Florals for fall? It really is groundbreaking.
There are a few fashion rules that were made to be broken—no white after Labor Day, no mixing black with navy, and, of course, no florals in the fall. Demi Moore just proved that it’s high time we all rethought that last one.
While attending the French premiere of her lauded body horror film The Substance, Moore opted for a bright, multi-colored floral dress. The sheer sleeveless number reached the center of her knees and was covered in blue and pink flower embellishments. Its drop waist was highlighted by a loose black bow. She paired the bright dress with a pair of white heels with a black pointed toe. She covered the dress with a navy wool coat with multi-colored piping detail around the pockets and carried a bubblegum pink clutch.
She wore several dainty bracelets, two large round silver rings, and a pair of statement-making dangly silver earrings. Her ultra straight hair was parted in the center and tucked behind one ear.
Moore’s latest, rule-breaking look marks a notable departure from her signature red carpet style. In recent weeks, Moore has been embracing a more masculine look, opting for menswear-inspired silhouettes and pieces. Just take her or even her vest dress, her oversized shorts suit, her jean skirt-and-blazer combo, or even her lace-up Oxfords.
In The Substance, Moore plays Elizabeth Sparkle, an aging actress-turned-celebrity fitness instructor. When her career begins to fade away as a result of the entertainment industry’s obsession with youth, Elizabeth turns to a black market drug, “The Substance,” which promises to use her DNA to create a perfect, young version of herself. The only catch is, she must share her life with this new version (played by Margaret Qualley): she lives for seven days in her own body, before going to sleep for the following seven days as the new version of herself lives her own life.
During the premiere, which took place on the eve of the US Presidential election, Moore took to the stage at the French Cinematheque to speak about the political undertones of the film's themes. “America is built on Puritans, religious fanatics and criminals, [and] you’re kind of seeing [as much] in our election right now," she said, adding, "Sexuality is always taboo, and there’s a lot of fear in America around the body."
She went on to speak about the film's unapologetic representation of the middle-aged female body.
“Being someone of a certain age, there was greater value in showing oneself with complete abandon," she said. "Being willing to be seen with flaws, with imperfections, [as someone that is] clearly not 20 or 30 years old, being a little bit more ‘loosely wrapped.’”
Ultimately, she said, the film is about how patriarchal beauty standards have resulted in women being violent towards themselves.
“What moved me was the harshness that we can have against ourselves,” she said. “That violence that we can have against ourselves, which I felt had never really been explored. That felt risky, scary. Personally, it certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone.”
Moore later reiterated her point while speaking to Variety. “The film was a big ‘fuck you,’ that’s for sure,” she said. “So I can only wish that we’re going to enter a world of hope, one that celebrates women’s rights as well. Unfortunately, the film’s subject might still hold true in ten or 20, or 50 years, unless we see a real revolution.”