Great Outfits in Fashion History: Reese Witherspoon Rocking 'Gucci Red' Back in 1996

There are perfectly good celebrity style moments, and then there are the looks that really stick with you, the ones you try desperately to recreate at home. In 'Great Outfits in Fashion History,' Fashionista editors are revisiting their all-time favorite lewks.

Elle Woods has transcended into pop culture sainthood. The "Legally Blonde" character, played by none other than Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon, is a Y2K style icon, with her perfectly blown-out blonde hair, hyper-feminine wardrobe and unmatched legal prowess. To be unapologetically pink and powerful in a sea of stuffy blazers and side eyes is a certain superpower that I can only dream of embodying. (In fact, my sparkly pink college graduation cap featured Woods' iconic line: "What, like it's hard?")

Though my ode to Ms. Woods could go on for a while, Witherspoon was paving her own path as a style icon well before she made cinematic history. In 1996, a 20-year-old Witherspoon attended the premiere of "2 Days in the Valley" (a crime comedy film starring Charlize Theron and James Spader) in a red leather jacket atop a black crop top and black pinstriped trousers, which created a very "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" vibe for the evening.

Witherspoon's burgundy leather jacket (complete with a notch lapel that added structure and sophistication) is still on-trend 27 years later, as Gucci's Spring 2024 show in Milan spotlighted plenty of cherry-red leather looks and breathed new life into the classic fall color.

Witherspoon complemented her jacket with a matching wine-colored lip, smudged-out eyeliner and a classic '90s bob (yes, including the side part). Wearing only stud earrings and carrying a black leather handbag, the star kept her accessories simple, and let her jacket soak up the spotlight.

While I desperately try to recreate this Witherspoon look and latch onto the red trend, check out our favorite picks to incorporate this cranberry color into your fall wardrobe, below.

Apparis Liv Apple Faux Leather Coat, $895, available here (sizes XS-XL)

L'Agence Ruth Coated Straight-Leg Jeans, $320, available here (sizes 24-32)

Good American Better Than Leather Faux Leather Tank, $95, available here (sizes S-3XL)

Liselle Kiss Meli Convertible Crossbody, $450, available here

Madewell Washed Leather Motorcycle Jacket: Brass Hardware Edition, $525, available here (sizes XXS-XXL)

Larroudé x Jennifer Fisher Boot in Blood Red Leather, $635, available here

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