Kate Moss Proves Polka Dots Can Be a Little Punk

Kate Moss built her wardrobe on bias-cut slips, cigarette-slim tailoring, and the kind of louche layering that feels almost slept-in. She is perhaps the main arbiter of sleek London model cool, of course, long allergic to anything resembling twee. Which is exactly why her latest outing felt like such an unexpected departure.

At the Los Angeles premiere of Sandiwara, a new short film by Sean Baker from Self-Portrait’s residency program, Moss traded her signature rock-and-roll for something decidedly more polished and prim. She wore a silk two-piece blouse and slip dress done in an elegant navy satin with white polka dots. With its soft drape and ladylike finishes—buttons running up the bodice, demure lace trimming the hem—the ensemble felt like it belonged in the wardrobe of another Kate entirely. Middleton, that is.

Moss managed to rough it up, however. She wore jet black lace-up boots, adding a fair amount of edge to the look, and opted for stacks of silver rings and mismatched bracelets. The model completed her look with natural skin, a nude lip, and her famous tousled blonde hair with dark roots.

Moss has never been shy about experimenting with her style. But, over the years, the model has become associated with a kind of undone, rock minimalism rather than the softly polished femininity she showed last night. Her latest outfits, including slim jeans and a major Conner Ives coat, pared-back tailoring, and sleek model-off-duty staples, only reinforce that reputation.

With Paris Fashion Week on the horizon, should we expect a new, more romantic Moss to emerge? We won’t hold our breath.