimsical and romantic, rather than musty and ancient. Photo: George Pimentel/2011 George Pimentel
When: September 2012 Why: The Toronto Film Festival What: We actually love the jacket and dress — Saoirse really has gotten much more assertive in her...
When: September 2012 Why: The Toronto Film Festival What: We actually love the jacket and dress — Saoirse really has gotten much more assertive in her daywear — but the shoes freak us out a little. Nobody wants a predator looking up her skirt, even if that predator might be voiced by George Clooney.
Photo: Getty Images
When: September 2010 Why: The TIFF premiere of Neil Jordan’s Byzantium, a.k.a. Wow, Saoirse Makes Unusual Movie Choices What: We didn’t expect to like...
When: September 2010 Why: The TIFF premiere of Neil Jordan’s Byzantium, a.k.a. Wow, Saoirse Makes Unusual Movie Choices What: We didn’t expect to like this blossoming cocktail dress, but it works on her and manages to complement her gorgeous coloring. Also, those are yet another pair of Advanced Shoes; while we don’t necessarily love them, we are thrilled she has not fallen prey to the pernicious Hollywood Nude Pump virus. Photo: Jemal Countess/2012 Getty Images
When: November 2012 and February 2013 Why: The Breaking Dawn premiere and the Irish Film and Television Awards (yes, again!) respectively. What: Also ...
When: November 2012 and February 2013 Why: The Breaking Dawn premiere and the Irish Film and Television Awards (yes, again!) respectively. What: Also known as "that time Saoirse Ronan was really into oxfords and transparency.” Although we can forgive the white dress now that we’ve seen the black one, which looks like she snuck into Kristen Stewart’s hotel room and yanked it from her reject pile.
Photo: Getty Images
When: February 2013 Why: The BAFTAs What: Aspects of this are so gorgeous — the assertiveness of that updo with her perfectly graceful makeup; the eff...
When: February 2013 Why: The BAFTAs What: Aspects of this are so gorgeous — the assertiveness of that updo with her perfectly graceful makeup; the effect of those beautiful blue flowers on black — that we’re prepared to overlook the fact that the neckline on the overlay is tangling undesirably with the straps of the camisole underneath.
Photo: Dave J Hogan/2013 Dave J Hogan
When: March 2013 Why: The premiere of The Host. What: Sigh. The color here is great, but this is the sort of slightly off, extremely expensive shift d...
When: March 2013 Why: The premiere of The Host. What: Sigh. The color here is great, but this is the sort of slightly off, extremely expensive shift dress you expect to see on someone fifteen years older than Saorise. It's tasteful, it's well-made, but ... we have notes. Are those fins on the side? And it’s so wrinkly. Maybe she caught Hathaway Syndrome and switched at the last second.
Photo: Kevin Winter/2013 Getty Images
When: March 2013 Why: Another screening of The Host. What: This, on the other hand, is tremendous. Proenza Schouler originally showed it as a coat, bu...
When: March 2013 Why: Another screening of The Host. What: This, on the other hand, is tremendous. Proenza Schouler originally showed it as a coat, but Saoirse — who showed up wearing a coat over it — repurposed this as a dress. It’s fresh, fashion-forward, and simply fantastic on her. If she’s this brave now, just imagine what she’ll be like after spending a few months on set with Ryan Gosling. Shall we meet back here in, oh, 2016 to discuss?
Photo: Jim Spellman/2013 Jim Spellman
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