Olivia Wilde Wore A Bustier “Revenge Dress” To The 2022 Governors Awards

Just days after announcing her split from boyfriend Harry Styles, Olivia Wilde walked the red carpet in a spicy, lingerie-inspired ball gown reminiscent of a wedding dress. And that, my friends, is what they call “revenge dressing.”

What is revenge dressing, you ask? Attributed to this famously saucy Princess Diana look, it’s the art of looking absolutely incredible in spite of the man — or woman, but usually a man (*eye roll*) — who wronged you. There’s nothing more satisfying or vindicating than showing him what he’s missing, and showing yourself that when you walk in a room, you “can still make the whole place shimmer,” to quote Taylor Swift. Wilde’s latest look is a textbook example of this empowering phenomenon.

At Sunday’s Governors Awards, the Don’t Worry Darling actor and director made her first public appearance post-breakup. She donned a layered tulle design worthy of a princess — one with an edgy sense of style and no man to hold her back.

The base of her look was decidedly bridal (a snow-white, cupcake gown with a bustier bodice and a sweetheart neckline), but the details were giving black widow — or ex-girlfriend, more accurately. Erasing the wedding imagery that would have otherwise been prevalent, the ivory gown was covered in a delicate black mesh overlay, punctuated with gothic, floral embroidery.

In place of a traditional wedding veil, Wilde donned a dramatic net train (also black, naturally) and matching opera gloves of the same fabric. The bridal-but-not ensemble feels so on-the-nose, I’d bet money the sartorial choice was strategic.

This look makes one thing very clear: Wilde won’t be walking down the aisle any time soon — and she’s more than fine with that.