What is the best revenge? Some people say it's happiness. Some people say it's success. Jennifer Lopez says it's wearing a nearly-naked revenge dress on an international red carpet and looking damn good doing it.
For her first official public appearance since filing for divorce from Ben Affleck, Lopez arrived at the Sept. 6 Toronto International Film Festival premiere of Unstoppable in a mirrored Tamara Ralph gown styled by her longtime collaborators Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn. That sentence belies just how dramatic the fall 2024 couture gown is.
In front, Lopez's gown resembled a molten disco ball, with mirrored panels that dripped down her frame in a column silhouette. Extra-oversize, velveteen bows perched on her shoulders and at intervals along the sides. Turns out, they were holding the dress together.
When Lopez turned at an angle, she revealed that her dress was completely open along either side. The velvet bows tied two far-apart panels together, revealing her entire torso, legs, and tasteful side boob. If anyone else walked the carpet, we didn't see it—all eyes couldn't help but land on this look.
J.Lo played off the shine of her dress with towering silver platform heels by Dolce & Gabbana and select pieces of diamond jewelry by Hassanzadeh, including delicate drop earrings and an index finger ring. She also carried a glittering Judith Leiber bag.
Lopez was attending the Toronto International Film Festival to promote Unstoppable, a film about a rising star in wrestling. It's a contentious project considering her recent relationship news: She acts in the movie and Ben Affleck is credited as a producer. Her soon-to-be-ex-husband did not join her on the carpet.
Before arriving at the Toronto International Film Festival, Jennifer Lopez has spent the summer in a range of revenge dresses—if the definition includes any smoking-hot piece purchased after a breakup. She turned 55 in a sheer Dior naked dress. She hit a Broadway show in watercolor florals. She stopped by work in verdant emerald green (and a swap for her Hermès bag). She filled her Hamptons suitcase with romantic day dresses. They all suggested she's feeling herself as much as ever.
Lopez's dress slots neatly into the Hollywood canon of naked dresses, taken up by celebrities from Meghann Fahy (at The Perfect Couple premiere in lacy Victoria Beckham) to Emily Ratajkowski (in more than we can list here). Many dresses shock and awe for a day because there are simply so many. But like her dramatic plunge Versace dress at the 2000 Grammys, J.Lo's Toronto International Film Festival gown might go down in style history.
The singer reportedly wants to make over her image following her divorce. Her debut red carpet look after a major personal moment is saying what she hasn't directly: She's doing great.
