Whether or not you’ve been keeping up with every episode of Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr, and Carolyn Bessette, actress Sarah Pidgeon has bloomed into a style icon overnight. We’ve been trackings her personal looks the past few weeks, beginning with press outings for the Ryan Murphy series, then extending into awards season events and Fashion Month appearances across the globe. We’ve seen her lean into a minimalist mood time and again, much like her character Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, but she has a knack for mixing contemporary brands and modern silhouettes that feels entirely her own—and totally aspirational.
The Sarah Pidgeon Style Checklist
Well-stocked with plenty of true wardrobe basics, we found that Pidgeon’s closet offered effortless transitional layering ideas, perfectly in tune with Vogue’s current list of spring shopping fundamentals. Smart outerwear buys should be your first stop—Pidgeon relied on an arsenal of leather jackets, blazers, and utility jackets throughout Fashion Month, pairing them back to a collectsion of perfect white T-shirts, and a lineup of great denim buys, ranging from classic straight-leg jeans with a worn-in ’90s feel, to cropped styles in trending indigo washes.
That’s not to say everything should remain minimalist—within these ready-to-wear essentials, she often incorporates designer flair with statement accessories, a style lesson worth nothing. Whether that be a covetable handbag from Loewe, Balenciaga, or Prada, or the oversized frames from Khaite x Oliver People’s collaboration, which have quickly become her street-style signature, mixing in these investment add-ons feels like the modern move.
Ahead, shop Sarah Pidgeon’s best outfits, all easy to replicate and repeat across the spring months ahead.
Transitional Leather
Throughout Fashion Month, Pidgeon’s appearances caused quite the commotion. She looked perfectly sleek while attending the Loewe show in Paris, wearing a scarf-neck leather jacket and white fringed leather pants. We’d replicate the look using straight-leg jeans in a similar tone instead, mimicking the pants’ silhouette, then finish things off with black high-vamp pumps and a standout bag for a fresh feel.
Unboring Basics
For a masterclass in spring layering, look to another outfit Pidgeon wore in Paris. Focusing on tailoring, she mixed an oversized blazer with a white T-shirt, crewneck sweater, and classic light-wash jeans. Embracing a ’90s minimalist mood (perhaps influenced by her Love Story wardrobe), this off-duty look gets a contemporary touch with accessories—like the covetable Balenciaga Rodeo bag, pointy black boots, and the Khaite x Oliver Peoples sunglasses she can’t stop wearing.
French-Girl Flair
Swapping New York style codes for a little French-girl flair, Pidgeon remixed wardrobe staples during Paris Fashion Week. A utility jacket with pocket detailing and cropped jeans in an indigo wash are the mainstays we’re craving this time of year—plus, they happen to be major runway highlights. Still, her repertoire of all-black accessories (think: classic leather loafers, a structured handbag, and oversized sunglasses) can be worn in any city, just pack and repeat.
Playing with Color
While attending the Prada show in Milan, Pidgeon made a strong case for spring color. Using a fringed skirt in butter yellow as the focus, she styled the statement piece with otherwise neutral basics—a camel V-neck sweater vest, black shoulder bag, and pointy pumps being the grounding wardrobe mainstays. If you’re not ready to completely shed those layers yet, we’d recommend a tailored black leather jacket to accompany on top.
Off-Duty Ease
Spotted between shows in Milan, Pidgeon’s off-duty wardrobe focused on leather outerwear. Donning a button-front jacket in buttery nappa with a simple white T-shirt and black jeans, she shows that a stylish outfit truly can be built with simple everyday essentials. Heeled boots, a leather belt, and oversized sunglasses add a touch of CBK-coded flair—if you want to look downright effortless, this outfit is a no-brainer.
Well-Suited
Although Pidgeon frequently styles her extensive white T-shirt collectsion with a leather jacket and jeans, she has a soft spot for suiting and tailored separates, as well. Take notes and invest in a pencil skirt set with unexpected detailing, such as a slit on the skirt or a collarless lapel. Injecting a bit of trending color is easy, too, with the use of bright pumps—a power move that is simpler than you think to pull off.
CBK-Coded
At the start of the Love Story press tour, Sarah Pidgeon paid tribute to her character Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s stylish wardrobe with this sleek leather ensemble. The entire look is something we imagine Carolyn would wear today (she often let statement outerwear be the talking point within her everyday outfits on the street). Balanced with simple pumps, this leather trench-as-dress is pared-down elegance to a tee. However, if you wanted variety, we’d add a plain black T-shirt and leather skirt underneath, accessorized with an understated handbag and gold jewelry.
