Pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo pulled an unexpected style twist when she attended the 2022 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala in Toronto on September 24th. While paying tribute to one of her biggest musical muses, Alanis Morissette, Rodrigo dressed the part in a nostalgic ’90s-chic slip dress that felt like a subtle homage to the era that influenced her artistry.
In an eye-catching white satin mini dress with black lace trim and delicate all-over lace detailing, 19-year-old Rodrigo embodied youthful schoolgirl vibes meets grungy genius. The spaghetti-strapped silhouette featured a slim bodice cinched at the waist, leading into a flowy skirt cut right above the knee for a leg-baring effect. Rodrigo amped up the vamp factor with a matching black lace choker necklace and artfully messy braids threaded throughout her long, dark mane.
She completed the throwback look with a rich wine-colored lipstick in a matte finish, coppery shadow swept across her lids, and sharply arched brows. To pose alongside her musical hero Morissette at the event, Rodrigo exuded sophisticated edge and celebrated individualism in the fashion sphere. Her stylist has brilliantly created looks for Rodrigo that bridge trendy aesthetics popular with Gen Z audiences and subtle nods to the culture-drivers who paved the way for artists like her.
While Morissette glittered in a red hot pantsuit for the evening, 47-year-old Rodrigo held her own in the delicate lace dress that felt plucked straight from the warped closets of ’90s alt queens. Recalling slip styles favored by leading ladies of the era like Winona Ryder, Claire Danes and Drew Barrymore, Rodrigo’s dress made a subtle yet powerful reference through fashion to the icons who shaped the soundscape. Much like her songwriting itself weaves teenage tales of love and angst told through both modern and throwback lyrical lenses.
Later in the evening, Rodrigo had the honor of inducting Morissette into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, after the two artists first connected for Rolling Stone’s May 2022 cover story. Dressed like the alt figures she was celebrating, Rodrigo’s nostalgic lace mini dress symbolized her admiration for Morissette’s legacy as an artistic trailblazer of the ‘90s. The poised and gritty outfit selection authentically reflected where Rodrigo pulls inspiration from, both past and present, to create pop music that uniquely represents her own generation.
