Maybe it’s just my inner Californian, but I’ve always hesitated to admit that I need a pair of gloves. I feel overly dramatic in them, or worry that I look like a cartoonish cat burglar. But Charli XCX is making me reconsider my uncertainty.
The singer is doing double duty at SNL this week, taking up the mantle of both host and musical guest. (It was really only a matter of time after Bowen Yang impersonated her in a public access parody called the talk talk show.) Following her first day of rehearsals, Charli strolled through New York City in a black utilitarian Saint Laurent jumpsuit featuring double breast pockets and a leather belt cinching her waist. She matched the gold hardware on her belt to her black leather Saint Laurent bag with gold details. While she brought the brat energy with her visor shades and black pointy-toe boots, Charli made the outfit pop with her black intrecciato Bottega Veneta gloves. There are no cat burglar vibes to speak of here.
Charli XCX is far from the only SNL host to treat rehearsals as an opportunity to dress to the nines. Sydney Sweeney turned 30 Rock into a runway last year, wearing the likes of Bottega Veneta and Versace, while Ayo Edebiri also rocked a full Bottega look for her turn. Jennifer Lopez, Dakota Johnson, and Olivia Rodrigo have also followed suit.
Fashion, as we know, is an armor. It allows us to present as confident, even if we’re feeling otherwise. Charli copped to experiencing some nerves ahead of Saturday night. “snl week and i’m totally chill af i fucking swear im not freaking out like at all like,” she tweeted not long after the photos of her strutting through FiDi were taken. In her sleek, über-cool look, we would’ve never guessed.