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The live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast will waltz its way into theaters this March, with Emma Watson starring as Belle, and Dan Stevens as the beast. The British actress paid homage to her heroine’s French countryside beginnings when she posted a Louis Vuitton look to her new Instagram account earlier today. On location for a photo call at hotel Le Meurice in Paris, Watson took a page from the cartoon’s bookish protagonist, reimagining the sky blue pinafore Belle wears throughout the animated 1991 classic with a fashion-forward edge. The move was a marked departure for Watson, whose red carpet wardrobe generally leans toward the more gamine end of the style spectrum.
Her fashion risk paid off; indeed the cobalt blue asymmetric number hit a sophisticated note and the bold hip and midriff cutouts made for eye-catching and complementary details. Watson kept accessories to a minimum, a smart styling move on her part, one that kept the dress’s dramatic look in check. Leather ankle boots with a pointed toe evoked an Old World folkloric charm that was reminiscent of the sturdy galoshes traditionally associated with male characters of the storybook variety. Then again, Belle has always been one step ahead of her Disney princess peers from a feminist standpoint.