If you live and die by Vogue (hey, they don’t call it fashion’s bible for nothing), then you’ve just been formally introduced to actress and sure-to-be style icon Ruth Negga courtesy of the mag’s January 2017 cover. But if you’re like us, the Ethiopian-Irish rising star has been on your sartorial radar for a while now. She’s getting tons of praise for her breakout role in Loving — with a Golden Globe nomination and an almost guaranteed Oscar nod to boot — and she also stars in AMC’s TV show Preacher.
Ruth’s style can best be summed up as quirky yet striking in a retro/modern fashion, both on and off the red carpet. She loves to take risks and, short locks notwithstanding, she has a different hairstyle for every day of the week. Despite being a relative fashion newcomer, Ruth has already imparted quite a few style lessons upon us, from how to make sure a statement dress doesn’t wear you to why winged sleeves need love too. To get schooled in her style, just take note of the seven key tips and tricks highlighted above.
Styling Tips and Tricks We Learned From Ruth Negga
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Winged Sleeves Are Our Friends
Wing-like sleeves are notoriously hard to pull off, but Ruth Negga figured out the trick to making them work: pick a boho silhouette with solid paneling. Just look at how well proportioned the actress appeared in this ethereal white Valentino Spring 2017 patterned piece with a structured bodice panel at the Beverly Hills unveiling of Loving back in October (the white Nicholas Kirkwood Eden Hexagon pumps also helped balance things out).
Image: Allen Berezovsky/WireImage/Getty Images
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Winged Sleeves Are Our Friends
It was another winged Valentino for the film’s Paris premiere earlier this month. The fiery Spring 2017 piece included strategic patterns decorating the neckline, sleeves and the pleated skirt, which added another dimension to the look.
Image: Laurent Viteur/Getty Images
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There's More Than One Way to Rock a Crop Top
Even though crop tops have become pretty ubiquitous, there is a proper way to show some subtle skin. Ruth clearly mastered this trick at the Preacher panel during Comic-Con International 2016 by pairing her striped top with a set of high-waisted black pants featuring see-through sections on the legs for an extra peekaboo element.
Image: Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images
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There's More Than One Way to Rock a Crop Top
Love mixing red and green, but don’t want to come across as a shout-out to Christmas? Take a page from Ruth’s playbook at the Film Independent Forum opening night premiere of Loving by opting for a striped green and white top plus red suede ankle-strap platforms, broken up by 70s-style high-waisted jeans.
Image: Araya Diaz/WireImage/Getty Images
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There's More Than One Way to Rock a Crop Top
This AFI FEST 2016 outfit just screams New Year’s Eve. Its striped paillette-covered crop top and dark high-waisted bottoms serve as the perfect sartorial palate cleanser to kick off 2017 with a bang.
Image: Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images for Audi
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Keep It Simple
We live in a maximalist society, but there’s something to be said for restraint (much to the dismay of Alessandro Michele). Bring out your inner minimalist a la Ruth at South by Southwest by slipping on a simple and sleek black dress punctuated by black pumps.
Image: Roger Kisby/Getty Images for AMC Networks
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Keep It Simple
Minimal doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate a pop of color here and there. Ruth had the right idea at the Preacher 92nd Street Y talk by finishing off her crisp white blouse boasting a subtly embroidered collar and cuffs with coral-colored high-waisted slacks.
Image: Noam Galai/Getty Images for AMC
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Keep It Simple
For the official Academy screening of Loving in late October, Ruth suited up in a basic black jacket and pants. She livened up the look with a white tee and studded black platforms.
Image: Craig Barritt/Getty Images for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
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Keep It Simple
We love Ruth’s tailored Soho look from late November because the devil really was in the details. Proving simple doesn’t have to translate as boring, the slightly ruffled collar on her white blouse, the blink-and-you-miss-it texture of her black jacket and the buckle detail on her black Mary Janes all collaborated to elevate the outfit.
Image: Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty Images
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Short Hair Don't Care
It’s amazing the hairstyles Ruth can fashion from so little. She flaunted her straight strands at the Los Angeles premiere of Preacher in May by letting quite a few frame her face — the overall effect almost stole the spotlight from her heavily bedazzled LBD.
Image: Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images
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Short Hair Don't Care
A couple days later at the Cannes International Film Festival Loving photocall, Ruth went with a more coiffed look further highlighted by her golden Suno patterned dress.
Image: Clemens Bilan/Getty Images
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Short Hair Don't Care
Later that night Ruth sported some retro finger waves at the Loving premiere after-party hosted by Swarovski. The hairstyle was left over from the red carpet, but it still worked well teamed with her more casual black one-piece.
Image: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Focus Features
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Short Hair Don't Care
Ruth rocked a curly ‘do while departing a hotel the day after her film’s Cannes premiere. In conjunction with her summery gingham dress and Morgenthal Frederics Devon sunglasses, there was something very Old Hollywood about this look.
Image: Pierre Suu/GC Images/Getty Images
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When in Doubt, Top It Off
We all have bad hair days (even Ruth — we think), but you don’t need to wait for one to fit a statement hat into your wardrobe. Ruth’s bold burgundy topper at the 2016 Television Critics Association Winter Tour in January was the ideal way to jazz up her black blouse, jacket and blue jeans.
Image: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images
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When in Doubt, Top It Off
It was a much smaller hat for Ruth as she spoke onstage at May’s Preacher pop-up screening in New York City. A black tux blazer, a white tee, skinny jeans and black crisscross slides wrapped things up.
Image: Brad Barket/Getty Images for AMC
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When in Doubt, Top It Off
When you attend a haute couture show, you had better stand out. Ruth did just that at the Armani Privé Fall 2016 presentation in July by styling her semi-sheer black shirt, red patterned cropped pants and black sandals with an eye-catching wide-brimmed hat.
Image: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
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Be Strategic When It Comes to Working the Sheer Trend
Yes, technically this look qualifies as “nearly naked,” but the elaborate embroidery on Ruth’s black long-sleeve Marc Jacobs overdress helped camouflage the underlying bodysuit at the Loving Cannes premiere. Those extravagant Atelier Swarovski by Peter Pilotto Arbol yellow gold and silver long earrings also lured the eye upward.
Image: Gisela Schober/Getty Images
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Be Strategic When It Comes to Working the Sheer Trend
Gathered fabric in just the right spots distracted onlookers from the sheer nature of this dress’ bodice. Ruth also offered people something else to focus on at the Hollywood premiere of Warcraft in June with the addition of those wine-colored velvet pumps.
Image: Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images
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Be Strategic When It Comes to Working the Sheer Trend
You had to get fairly close to Ruth’s colorfully patterned Valentino Resort 2017 dress at Entertainment Weekly's Toronto Must List Party in September to even notice that the embroidered top was a tad see-through. Green jeweled satin pumps capped off the look.
Image: Mike Windle/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly
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Confidence Is Your Best Accessory
Not everyone can pull off statement dresses with aplomb and sometimes the pieces end up wearing the star as opposed to the other way around. Ruth’s key to owning such complex creations, like this structured gray and black Prada gown at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival Loving premiere? Hitting the red carpet with confidence and the right accessories, including a lace-accented black clutch, a furry cuff along with hefty black and red buckled sandals.
Image: J. Countess/WireImage/Getty Images
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Confidence Is Your Best Accessory
There was no missing Ruth at People's Ones to Watch party in October thanks to her embellished green dress with select blue accents. Instead of trying to coordinate her bag and footwear with the striking green or blue shades, she decided to complement the jeweled detailing with metallic accessories.
Image: Paul Archuleta / Contributor/Getty Images
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Confidence Is Your Best Accessory
Rodarte’s dresses are known for their overwhelming nature, but Ruth didn’t shy away from picking this mixed media piece for the New York unveiling of Loving comprised of a netted one-shoulder neckline, an array of embellishments and a bold bodice pattern. She wisely kept her shoes relatively low-key in the form of Giuseppe Zanotti black suede and mesh pointed-toe pumps in order to not compete with the dynamic dress.
Image: John Lamparski/WireImage/Getty Images
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Confidence Is Your Best Accessory
With her growing fame, Ruth has been given more access to top-tier designer collections. A clear Valentino fan, the actress worked the hell out of the fashion house’s Spring 2017 pink patterned dress featuring a hot pink satin bodice panel at an event celebrating the 2017 Golden Globe award season in November.
Image: Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images
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Confidence Is Your Best Accessory
Ruth made her presence felt at this year’s Governors Awards by stepping out in a black Gucci Cruise 2017 gown with colorful snakes slithering across the bodice and sheer puffed-up sleeves. Despite the skirt being lined from the runway, the daring piece didn’t lose any of its sartorial edge.
Image: Amanda Edwards/WireImage/Getty Images
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Confidence Is Your Best Accessory
Givenchy’s strapless Fall 2016 Haute Couture black gown not only included decadent fringe, but also showcased some elaborate embellishments. Even with all that going on, Ruth commanded attention at the Gotham Independent Film Awards in late November and that glitzy green mini clutch (which coordinated with her manicure and ring) dialed up the glamour even more.
Image: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
