I am having trouble articulating why, exactly, this isn’t landing for me. So as usual I will throw words at the problem.

Something is clashing here, keeping this from gelling for me. I’m FAIRLY sure it’s the hair, because the gown itself is very pretty. The hair may be what’s shading the whole thing. I mean, I’m sure that coif is supposed to look soft and romantic, but instead somehow — the height, the white-blondness? — it’s adding a decade to her, which directly fights with the ruffled, nightgown-like cut of the dress. It’s weird. She ticked the boxes of interesting shoes, and a soft but visible lip, and the dress fits and isn’t silly… and yet somehow the overall effect for me is a bit brittle, or waxen, for lack of any better words. Maybe I just like my Kidman fully decked out in hardcore glamour, and this is too gentle, too cutesy – unlike the kooky but effective Gucci from the CMAs. Or that she needs bold lips, always, as used here to lovely effect. Maybe, then, on her this all reads too Massengill, like she’s cavorting through a field of flowers while someone discusses how to use a hygiene product correctly.

Sigh. I keep hoping that if I type long enough, I’ll stumble upon a succinct explanation. Clearly THAT hasn’t come to pass. And so I turn it over to you: Is it working, is it oddly discordant, or is it just an obvious wrong step?

I think...

  • that it's working beautifully (8%, 246 Votes)
  • that something just isn't adding up (74%, 2,275 Votes)
  • that I could fix this! (18%, 537 Votes)

Total Voters: 3,058

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[Photo: Getty]