You may know Kelly Rutherford for playing the impeccably-dressed Lily van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl, but off-duty, it turns out that the actor has an immaculate sense of style that’s all her own. I mean, have you checked her Instagram lately? The star has been going viral on the app thanks to her extremely stylish ’fit pics, some of which have garnered over 400,000 likes. No, these aren’t your regular fashion #OOTDs: There’s a sophisticated and understated feel to all of Rutherford’s looks, which balance quiet luxury with quirkier accents.
“I’ve always loved fashion,” Rutherford tells Vogue. “I’ve always loved the cinema of it—this idea that we can change our mood or our identities by what we put on.” A deep-dive into Rutherford’s Instagram proves that the star isn’t afraid to experiment with different approaches to style. One minute, she’s all about clean restraint, sporting a timeless white top and skirt set from Lavi Couture with a pair of Carel Paris patent Mary Janes; The next, the actor will go more colorful, in a striped patchwork Proche Studios jacket. Even better than the looks, though, is the manner in which Rutherford posts them for her million-plus followers: Rutherford consistently strikes a pose in the exact same elevator, offering ‘fit pics that are aspirational, but not nearly as over-the top as the carefully-planned and over-filter images that proliferate the app.
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Inspired by her approach to documenting and sharing her fashion choices, Vogue caught up with Rutherford to discuss what’s in her closet, if she partakes in trends, and what she thinks about stealth-wealth brands like Phoebe Philo and The Row. Plus, we inquired if she would ever consider taking her glorious outfits to TikTok. (Spoiler alert: She might need to hire a social media manager for that.)
Vogue: So, we’re obsessed with your Instagram ‘fit pics. I’m curious: When did you start posting them?
Kelly Rutherford: I’ve been doing it for a couple years now. I was interested in finding a new look; I tend to always go for jeans and a t-shirt if I’m left up to my own devices, so I was like, ‘How do I do something that mixes it up?’ I would go to get my coffee in the morning, and just take [an outfit] picture on the way back. I didn’t have a team doing it—I would just find a mirror that has decent lighting, and I was like, ‘Okay, this is cute.’ Then I saw other people doing it on Instagram, and I thought it was a fun way to share and connect.
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Did you expect your ’fit pics to pop off like they have?
It’s funny—it just sort of happened! Now, it’s become a way to support fun, emerging brands.
How would you describe your style?
It’s evolving, for sure. It always is. I love things that are really beautiful, comfortable, and accessible. I have fun putting different things together; it’s about creating a collage.
What are some of your go-to brands?
I love Maria de la Orden, [and] I’ve gotten really into artisanal brands, and things that are handmade or sustainable. I also love Skall Studio, APOF in Copenhagen, and By Malene Birger.
How do you find some of these smaller, more emerging brands?
On Instagram, mainly. Sometimes I’ve found them when I’m traveling in Paris, Milan, or New York; you can discover beautiful brands at a lot of smaller, cool shops. Le Bon Marché in Paris is also fun. Sometimes, brands will reach out to me as well, which is really nice.
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Do you have any hero pieces in your wardrobe that have become staples?
It’s usually jeans, a great cashmere sweater of some sort, and a cozy jacket. And I’ve really gotten into dresses too—dresses with a coat and a boot.
People tend to be very particular about jeans. What are your go-to brands?
Melin Berger makes good ones, [and] Laurence Bras in Paris. I also love the jeans from AG.
Jean fads go in and out, from skinny jeans to baggy jeans. Do you pay attention to trends?
I don’t pay attention to trends too much. I just never have. I mean, I remember buying my first Hermès bag when I was doing Melrose Place, and at that time nobody was wearing them. They hadn’t even opened that big store in Beverly Hills; It was a small store, and all of the ladies wore gloves. I loved it because Catherine Deneuve and Grace Kelly [wore the bags]. They just felt cinematic and cool, and one of those things you can pass down to your kids.
Are you a big accessories collector in general?
Those are the pieces I tend to invest in more. I really love Hermès, but [my accessories] don’t always have to be super expensive; I like mixing high and low. For shoes, I like to wear Tretorn or Aigle boots.
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Do you have any classic pieces in your closet that you’ve held onto for years?
I have a couple of beautiful Loro Piano coats that I love that I’ll probably wear until they’re just falling apart—they’ve held up so beautifully. And I have some old Celine from Phoebe Philo; I have a couple of coats of hers that I just love and keep going back to.
Have you seen Phoebe’s new collection?
Yes! It’s so cool. I was so excited. I think she’s just wonderful. What she’s done has changed everything. I think she did a really fun job [with the new line]. I know some people say it’s expensive, but it’s so beautiful and creative.
Did you try to buy anything when it dropped?
No. I was like, I’m not even going there—it’s going to be crazy. But that just says something about her and her pieces. That doesn’t happen with everyone.
Are you a fan of what The Row is doing, too?
Oh, I love The Row. It’s very classic—beautiful pieces that you can wear forever. They’re absolutely gorgeous. And the stores are so beautiful, too.
Would you ever be interested in designing your own pieces down the line?
I love doing collaborations with brands. I recently did a collaboration with Carel Paris, a French shoe brand thats been around the ’60s. I also did a La Bouche Rouge collaboration; I did a lipstick colour for them.
Now that you’re Instagram-famous, do you feel any pressure to keep up with the outfit pics?
I’m just having fun with it and figuring it out as I go. I’ve aways loved fashion, so it’s fun for me to do—now I have things to put on every day to walk my dogs!
Perhaps you can tackle TikTok next.
My daughter started me a TikTok a long time ago, but it’s bandwidth. I think I would need a little help. Between everything I’m doing, it would be a lot. Instagram is the one [platform] I have the most fun on, it feels organic to me. It’s enough to figure out photos to post on Instagram—I would need someone to help putting videos together.
Will you be attending fashion month this season?
I’ll be going to the European shows. I’m going to Dior and Patou.
What else is next for you that we can look forward to?
I just did a series that came out on Prime Video, called Escort Boys. It’s great. It’s six episodes and it’s very funny and sexy. And very touching, actually. Plus, there’s all these really hot French actors. I play the American!
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.
