In the new season of “Bridgerton” Nicola Coughlan takes center stage as the main actress Pen. This is how the Irish woman became a style icon.
From the supporting character in the background to the celebrated leading actress of one of the most successful Netflix series: With the start of the third season of “Bridgerton”, Nicola Coughlan (37) has been returning to the screens as series favorite Penelope Featherington since May 16th. In addition to her acting performance, Coughlan has crept into the hearts of the fashion world in recent years as an experimental style icon.
High fashion meets sustainable fashion
The 37-year-old Irishwoman has made a name for herself not only through her roles in “Bridgerton” and “Derry Girls”, but also through her distinctive fashion taste. Together with her stylist Aimée Croysdill (35), she usually presents a unique mix of high-end designs and sustainable fashion. On her social media channels, Coughlan regularly shares her sophisticated outfits, which range from established designers to smaller, sustainably-focused brands.
For elegant red carpet appearances and fashion magazine covers, Coughlan swears by several trademarks that define her unmistakable style: On the one hand, she often wears eye-catching statement earrings that shine out from under her blonde hair, as well as figure-hugging dresses that are wonderfully feminine and Show off your cleavage in a wise way.
Nicola Coughlan wasn’t always a fashion girl
Coughlan wasn’t always a fashion girl, as she describes herself. She admitted that she used to feel intimidated by the fashion world. It was only through her role in “Bridgerton” and meeting her stylist Croysdill that she began to feel more comfortable in the fashion world. “Nicola approached me because she knew she had the ‘Bridgerton’ press tour coming up. We had our first blind date at Selfridges,” recalls Croysdill.
The collaboration that emerged from this blind date has proven to be extremely successful. “We always want to try something new, but at the same time stay true to Nicola’s style,” explains Croysdill. Their creative processes often begin with film references, which Coughlan brings in from her extensive collection, while Croysdill provides the fashion references. These sources of inspiration range from Shirley MacLaine (90) in the 1964 film “What a Way to Go!” to Gwyneth Paltrow (51) in “The Royal Tenenbaums” from 2002.
Fashion as a form of self-expression
Coughlan herself emphasizes how much her style has evolved over the years. When she was a teenager, she was very interested in skater fashion and tried to dress like Avril Lavigne. Today she loves trying out different elegant looks. “Now I really enjoy fashion as a form of self-expression and as an extension of the work that I do,” said the “Bridgerton” star.
Away from the red carpet, Coughlan remains down-to-earth and often appears in cozy everyday outfits. Her humorous approach to fashion is also reflected in the fact that she once found herself on American Vogue’s list of the “best-dressed women in the world” – a fact that, she also says, made her friends and family laugh. At home she prefers to wear a “terrible sweater” with a rainbow and the inscription “happy” that she got for free years ago, as well as leggings and socks that were also a freebie. An all-round likeable style icon!
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
