Don't Let Blake Lively Ruin Florals For You

Here are seven other floral examples to restore your faith.

My beef with Blake Lively extends beyond the It Ends With Us drama - which I am LIVING for, by the way, because I have a sad little life.

You may recall me writing of my bewilderment at all the online praise she receives for being completely basic at every Met Gala. Then, her relationship with Ryan Reynolds is discussed as the pinnacle of “couple goals,” as if our standards for a partner are so low that the perfect marriage consists of a plantation wedding and trolling each other online.

The internet seems to have finally realized that Lively is not cool, calling her out for being a bonafide mean girl in interviews and trivializing domestic violence. Less problematic is her questionable taste, which the press tour for It Ends With Us has only exemplified.

@blakelively

As far as I'm concerned, Zendaya and Law Roach perfected the method dressing trend. Margot Robbie commercialized it for Barbie and then Deadpool and Wolverine ruined it for everyone. And we still have to survive Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice before the year is out.

It Ends With Us continues to beat this dead horse of a trend as Lively churns out hideous floral look after hideous floral look to nod to her character, Lily Blossom Bloom, who works as a florist (seriously). The film's promotion encourages you to "Grab your friends. Wear your florals" to go watch a movie about domestic violence. Needless to say, the film’s marketing has been dragged, but that doesn't mean we should cancel the print altogether.

However, florals have had a bad run lately. In addition to being associated with a heavily memed film, it’s been a very soft summer for them, while just about every other print enjoyed various levels of success.

Animal print, polka dots, food and fruit graphics and stripes have appeared at every Northern Hemisphere mass retailer, dictating commercial SS24 trends. Though with the exception of Y2K-esque hibiscus flowers, florals haven’t been shown the same love. Take a look at how the US has been searching for them this year on Pinterest compared to leopard print.

Mango & Cider

Due to my love of black, I’m not a very floral person. When I returned to Australia from the UK, one thing that delighted me was how Melbournians flat-out ignored the floral midi dress memo that was so prevalent in London. Yet, I can appreciate florals when done well (e.g. not on Blake Lively).

While I had hoped not to write about this pattern after the Met Gala, here is some fresh floral inspo to keep your interest in the classic print alive until the chaotic It Ends With Us saga runs its course.

Copenhagen Fashion Week Street Style

@vicmontanari, @jasminkuusiniemi, @karyastreetstyle, @ritamontezuma, @dahanadcr

Rosalía’s Durry Bouquet For Charli XCX

@rosalia.vt & @charli_xcx

Viv Chen

@vivthemole

Hodan Yousuf

@hodanyousuf

Jing Yu

@yuki_injo

Devon Aoiki For Vogue In 2023

@devonaoki

Anna Sui + Heaven

@heavn

Or just pose with fresh flowers and call it a day.

@by.regiina and of course Jeremy Allen White