Penn Badgley is in his Constance Billard era.
Over the course of a single day, the 36-year-old You and Gossip Girl star wore two skirt suits at Paris Fashion Week, starting with the gray skirt and duster jacket combo he rocked at the Valentino show on October 1. Badgley paired the spring-summer 2024 menswear look with a white dress shirt and tie, though he added a bit of a Jenny Humphrey edge with a pair of black combat boots, shades, and a hint of metal at the bottom of his necktie.
Lest you think the knee-length hemline lacks spice, the skirt features a sexy little thigh slit. I mean, come on. You can’t tell me the Gossip Girlies wouldn’t eat this look up—just like Badgley did.
Later in the evening, Badgley swapped out the gray for a similar black skirt suit, though he kept the shirt, tie, and combat boots from the beginning of the day. No need to worry about smelly feet, though: Badgley switched his gray crew socks with a vibrant blue pair. They may not be the obvious choice, but a true member of Manhattan’s elite isn’t afraid of taking risks in the name of fashion.
Penn Badgley clearly learned a thing or two from his time on the set of Gossip Girl, though he’ll never understand how Dan Humphrey ended up the titular gossip monger (don’t you dare come at me about spoilers; it’s literally been more than 10 years since the finale aired). “It doesn’t make sense at all,” he told in 2015. “It wouldn’t have made sense for anybody. Gossip Girl doesn’t make sense!” Still, he conceded, “But no, it made enough sense. He was a writer.”
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The Harry Potter star channeled another fictional overachiever during Milan Fashion Week.
In a 2021 interview with he agreed that Dan was “the worst” and explained why the Brooklyn dweller’s actions were particularly insidious. “He outed his sister losing her virginity,” he said. “These storylines are twisted. This is villainous. I am known for playing offputting and villainous characters.… How did I end up here?”
Don’t worry, Penn. With Gossip Girl, it’s best not to think too hard about the plot and just obsess over the clothes like the rest of us. You’re nailing it.
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Pink just looks so good on them.