Vanessa Hudgens Style: Versace Ankle-Strap Sandals & Acler Puff-Sleeve Top

On August 1, 2019, Vanessa Hudgens attended the VIP preview of the Weedmaps Museum of Weed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, wearing an all-black look that paired an Acler off-the-shoulder bodice with wide-leg Claudia Li trousers and black satin Versace ankle-strap sandals.

The temporary 30,000-square-foot museum on North Cahuenga Boulevard was created by Weedmaps as an interactive look at cannabis history, prohibition, the War on Drugs, legalization, and the science of the plant. Hudgens joined guests including Tommy Chong and Ireland Baldwin for the opening celebration.

Vanessa Hudgens wears an all-black Acler and Claudia Li ensemble at the Weedmaps Museum of Weed VIP preview in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on August 1, 2019 (Credit: FayesVision / WENN)

Hudgens also spoke about the museum’s focus on cannabis education and the consequences of non-violent drug convictions. “The story of cannabis is such a fascinating story to me. It’s mind-blowing to me how many people are incarcerated because of non-violent possession…It’s really important to educate yourself as well, and I think that this museum will kind of debunk this mysticism that’s been around it,” she told THR at the event.

Vanessa Hudgens Goes Monochrome in Acler and Claudia Li

For the occasion, Hudgens kept the palette almost entirely black, allowing the proportions and textures to define the outfit. She wore Acler’s Suki pleated off-the-shoulder bodice, which featured a corset-like fitted body and voluminous puff sleeves.

Acler’s Suki bodice frames Vanessa Hudgens’ shoulders with a pleated neckline and dramatic puff sleeves, adding volume to her otherwise streamlined black look

She paired the cropped bodice with black wide-leg pants from Claudia Li’s Pre-Fall 2019 collection. The trousers featured floral-printed fold-over cuffs at the hem, introducing a small flash of white and red to the monochromatic outfit.

The high waist and long, fluid trouser legs also played with proportion on Hudgens’ petite frame. Standing 5ft 1in (154.9 cm) and wearing a US size 7 shoe, Hudgens has frequently used platforms, stilettos, and other statement heels to add height to her red-carpet looks.

Floral-printed fold-over cuffs bring a subtle white-and-red contrast to Vanessa Hudgens’ floor-skimming black Claudia Li trousers

Her beauty look stayed equally streamlined, with a center-parted lob styled in loose, glossy waves, warm-toned eye makeup, and a nude lip. She accessorized with rings, a bracelet, and delicate jewelry by Jacquie Aiche, a jewelry designer also worn by Rihanna.

Black Versace Ankle-Strap Sandals Finish the Look

Hudgens finished the outfit with black satin Versace open-toe sandals featuring slender toe and ankle straps, gold-tone buckle hardware, a slim stiletto heel, and a slight platform beneath the forefoot.

The minimalist silhouette was a natural match for the volume of the Claudia Li trousers. Rather than adding another statement element, the black satin heels continued the monochromatic palette while providing substantial height beneath the floor-skimming pants.

Her choice also illustrates why ankle-strap heels remain such an enduring evening-shoe silhouette: a narrow toe strap and slender ankle fastening can keep a high stiletto visually light even when paired with more voluminous clothing.

Hudgens has returned to this footwear formula repeatedly. At the 2016 People’s Choice Awards, she balanced a metallic gown with minimalist black Stuart Weitzman Myex strappy sandals, another barely-there style built around thin straps and a high heel.

Vanessa Hudgens’ black Versace sandals feature a satin finish, slender stiletto heel, slight platform, single toe strap, and gold-buckle ankle strap

The same Versace design was also produced in red, making its pared-back construction particularly easy to see: a single band across the toes, a covered heel counter, a delicate buckled ankle strap, and a towering stiletto.

The red version of Versace’s satin sandal highlights the shoe’s minimalist construction, from its single toe strap and slight platform to its slender ankle strap and stiletto heel

Vanessa Hudgens’ Long-Running Love of Statement Heels

The Museum of Weed look fits neatly into Hudgens’ broader shoe history. Her wardrobe has moved between bohemian flats and towering evening heels, but slim strappy sandals have remained a recurring choice when she wants the clothes to take center stage.

She has worn similarly understated heels with very different silhouettes, including Stuart Weitzman’s barely-there Nudist sandals with a green satin Diane von Furstenberg dress and black Jimmy Choo Misty satin stilettos with a sculptural black gown. Both show the same basic styling idea: a narrow-strapped sandal adds height without visually competing with the outfit.

Versace has also become part of Hudgens’ footwear rotation. In 2022, she moved from towering metallic Versace platforms to Valentino and Miu Miu heels, showing how readily she switches between barely-there stilettos and exaggerated platforms while keeping footwear central to the look.