Kate Hudson is one of those people that doesn’t just wear many hats as an entrepreneur and actor, but does it in such a way that everyone wants to emulate her ‘cool girl’, laidback, effortless approach.
She might have made her screen debut in the dramedy Desert Blue (1998) as a teen, but it was Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical now cult-favourite film Almost Famous (2000) that made her a breakthrough artist in Hollywood and recipient of the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. And who can forget her character Penny Lane’s Woodstock-esque wardrobe of flared Levi's 501s, tan suede mini skirts, crop tops and platform wedges?
In recent years, Hudson’s name has become synonymous with that golden backless dress from How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, and red carpet moments in Michael Kors. But long before the likes of Rihanna were praised for baring their pregnancy bumps in public, Hudson reminded us that she was ‘showing the belly’ back in the early Noughties.
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Ahead of the release of her latest film, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the mother-of-three sat down with ELLE UK to look back at her moment memorable fashion moments over the years.
‘I was pregnant with Ryder,’ she began, while recalling her two-piece silver Chanel look at the 2003 Venice Film Festival. ‘I can’t believe now that I look back how young I was. I remember when I wore my belly out it was like ‘huh’, and I was like “it’s not that big of a…it’s just my belly”. But I wore my belly out and it caused quite a bit of a stir.
‘Now people love the belly out, but I loved it. That was my favourite fashion moment for me.’
Elsewhere in the video Hudson looked in shock while thinking back to a Gap T-shirt, ‘mom’ jeans and Dr. Martens ensemble she wore for an outing in Park Avenue with her mother, actor Goldie Hawn.
‘I’m with my mother Goldie and I’m wearing probably Gap,’ she said of the look. ‘I was very athletic. There was a time when it was all Gap. It was not attractive at all. For me, I mean, looking back, I’m like no, not my style.’
On her mother’s Nineties ensemble, she added: ‘I love my mum’s wardrobe. This is such a funny picture. My mum’s old uniform was a bodysuit, jeans and a fanny pack. That was mum throughout most of my childhood, whether it was a white bodysuit or tank top, but also light jeans – stonewash jeans – and cowboy boots or some kind of boot… But my mum still probably has that fanny pack and probably still wears it. We call it "hands free living".'
As for her Glass Onion character Birdie Jay’s scene-stealing multicoloured dress, designed by costume designer Jenny Eagan, Hudson recalled it being the ‘hero dress’. ‘I loved it so much and then of course, I was in that dress a long time. About a month and a half. By the end of it I was like “thank God Jenny made something so comfortable and so easy to wear”.'
From wearing pink sequins and feathers to the Met Gala to receiving a bespoke Bob Mackie-designed bow as a child, Hudson’s has officially cemented her name as one of our favourite sartorial muses forever.
Watch Kate Hudson’s It’s A Mood interview at the top of this article.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is out now on Netflix.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
