Gwyneth Paltrow’s cutout Carolina Herrera dress: love it or hate it?

Here are some photos of Gwyneth Paltrow at a Tuesday event in Beverly Hills. The event? Veuve Clicquot’s Solaire Culture Exhibit. Gwyneth wore a Carolina Herrera dress with an awkward midriff cutout. Cutouts cycle in and out of style every couple of years and I hate that we’re in the middle of another “in style” cycle. In my opinion, I think this would have been such a stronger look for Gwyneth without the cutout? The thin stripes are also giving me a headache.

I was meaning to cover something else Gwyneth-related last week but I kind of forgot. There had been some gossip that Gwyneth’s daughter Apple went off to college, but Gwyneth hadn’t confirmed anything publicly… until last week. As it turns out, she was quiet about Apple going away because Gwyneth has been f–king devastated and she misses Apple so much. She told People Magazine that watching Apple leave home was “horrible. It was truly horrifying. I was sick to my stomach, bursting into tears.” Gwyneth has already visited her on campus during a parents’ weekend and she says that Apple is doing great and she’s really happy. Gwyneth also talked about it with Us Weekly:

“It’s been a major transition. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it would be hard because Apple and I are so close and were together all the time. But I had no idea. It was like the worst heartbreak I’ve ever [felt]. I felt like the love of my life broke up with me for weeks. It was terrible. Now, I’m getting more used to it and it also helps to see her happy and well-adjusted. That makes a huge difference. And she just came home for October break, so that was good. I’ll see her for Thanksgiving.”

Paltrow, who shares Apple and son Moses, 16, with ex-husband Chris Martin, opened up about how her youngest child has dealt with the change, saying, “I think he’s sort of feeling a new world without a sister in the house. But he’s adjusting well. He’s such a great kid.”

[From Us Weekly]

My mom cried a lot when I left for college, and I cried too – I was homesick for a few months, but college is great. You make friends, get involved with tons of stuff, you grow up and get exposed to different kinds of people. I honestly didn’t think Gwyneth Paltrow of all people would be this devastated though. It’s like she was completely unprepared for her firstborn to leave the nest! Poor Goop.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

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48 Responses to “Gwyneth Paltrow’s cutout Carolina Herrera dress: love it or hate it?”

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  1. usavgjoe says:

    Looks great on her.

    • shellGame says:

      This dress is everything, comfy, elegant + high fashion. I have to say- what did she do w her eyes? Is she going the cat eye surgery or is it eyeliner? She looks like the late Anne Heche?

      • McGee says:

        She suddenly has an Anne Heche look to her. Some subtle work that brought out a similarity. Not said to judge but it startled me as I’m scrolling trying to gear down for bed.

        EDITED POSTSCRIPT
        Oh, ha, I see I’m neither the only one to notice and nor the first that resemblance

  2. Michel says:

    It doesn’t matter if your rich & famous or not, sending your kids to college is hard. It’s something you want for them and and work hard to get but it rips your heart out when they leave. I cried my eyes out when all three if my kids left.

  3. Emily says:

    She looks great. Good for her. I am turning 50 in a couple of years and I hope I will be in as good of shape, because I think 50 might be difficult. I am working on it!

    I am so happy Apple is in college, getting an education. I heard an internet rumor that she is at Vanderbilt.

    I actually love this dress on Gwyneth.

    • Mimi says:

      She’s thin, but that outfit is not flattering.

    • mia girl says:

      I mean, YES, she looks great… but to me, she doesn’t look like she really feeling it in this dress. Her posture and facial expression seems to say “I’m not so sure about this”.

      Agree with @Kaiser that the dress would have worked better without the cut-out (and frankly aren’t they on their way out again?!).

      I think she actually would have looked even sexier without the cut out and would have owned it more. With it, she looks like a try-hard Bravo housewife.

  4. Lady Baden-Baden says:

    Best she’s looked for a long time

    • [insert_catchy_name] says:

      Agreed.

      I don’t like Goop as a person, and for a long time she’s looked pretty bad- hair, skin, etc. But she looks great here!

      Although I don’t like the dress.

  5. Eurydice says:

    The midriff cutout isn’t the worst of this – the stripes, the poofy uni-sleeve, the wad of fabric trailing behind her. It’s like she wrapped herself in a shower curtain and pinned the rosette tie-backs to her shoulder. Maybe in a single color that doesn’t wash her out and lose the train – because the draping across the bust and hips looks good on her.

    • Betsy says:

      I was thinking more like she’d ripped the sheets and made do by wearing them, but we’re on the same wavelength. She’s got an enviable body but that outfit is awful.

      Her face doesn’t look like her anymore. I always wonder if it’s aging or if it’s interventions.

    • Silver Birch says:

      I was thinking shower curtain, too! Those stripes are bloody awful!

  6. SIde Eye says:

    I love the dress! She looks really great. The sleeve of the dress makes it interesting without being too distracting.

  7. ThinkFirst says:

    I was just like Gwyneth last September when my twin daughters left for uni. It was wonderful when they came home for Christmas. But Covid extended their stay to a month and by mid January Ithought, “It’s time for you to go now.” We all adjust.

    • Alarmjaguar says:

      I also have twins who will both leave for college in a few years and I am already sad. Both at the same time is going to be so hard!

  8. lucy2 says:

    I agree, I’d like it better without the cut out.
    Glad to hear Apple is continuing her education in college.

    • SarahCS says:

      Yes and yes, I came here to say much the same thing. Cutouts ruin (in my opinion) so many outfits these days! I need them to cycle out again please.

  9. Prairiegirl says:

    Dress looks great on her though I wouldn’t have chosen stripes if given the option.

  10. crogirl says:

    I could never feel an ounce of sympathy for Gwwyneth after she praised Brad Pitt and gushed how much she loved him after his abuse was exposed.

  11. kerfuffles says:

    I like the dress on her. It looks great. But I think it’s a very summery/spring look and not all that appropriate for late October. Maybe the summery look has to do with it being a “Solaire Culture” exhibit, whatever, that is supposed to mean?

    Speaking of the sun…she really is a poster child for wearing sunscreen. She has a lot of sun damage on her chest and even her face. It’s always been hard for me to take her seriously as a skincare saleswoman when she openly admits she doesn’t wear sunscreen sometimes because she thinks the sun is good for her skin.

  12. tamsin says:

    A very fun look and Gwyneth looks great. I think the cutout gives optical relief from the dizziness of the stripes. It would be optically overwhelming otherwise. What’s with the obsession with big sprays of fabric at the shoulders with CH house lately, though?

  13. dlc says:

    Not a goop fan, but good for her fir encouraging college. and she looks great in the dress.

  14. QuiteContrary says:

    I cried for weeks after my daughter left for college, but I wouldn’t have used the word “horrifying” to describe the experience.
    Beneath my heartbreak was the realization that we are privileged to be able to send her to a good school. Plus, we made it clear that our home is always hers, too. Her room will always be her room (to share with whomever she wishes).

  15. MsIam says:

    I like it but she looks bland wearing it. Maybe better hair, jewelry, something? JLo would wear the hell out of that dress!

  16. Tiredmomof2 says:

    Apple is at Vanderbilt. I have a son there. We did not see her or Apple at Family Weekend in September.

  17. Gabby says:

    I am shocked that so many of you like this dress. It drains all the color out of her face. Full disclosure, I don’t like vertical stripes in clothing period. Anyway, this dress has too much going on… a fabric corsage, bare midriff, high slit and a damn train? Just no.

  18. Lala11_7 says:

    Like Julia last week in that “Barbiecore” dress where I felt like that was the BEST I had seen Julia look…because she was…as folks say…”Feeling herself”…and when you feel GOOOOOOD…about you…it elevates even a mediocre outfit …

    Gwyneth is “Feeling herself” in that outfit & I think she looks GREAT! Though instead of the cutout in the middle I would have preferred a solid color in that area to break up those lines

  19. sparrow says:

    I normally love Carolina Herrera. The thing is, Gwyneth Paltrow gives off this laid back boho look with bed head hair, so the wrap around feel of this dress should be perfect for her. However, there is a formality to black and white stripes that is too geometric for the devil may care structure of the dress, whoever got to wear it. One block of colour, perhaps a pastel or vibrant yellow, would have made sense with the cut. I also think black and white together like this doesn’t quite match G’s skin tone.

    What has she done to her under eye area so that they swoop up so strangely? That’s a change.

    I don’t mind her. Thing is, I’ve just read upthread that she defended Brad Pitt, so maybe I should reassess.

  20. jferber says:

    It’s alright. She looks like she should be going on a cruise. The dragging part would need to be held up in certain places, okay for the beach (only sand).

  21. Kirsten says:

    She looks great. If I had to nitpick, the skirt maybe needs fewer pleats/tucks? But overall this is a great dress.

  22. shanaynay says:

    I’m sorry I think the dress is awful, and GP looks horrible in it.

  23. goofpuff says:

    Eh the dress is nice but the styling is all wrong and boring. I would have gone with a different color at the very least. The white/black stripes color tones are not flattering on her especially with the makeup/hair.

  24. Jennifer says:

    It looks like a bed sheet. She could wear almost anything and this was it? Time for a new stylist. It’s just not flattering. Just my two cents.

  25. Aeren says:

    She looks great. The dress looks like CH stole my Pottery Barn sheets and fashioned it into something to wear.

  26. Emmy Rae says:

    This dress is fun but the thing is I used to have bed sheets with the same thickness of stripes that was white and dark grey. So this looks exactly like Caroline Herrerra nabbed my sheets and did a mice-from-cinderella thing and made them into a gown.

  27. Nadine says:

    Her face is giving me ‘Anne Heche’ vibes.

    Love the dress. This might be my ‘Countdown to 50’ goal picture.
    Or as much as a 5’0’ Sicilian brunette can.

  28. TheVolvesSeidr says:

    The dress reminds me of Carmen Miranda.

  29. Cessily says:

    The outfit/dress is ok, the fabric is awful imo. Not a fan of stripes at all, this many kind make me dizzy.
    As for kids heading to college/university I was so excited for my children to enter their next phase of life.. I celebrated with them and cried the entire way home. It was hard, but they both called daily just to talk which helped a lot, getting a surprise call when they were walking from class to class was wonderful. The best was when my oldest son called because the dials/button on the washing machine were not like the ones at home and he forgot what to set it on. It was great getting to know your child in the transition period between childhood and true adult hood. Never let them see you cry.

    • Duch says:

      I think them seeing you cry a bit is fine, but I saved the guy-wrenching sobs until I was alone.

  30. Marley says:

    Times have changed. When my friends and I left for college in the late 70s, we couldn’t wait to get out on our own. We only brought a few suitcases or maybe a small trunk, and many of us took a bus on own or were dropped off briefly and told, “See you at Christmas.” Long distance phone calls were expensive, so we were told to call only in case of emergency. You might write a few letters instead. Many of us came from large families, so having one kid out of the house didn’t seem to throw our parents for a loop. They were always happy to see us and curious about how things were going, but didn’t seem particularly distressed when we left again. I asked my mom about it and she said that in those days parents didn’t generally think of their children as their best friends, and they considered that their job was to produce independent adults. But that’s just my experience, I’m sure it varied by family or maybe cultural background.

  31. SomeChick says:

    I like this dress (and was steeling myself as she often dresses terribly imho). I do think it would look better on someone with more curves tho. also the hem is 1/2″ too long.

    hem your gowns, people! or wear the shoes you tried it on with! it’s such a simple thing but it looks so untidy when the fabric puddles at the hem. I’ve even seen Angelina in a too long gown – at the freaking Oscars! Billy Porter Would Never.

  32. L4Frimaire says:

    I really like this dress and it looks good on her. It seems more like a spring/summer look than something you wear in October. That warm California weather means seasonless dressing.

  33. Nomuffinsleft says:

    Naa, no time for the Pitt enabler. Same goes for Anniston. They are deplorable in their efforts to shield the domestic abuser with their performative “friendship”

  34. BeanieBean says:

    If this were a flower pattern, it would look just like something Dorothy Lamour would have worn in one of those road movies with Bob & Bing.

  35. villanelle says:

    I like the dress. I don’t like it on her. I think someone not white/pale can carry this way more successfully.