You’ve got to hand it to Laura Brown. She’s managed to steer InStyle through 2020 with effortless ease without resorting to illustrated covers or combined issues. Instead, the magazine has offered beautiful installments featuring Kerry Washington, Carey Mulligan, Alicia Keys, Zendaya and Cynthia Erivo. Closing out the year with a bang, Laura makes Viola Davis the mag’s cover star for December 2020. Captured by photographic duo AB+DM and styled by Elizabeth Stewart, the American actress suits up in a houndstooth Wolk Morais creation for the bold newsstand cover.
But our forum members thought something was off. “Oh wow, what a HORRIBLE shot of her. From the styling to that god-awful makeup, ugh! We see Viola so rarely on covers and they do this to her?” proclaimed Miss Dalloway.
“What on earth?” exclaimed MON.
Urban Stylin was clearly not a fan: “The cover doesn’t work for her, that type of styling would probably for a teen or someone in their early 20s like Zendaya… The angle and harsh makeup are not helping, either.”
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“I usually love houndstooth, but that’s overload. The outfit wears her instead of the other way around. Viola looks best with minimal, understated styling. This just looks wrong on so many levels,” said Ken Doll Jenner.
“I’m sorry, but whoever did her hair and makeup should be sacked. Doesn’t look anything like her,” Benn98 pointed out.
Although [Piece Of Me] disagreed. “I am definitely biased, as I love everything Viola does, so I do like the cover. It’s maybe not her best shot (and does not come close to her amazing Vanity Fair cover earlier this year), but it feels like something different for her.”
“That cover exudes confidence!” praised crmsnsnwflks.
Check out Viola’s cover feature and join the conversation here.
