Lili Reinhart Has Been Recreating Iconic Rom-Com Looks, Which Fans Have Dubbed “A Generational Run”

Lili Reinhart kicked off the press tour by stepping straight into the shoes of Sandra Bullock’s Gracie Hart from the 2000 comedy Miss Congeniality.

The film follows Gracie, a tough, tomboyish FBI agent who is forced to go undercover as a beauty pageant contestant after a threat is made against the Miss United States competition. 

As part of the undercover operation, the agent who would rather be anywhere but a pageant is given a dramatic makeover and taught how to behave like a contestant.

One of the movie’s most memorable moments comes when Gracie makes her grand transformation reveal. 

She emerges from an airplane hangar in a lavender Hervé Léger bandage dress, instantly turning heads as she walks toward the stunned crowd. 

But the glamorous moment does not last long: Gracie promptly trips and lands flat on her face, perfectly capturing the character’s awkwardness even after her transformation.

Reinhart recreated that iconic look wearing a custom lilac Hervé Léger halter mini dress designed by Michelle Ochs. 

The designer choice was particularly fitting because Hervé Léger also created Bullock’s original dress, allowing Lili’s version to closely echo the movie's Y2K aesthetic.

She completed the homage with matching strappy heels and brown-tinted sunglasses, leaning fully into the early-2000s feel of the original scene. 

The original lavender dress also has a surprisingly humble backstory. 

Costume designer Susie DeSanto revealed that it wasn't made specifically for the movie but was purchased off the rack at a department store. 

DeSanto reportedly tried several dresses on Sandra before settling on the lavender Hervé Léger design, deliberately avoiding a pink dress so the makeover would feel sophisticated rather than overly sugary.

Bullock has also shared some hilarious behind-the-scenes details about wearing the dress. 

She revealed that the figure-hugging design was essentially “a walking Spanx,” and she wore additional shapewear underneath. 

She also recalled using six silicone br* inserts, jokingly referred to as “chicken cutlets,” which had a habit of sliding around while she filmed the scene in the Texas heat.

And Lili’s recreation received the ultimate seal of approval from Sandra herself. 

After seeing the look, the Oscar-winning actress left a playful comment on social media: “Stunning! Now all you need is a crown stunt mat to break your fall.”

The joke was a direct reference to Gracie’s spectacular face-plant immediately after her makeover reveal.

“I love how she's paying homage to the iconic look of movie characters,” one fan wrote. 

Another commenter agreed, writing, “Honestly, I had no intentions of seeing the movie she’s doing press for, but she keeps FEEDING my millennial nostalgia that now I’m going to. QUEEN!”

“The way shes got the sunglasses AND the dress down but its the confidence thats carrying it for me,” remarked a third. 

“Best publicity for her new movie! Love it!” 

While promoting The Love Hypothesis in Brazil, the 30-year-old actress paid tribute to Kate Hudson’s Andie Anderson from the 2003 classic How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

The movie follows Andie, a magazine writer who bets she can get a man to dump her within 10 days by doing everything possible to drive him away.

At the same time, advertising executive Ben Barry, played by Matthew McConaughey, makes his own bet that he can make a woman fall in love with him.

Neither realizes that they have both chosen each other for their respective schemes, setting up the chaotic romance at the center of the film.

One of the movie’s most memorable fashion moments comes during the glamorous “Frost Yourself” gala.

Andie arrives at the De Beers event in a butter-yellow silk gown, only to be covered in diamonds as she wears the enormous yellow “Isadora Diamond” necklace.

The evening eventually spirals into a very public confrontation when Andie and Ben’s competing schemes are exposed.

Reinhart recreated the instantly recognizable look in a vintage butter-yellow silk gown with a dramatic open back, which stylist Ib Abdel Nasser tracked down from the early-2000s label Caché.

Rather than commissioning a modern replica, Nasser reportedly wanted the look to keep the original's authentic Y2K feel.

Lili also put her own spin on the accessories.

While Hudson’s look famously revolved around the massive yellow diamond necklace, Reinhart wore diamond chandelier earrings instead, keeping the jewelry connection while letting the gown's dramatic back remain the focus.

Her hair also echoed Hudson’s look in the film, with a slicked-back updo and loose tendrils framing her face.


Image credits: lilireinhart

The original dress itself has a fascinating story because the gown was created with the famous yellow diamond in mind.

Costume designer Karen Patch worked with a real Harry Winston yellow diamond valued at around $5 million and designed the dress in a shade that would complement the stone without competing with its color and brilliance.

The jewelry was no small matter either.

The gala scene reportedly featured more than $14 million in real high-end jewelry, so security was a major concern during filming.

The centerpiece was the enormous 84-carat yellow diamond necklace, which became one of the most memorable pieces of jewelry in rom-com history.

Another surprising connection links the movie to its source material.

Unlike many adaptations, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days did not take its elaborate gala storyline directly from a conventional novel.

The film drew inspiration from a short satirical book about dating, leaving the filmmakers to create much of the movie’s story, including its glamorous, diamond-centered climax.

Reinhart also made it clear that the tribute was intentional, captioning her Instagram post with the lyric-inspired line, “You probably think this song is about you, paying homage to Kate Hudson...”

However, not many were impressed with the Riverdale star’s version of the unforgettable yellow dress.

One fashion critic said, “Everything is a homage these days. Let’s come up with something fresh mamas,” while another added, “Stuck in a nostalgia loop because no one wants to be a trendsetter anymore.”

One comment read, “Very pretty, but enough with everything being a reference."

Reinhart took her movie press tour into fairytale territory with a tribute to Drew Barrymore’s beloved 1998 romance Ever After: A Cinderella Story.

The film puts a historical spin on the classic Cinderella story, following Danielle de Barbarac, a young French woman mistreated by her stepmother after her father's passing. 

Rather than waiting to be rescued, Danielle fights for her own freedom while falling in love with Prince Henry, played by Dougray Scott.

The movie’s most magical fashion moment comes at the royal masquerade ball, where Danielle arrives to see Henry wearing an elaborate pale-gold Renaissance-inspired gown. 

The dramatic entrance culminates in Danielle walking down the palace staircase with translucent wings attached to her back, creating the illusion of a Renaissance-era angel.

Before entering the ballroom, however, Danielle is visibly nervous. 

She takes a moment to steady herself by repeating the words her mother once taught her: “Breathe. Just breathe.” 

The brief scene became one of the film’s most memorable moments and gave the gown its enduring nickname, the “Just Breathe” dress.

Reinhart paid tribute to that scene wearing a custom Rodarte gown. 

The ethereal silver-and-pale-gold design featured romantic draping, an empire waist, sheer sleeves, and floral embellishments, giving the recreation a modern take on Drew’s fairytale look.

Rather than copying the original dress exactly, the Rodarte creation translated its romantic Renaissance-inspired feeling into a contemporary red-carpet gown. 

The styling also kept the focus on the dress’s delicate details, making it feel like a cinematic reference without turning it into a costume.

The tribute was particularly personal for Lili. 


Image credits: lilireinhart

Sharing photos of the look on Instagram, she revealed just how much Ever After meant to her, writing, “‘Breathe. Just Breathe.’ A tribute to Drew Barrymore in Ever After: A Cinderella Story.” 

“I coveted my VHS tape we had at home and fell in love with period pieces because of this film.”

Barrymore has spoken fondly about Ever After over the years, and the film remains one of the most beloved projects of her career. 

Its feminist take on the Cinderella story also set it apart from more traditional versions of the fairy tale.

Jenny Beavan created the original movie’s costumes, and her work on period films has earned widespread recognition. 

Reinhart’s recreation also received an enthusiastic reaction from The Drew Barrymore Show’s official account, which commented, “Putting the period in period piece.”

One fan reacted online, “She is bringing back the RomCom era… honestly she's serving it better than the original.” 

Others expressed, “The rom-com homage tour is already serving.” 

Another comment read, “Lili Reinhart understood the assignment. Serving mother!”

Lili served one of the most recognizable movie dresses of all time, stepping into Keira Knightley’s unforgettable emerald-green gown from the 2007 period romance Atonement. 

Based on Ian McEwan’s novel, the film follows Cecilia Tallis, played by Knightley, and Robbie Turner, played by James McAvoy, whose romance is derailed by a devastating misunderstanding. 

Set partly in 1930s England, the story follows the consequences of that moment across several decades.

The emerald gown appears during one of the film’s most pivotal scenes. 

Cecilia wears it to a family dinner on an unusually hot summer evening, but before joining the others, she encounters Robbie in the mansion’s library. 

Their long-simmering attraction finally erupts into an intimate encounter, making the dress inseparable from one of the movie’s most emotionally charged moments.

Lili recreated the iconic look in a custom Tory Burch gown. 

The deep emerald color remained instantly recognizable, while the modern interpretation featured a plunging neckline, delicate straps, an open back, and an asymmetrical knot at the hip.

She even brought the movie reference into the photoshoot setting, posing on a rolling library ladder to echo the location of Cecilia and Robbie’s famous encounter.

The styling included another subtle update. 

Rather than leaving the neckline completely bare like Knightley’s original look, Reinhart added a White Sakura Blossom Brooch by Anabela Chan, positioned where the delicate straps met.


Image credits: thelovehypothesismovie

The original gown has become so closely associated with Atonement that it is often singled out when discussing the most memorable costumes in film history. 

Costume designer Jacqueline Durran created the look specifically for the movie, using a fluid silk silhouette that emphasized movement and helped give Cecilia an almost otherworldly presence on screen.

The dress was also deliberately designed to work with the physicality of the library scene. 

Its fluid construction let Knightley move naturally through the sequence, and multiple versions were reportedly made because the delicate fabric was vulnerable to damage during filming.

Knightley has also reflected on the library sequence over the years, discussing how carefully director Joe Wright constructed it. 

The scene is particularly notable for how much it leaves to the audience’s imagination rather than explicitly showing what happens between the characters.

However, the recreation did not escape debate. 

While some fashion fans appreciated Burch’s more modern, structured take on the gown, others felt the magic of Knightley’s original came from its simplicity and argued that the added details detracted from the iconic silhouette.

One user expressed their frustration, writing, “Homage hype is so tired, y'all. Celebs steal old looks for attention, and fans act like it's art.” 

Another viewer commented, “Lili in that dress is mid af, and y'all hyping this homage stuff is embarrassing.” 

But others disagreed, commenting, “She is gorgeousss. This one might just convince me to watch the movie.” 

“What's in the water? Like, she's been getting more and more gorgeous lately. Has she changed stylists or what…” 

Lili turned 30 on September 13, and just a few days later, she gave fans the most fitting fashion tribute imaginable. 

While out and about in New York City, the actress recreated one of Jennifer Garner’s most recognizable looks from the 2004 romantic comedy 13 Going on 30.

The movie follows Jenna Rink, a socially awkward 13-year-old who desperately wishes to skip adolescence and become “30, flirty, and thriving.” 

After a little help from some mysterious wishing dust, Jenna wakes up the next morning as a 30-year-old woman, played by Garner, living the glamorous adult life she once dreamed about.

But Jenna soon discovers that growing up has not turned out quite the way she imagined. 

Her adult self has become a ruthless magazine editor who has lost touch with her childhood best friend Matt, played by Mark Ruffalo, and she must figure out how to repair the life she unknowingly built for herself.

One of the movie’s most memorable looks appears shortly after Jenna wakes up as an adult.

Confused and completely unprepared for her new life, she rushes out of her Manhattan apartment wearing a lingerie-style slip with a coat thrown over it, creating one of the film’s most recognizable Y2K fashion moments.

Lili recreated the look almost piece for piece in a chocolate-brown satin Fleur du Mal slip dress with black lace detailing, layered under the standout piece: the original Nanette Lepore coat Jennifer wore in the film. 

And this was not a replica. 

The actress’s stylist tracked down what was reportedly the only remaining archival copy of the Spring/Summer 2003 coat, after discovering that Violet Savage, daughter of designer Nanette Lepore, had been sharing videos of her mother’s fashion archive on TikTok. 

Savage ultimately loaned the rare piece to Reinhart for the press tour.

Lili completed the homage with vintage purple Jimmy Choo heels and tiny black sunglasses, giving the entire look the unmistakable feel of an early-2000s rom-com heroine.

The original coat also has an important place in the movie’s visual history. 

It became so closely associated with Jenna that the look was featured prominently in promotional imagery for 13 Going on 30, helping turn the combination into one of the film’s signature fashion moments.

Gushing over Lili’s recreation, one fan wrote, “That look is such a perfect blend of nostalgia and modern rom-com charm.”

Another user added, “I love how this is an ACTUAL reference and not just a straight-up recreation copying and pasting the same look.” 

“She’s seriously on a generational run and knows how to stay memorable.” 

Reinhart’s Brittany Murphy connection started before she officially recreated one of the late actress’s most memorable movie looks. 

The actress appeared at Prime Video’s inaugural Obsessed Fest in Los Angeles in a custom Cult Gaia gown inspired by the effortless femininity of the ’90s and early 2000s. 

The one-of-a-kind design featured layered tonal silk chiffon, a corseted bodice, soft draping, and a custom brass dandelion detail on the shoulder. 

Cult Gaia described the gown as inspired by the era’s feminine aesthetic.

The look quickly reminded some fans of Murphy’s signature red-carpet style, with its pastel coloring, flowing chiffon silhouette, and Reinhart’s soft blonde waves creating an especially striking visual parallel. 

However, this was not an official recreation of a specific Murphy outfit. 

The real tribute came later, when Lili tracked down the exact Blumarine Spring/Summer 2002 dress Murphy wore as Molly Gunn in the 2003 cult classic Uptown Girls.

Reinhart shared photos wearing the screen-worn style on her Instagram, which features a shimmering blush-toned base, floral embellishments, and an asymmetrical hem. 

Her stylist sourced the archival piece through Rebe Archive, and Reinhart styled her hair to echo Murphy’s appearance in the film. 


Image credits: cultgaia / Mark Mainz/Getty Images


She made the meaning behind the look clear in her caption, calling it “A genuine dream dress since the day I first saw it when I was 7 years old” and praising Murphy for “the magic she brought to Molly Gunn.”

The dress itself has a fascinating history. 

Costume designer Sarah Edwards spotted it in a Blumarine catalog while working on Uptown Girls and immediately wanted it for Murphy. 

According to Edwards, the dress was the only runway sample available because the collection was just coming out, and Blumarine lent it to the production. 

Brittany wore it during the film’s opening sequence as Molly prepared for her lavish birthday party, helping establish the rock heiress's carefree, extravagant personality.

The film follows Molly, a spoiled rock heiress who loses her fortune and is forced to become a nanny for Ray, a precocious young girl played by Dakota Fanning. 

Released in 2003, the movie has developed a lasting cult following, with its Y2K fashion becoming almost as memorable as its characters. 

The Blumarine dress remains particularly coveted decades later, with the original screen-worn piece having sold at auction in 2012.

“THE MOMENT THE WORLD HAS BEEN WAITING FOR!!! I miss Brittany so much, so happy to see you bringing her memory back for a night with her dress,” one fan wrote.

Another user expressed, “Brittany Murphy is smiling down from heaven right now, this is so beautiful!”

One comment read, “Securing her role in the brittany murphy biopic, Twinsss.”

“The resemblance and the dress are spot on. Absolute cinema-level nostalgia hitting right in the feels.” 

The comparison was especially striking because fans have been pointing out a resemblance between Lili and Murphy for years. 

Reinhart has even acknowledged the comparisons herself, saying in an interview, “Everyone says Brittany Murphy—everyone. They think I'm her, reincarnated.” 

“There are a lot of pictures of us side by side where we look crazy-alike.”

Lili saved one of her most nostalgic fashion moments for last, closing out her viral The Love Hypothesis press tour with a tribute to a beloved 1998 Disney Channel movie.

For the Los Angeles premiere, the actress recreated the iconic pink velvet mini dress worn by Elisabeth Harnois in My Date with the President’s Daughter, giving the late-90s look a polished modern update.

Reinhart wore a custom bubblegum-pink velvet micro minidress from Miu Miu. 

The fitted design featured a low scoop neckline edged with white piping and thin white spaghetti straps, closely mirroring the dress worn by Harnois’ character, Hallie Richmond.

She paired the throwback dress with embellished black ankle-strap heels featuring crystal details, a delicate gold pendant necklace, and sparkling jewelry from Melinda Maria and Effy.

The original look appeared during one of the movie’s most memorable sequences. 

Hallie, the teenage daughter of the U.S. president, desperately wants to experience a normal life away from her Secret Service detail. 

After sneaking away with her date, Duncan Fletcher, she goes shopping for an outfit for the school dance and emerges from the fitting room in the now-iconic pink velvet dress.

Played by Will Friedle, Duncan has no idea what he has gotten himself into after accidentally asking the President’s daughter out. 

What begins as an ordinary teenage date quickly turns into an increasingly chaotic night as the pair attempt to evade the Secret Service.

The 1998 Disney Channel Original Movie became a nostalgic favorite for viewers who grew up watching the network, with Harnois and Friedle carrying the story as two teenagers thrown into an unusually high-stakes date.

Friedle was also already familiar to young viewers through his role as Eric Matthews on Boy Meets World, making the movie something of a Disney-era meeting point for two popular teen stars.

And the pink dress itself has developed a life beyond the movie. 

Its distinctive late-90s silhouette has kept resurfacing in nostalgic fashion discussions, with fans remembering it as one of Hallie’s most recognizable looks.

That made Lili’s recreation particularly fitting for a press tour built around romantic-comedy nostalgia. 

Rather than simply borrowing the aesthetic of another beloved movie, she recreated a specific costume that many viewers who grew up in the 1990s and early 2000s would immediately recognize.

As the press run came to an end with the iconic pink minidress, one fan enthusiastically declared, “Is there an Oscar for Best Press Wardrobe? If not, let’s change that here and now.” 

Another user wrote, “I still think about this dress. I THINK THIS ONE'S MY FAVORITE SO FAR!!!! Such an underated disney movie so hard to find to watch now.” 

A third chimed in, “I hope she never stops serving,” while others commented, “HOW DOES SHE KEEP GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY!!!”

“Omg absolutely elite reference! I love how she did the look but in a pink that suits her, she's being really intentional.” 

Lili Reinhart channels “My Date With the President’s Daughter” at the LA premiere of #TheLoveHypothesis tonight! ✨ (September 22, 2026) pic.twitter.com/etDEX2vqX0
— Lili Reinhart Online (@FRLiliReinhart) September 23, 2026