Gwyneth Paltrow is Really Having a Moment Right Now
Gwyneth Paltrow, actress, Goop owner and wellness guru extraordinaire, seems to be all over the news these days. First it was the viral podcast moment, clips spread across our TikTok feeds. Now it is her Utah court case; her demeanor, the lawyer and, most importantly, Gwyneth’s choice of clothes.
Photo: Getty Images via Marie Claire
On a podcast with her doctor, Gwyneth said that she does ‘intermittent fasting’ (read: she skips breakfast), and usually has soup (bone broth) for lunch (read: she also skips lunch). It seems like for a week, every other TikTok on my feed consisted of clips of this podcast, people responding to it. There was backlash over her perpetuation of disordered eating, then her response, in which she says that her diet is simply ‘what works for her’.
A quick search of the name “Gwyneth Paltrow” in your news app will show dozens of articles covering the content of the court case, the bizarre details of the trial, or her stylistic choices. Everyone is reporting on it: The Wall Street Journal, Vogue, even The New York Times. It is garnering almost as much attention as Johnny Depp’s case against Amber Heard last year, despite its much, much lower stakes. I mean really, why do we care so much that one wealthy ski vacationer is suing another, more famous, ski vacationer? Because of Gwyneth.
Photo: Getty Images via Fashion Magazine
It is true that her fashion choices throughout the trial have been a stylistic and optic triumph. She is going for what has been dubbed stealth wealth; discreetly expensive, neutral and natural clothing that isn’t ostentatious about the fact that it costs a fortune. A white knit sweater, leather lace up boots, and a gray suit are among the things she wore to look minimal and classy. Accessorizing with minimal makeup, 70s glasses, and a glass bottle of San Pellegrino were all points that made the internet go crazy.
Photo: Getty Images via Fashion Magazine
One thing that is clear through all of this is that Paltrow is a master of optics. Her clothing choices are meant to play not only to the courtroom, but specifically to the courtroom in Park City, Utah, where her trial is being held, a town of wealthy skiers. Though she is known for her alternative health and wellness products and practices, she is paring all of that back and going for someone who is humble and relatable in the courtroom.
The fact that the entire internet is eating all of this up with a spoon shows that what she’s doing is working. It is an exceptionally quick turnaround from the backlash that she faced over the podcast clip from last week.