Blake Lively turned the May 2, 2019, New York City premiere of Pokémon Detective Pikachu into both a pregnancy reveal and a character-inspired fashion moment.
Supporting husband Ryan Reynolds, who voiced Pikachu in the film, Lively wore the character’s unmistakable color in a canary-yellow Retrofête Rebecca sequin gown. The fitted dress featured a plunging neckline, thigh-high slit, and waist sash positioned above her baby bump, while Stuart Weitzman’s barely-there Nudist sandals added an unexpected mix of soft pastel colors.
Blake Lively supports Ryan Reynolds at the Pokémon Detective Pikachu premiere in New York City on May 2, 2019, wearing a yellow Retrofête gown with Stuart Weitzman Nudist sandals (Credit: WENN / Ivan Nikolov)
Blake Lively Channels Pikachu in a Yellow Retrofête Sequin Gown
The Retrofête Rebecca gown, which retailed for about $670 at the time, was covered in metallic yellow sequins. Its thigh-high slit exposed Lively’s shoes as she moved and posed, while the tied waist defined the dress just above her growing bump.
The monochromatic yellow was particularly fitting for a premiere centered on Pikachu. Long before celebrity “method dressing” became a familiar red-carpet talking point, Lively used color and clothing to reference the project she was promoting.
Blake Lively’s canary-yellow Retrofête Rebecca sequin gown featured a thigh-high slit and a waist sash positioned above her baby bump
Lively carried the playful color story into her accessories with a crystal-covered Judith Leiber beach-ball clutch. Lorraine Schwartz supplied the jewelry, including multicolored gemstone drop earrings and stacked statement rings that brought blue, pink, and yellow accents into the look.
She also departed from her familiar loose waves, styling her hair in tight, voluminous curls that gave the ensemble a distinctly retro finish.
Blake Lively accessorizes her yellow Retrofête gown with a crystal-covered Judith Leiber beach-ball clutch and colorful statement jewelry
Stuart Weitzman Nudist Sandals Add a Pastel Finish
For footwear, Lively chose Stuart Weitzman’s Nudist sandals in a multicolored pastel finish. The minimalist design features a pale yellow toe strap, peach-toned ankle strap, and lavender and powder-blue accents, all set on an approximately 4.5-inch stiletto heel.
Despite their mix of colors, the slender straps and largely exposed foot kept the sandals visually light beneath the sequined gown. The soft pastel palette also echoed the playful mood of the Pokémon Detective Pikachu premiere without competing with the saturated yellow dress.
Blake Lively reveals her third pregnancy in a Pikachu-yellow Retrofête sequin gown at the 2019 Pokémon Detective Pikachu premiere in New York City
Her 4.5-Inch Heels Continued a Maternity Style Pattern
The height of the Stuart Weitzman sandals was noteworthy because Lively was visibly pregnant, but towering heels were hardly new territory for her maternity wardrobe.
When Lively made her first-pregnancy red carpet debut in 2014, she paired a Michael Kors gown with nude-python Christian Louboutin So Kate pumps measuring about five inches high.
During her second pregnancy in 2016, heels became an even more consistent part of her wardrobe. At the Met Gala, Lively wore red Christian Louboutin Benedetta sandals with a Burberry gown, choosing a strappy statement shoe that made a much stronger visual impact than the barely-there Stuart Weitzman silhouette she would wear three years later.
Her 2016 Cannes wardrobe offered an especially useful comparison. Lively paired a gold Valentino dress with metallic Jimmy Choo Hesper sandals, another barely-there stiletto design whose fine straps kept the footwear from overwhelming a statement dress.
Blake Lively’s Stuart Weitzman Nudist sandals mix pale yellow, peach, lavender, and powder-blue accents on an approximately 4.5-inch stiletto heel
The difference is that Lively did not always make her maternity footwear disappear. During a particularly busy stretch of The Shallows promotion in New York, she rotated through Christian Louboutin Miss Taos pumps, Jonatina sandals, silver So Kates, embellished Tudor Bal sandals, Miziggoo sandals, and Giuseppe Zanotti Lauren heels with six different outfits.
One of the boldest was a black sequined Versace dress with Giuseppe Zanotti Lauren cage sandals. Their six buckled straps and approximately 4.7-inch sculptural heels made the shoe itself the focal point. At the Detective Pikachu premiere three years later, Lively again chose towering heels, but Stuart Weitzman’s Nudist silhouette took a lighter approach: its barely-there construction exposed most of the foot, while pale yellow, peach, lavender, and powder-blue accents added color without overpowering the sequined gown.
Stuart Weitzman’s multicolored Nudist sandals combine pale yellow, peach, lavender, and powder-blue leather with barely-there straps and an approximately 4.5-inch stiletto heel
Why the Stuart Weitzman Nudist Became a Celebrity Red Carpet Favorite
Blake Lively’s pregnancy look illustrates the larger appeal of Stuart Weitzman’s Nudist. With only a narrow toe strap and ankle strap holding the foot, the sandal leaves most of the foot exposed, allowing even colorful versions to remain visually light beneath a dress. Nude and skin-toned editions take that effect further by creating a relatively uninterrupted line from leg to foot.
That simple construction made the Nudist particularly adaptable to celebrity dressing: the same basic silhouette could work beneath sequins, prints, lace, tailoring, or brightly colored gowns. Lively’s pastel pair shows the formula didn’t depend on nude leather. Her yellow, peach, lavender, and powder-blue sandals introduced several additional colors to the Detective Pikachu look while still leaving the sequined Retrofête gown as the dominant element.
👠 Explore More Stuart Weitzman Nudist Shoe Moments:
- ✨ See how Stuart Weitzman’s Nudist became a Hollywood red carpet staple — The barely-there sandal has appeared on stars including Jennifer Lawrence, Shailene Woodley, Jennifer Connelly, and Madison Beer since its 2013 debut.
- 🎨 Chloë Grace Moretz pairs Nudist sandals with a graphic Christopher Kane dress — Her 2014 High Line look shows how the minimalist heel can balance an outfit built around strong print and color.
- 🖤 Kendall Jenner wears black Stuart Weitzman Nudist sandals with Calvin Klein — The slim ankle-strap heels provided a restrained finish to her graphic black-and-red dress during New York Fashion Week.
- ✨ Sandra Bullock grounds a sequined Zuhair Murad jumpsuit with Nudist sandals — At the Ocean’s 8 London premiere, the understated heels let heavily embellished eveningwear remain the focus.
- 🌸 Sophia Bush styles the same Stuart Weitzman silhouette three ways — Her repeated Nudist appearances with floral, tailored, and event looks demonstrate why the sandal became such a versatile celebrity favorite.
- 💙 January Jones offsets a playful Peter Pilotto print with nude Nudist sandals — The skin-toned heels quietly ground the dress’s vivid geometric pattern without adding another competing detail.
- 👗 Julianne Hough pairs Nudist sandals with navy Monique Lhuillier — A softer evening look that illustrates how naturally the barely-there silhouette works with romantic lace and streamlined gowns.
- 🌹 Rita Ora wears metallic Nudist sandals beneath dramatic Giambattista Valli couture — The delicate heels give a high-low floral gown breathing room while keeping the leg line visually clean.