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Carey Mulligan wore a Lanvin tuxedo to last night’s special pre–Met Ball screening of The Great Gatsby, her fourth red-carpet tuxedo this year. The look has more in common with Jay Gatsby than Daisy Buchanan — a clever way to acknowledge the film’s signature fashions without looking like she’s in costume. In a world overrun with glitter and tulle, the woman who dares to wear pants must be celebrated.
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1. The Modernist Tux
Last night’s tuxedo jacket was cropped at the waist and featured one angular white lapel, adding a “modernist twist.” The ensemble is from Lanvin’s spring 2013 collection; Mulligan paired it with Brian Atwood heels and minimal hair and makeup.
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2. The Inverse Tux
For a Good Morning America appearance last week, Mulligan wore the inverse of last night’s outfit: a cropped white jacket with black lapels, also from Lanvin spring 2013. A low-cut neck gave the look a Bianca Jagger vibe, while asymmetrical Christian Louboutin heels added whimsy.
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3. The Tuxedo-Cape
Mulligan’s most unusual tuxedo may have been the Victoria Beckham fall 2013 tuxedo-cape she wore to Tiffany’s Blue Book Ball in April. Whereas Beckham showed the look with a midi-length skirt, Mulligan returned to her beloved peg-leg pant silhouette. Add the masculinizing effect of Carey’s pulled-back hair, and the boxy look recalls Helmut Newton’s late-sixties photographs of Yves Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking.
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4. The “I’m With the Band” Tux
Mulligan’s favorite tuxedo design house, however, seems to be Lanvin. Attending the Grammy’s with husband Marcus Mumford in February, the actress re-created the opening look from Lanvin’s spring 2013 collection — but without the difficult-to-wear gold chest brace. As Paloma Picasso noted of YSL’s suit, the beauty of female tuxes is that they “made our lives easier.”