Abby Elliott has a tried-and-true red carpet–dressing mantra: “Wear pieces that make you feel confident and happy.” The former Saturday Night Live cast member and star of The Bear is done trying to dress like someone else (that was for her 20s) and instead has cultivated a style all her own with help from stylist Erica Cloud. Together, the two have been charting a noteworthy fashion journey for award season and beyond complete with classic silhouettes and romantic details that have a bit of edge. See: Elliott’s ethereal white Honor gown at the 2025 Emmys and her pearl-adorned navy Monique Lhuillier gown at the Golden Globes. It’s modern romance at its best.
For the New York City premiere of her latest series, the Peacock psychological drama All Her Fault, Elliott stuck to her mantra in a dreamy Rodarte number from the brand’s F/W 22 collection. The white silk dress with rose-lace tiered sleeves was the ideal combination of sultry and elegant for Elliott, who completed the look with a bold red lip for a perfect pop of color.
The actress invited Who What Wear inside her getting-ready suite for the evening, where Lily Allen’s West End Girl provided the soundtrack and a Cobb salad and a nerve-reducing glass of champagne were on the menu, to give us an up-close peek at all the glamorous details of her look.
We loved your look for the premiere. What was your vision/inspiration going into the evening, and how did this dress speak to that?
Thank you! I wanted the look to feel classic and feminine but with a little bit of a romantic edge. I loved the silhouette. The waist being slightly dropped gave it an art deco feel.
When you first tried it on, what immediately spoke to you about the dress?
I loved the delicate lace. It felt sexy while remaining soft and elegant.
Do you have any philosophies or rules you live by when it comes to red carpet dressing?
Stick with what works. Wear pieces that make you feel confident and happy! And be true to yourself and your intuition. I have wasted a lot of time trying to look like someone else or dress like someone else in my 20s. I look at my 5-year-old daughter, who goes to the park feeling amazing in a too-small shirt with a unicorn on it and two different shoes, and she’s perfectly herself and happy, and it shows!
Talk to us about your glam. Who and what were some of the references on your mood board for hair and makeup?
Christopher Ardoff has been doing my makeup for 12 years now and is one of my favorite people on this Earth. He’s a great makeup artist and always has the best stories.
Brian Magallones is amazing at hair! We’ve been working together for 12 years as well. I always feel the most like myself with a little bend in my hair. Maybe it’s the aging millennial thing, and I’m trying to forget the fact that I flat-ironed my hair stick straight all through middle school and high school. But I don’t care— I will always love a beachy wave. I like to think mine has evolved. A modern beach wave, if you will.
We love that you went for a classic red lip. Do you have a favorite red lip product?
When I’m doing mine at home, I stick with stuff that’s easy to apply. I love Wonderskin’s Blading Lip Stain in Glamorous as well as Violette_FR’s Bisou Balm in Amour Fou. For this look, Christopher used MAC’s Lip Pencil in Brick and Hung Vanngo’s red lipstick.
Take us inside your getting-ready suite. Is it a party or more calm before the storm?
My sister, Bridey, traveled to NYC with me from Los Angeles for the premiere, so she was there with me in the room drinking some champs. We’re listening to Lily Allen’s new album and can’t stop laughing with Brian and Christopher. We coat our stomachs with some room service. I had a Cobb salad because what’s better than a hotel Cobb salad? It’s what my dad always ordered when we would visit him at a hotel on location growing up.
Favorite getting-ready outfit?
Hotel robe all the way!! And then my favorite leopard pajama bottoms.
What did you have playing on the speaker?
West End Girl by Lily Allen.
Any pre-carpet rituals or favorite meal?
A little liquid courage and pinching myself that I get to do a job that I love and celebrate with friends that I absolutely adore.
Your favorite memory with your glam team while getting ready for the evening?
We talked about the late, wonderful Diane Keaton and specifically this quote: “Just have fun, smile, and keep putting on the lipstick.”
All Her Fault promises to be an exciting thriller with a lot of mystery. What really excited you about this project and the role of Lia?
This is the genre of film and TV that I love to watch! This is one that is done very well, so naturally, I was thrilled at the opportunity to be a part of it. And I fell in love with my character, Lia. Lia is a layered, impulsive, sensitive, fractured character with a complicated past and a history of drug addiction. She’s outspoken and desperate for attention, mainly because she feels unheard. She carries a weight, and after a secret is revealed, she finally can see some sort of light.
How was it working alongside Sarah Snook and Dakota Fanning?
They’re incredible actors. Watching them bring Marissa and Jenny to life was a master class, and they are both lovely humans to boot.
What should audiences be prepared for when watching the series?
A lot of feelings and anxiety! There are so many twists and turns, so be prepared to want more and more.
All Her Fault starts streaming on Peacock on November 6.
Photographer: Lucio Andreozzi
Stylist: Erica Cloud
Hairstylist: Brian Magallones
Makeup Artist: Christopher Ardoff
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