When he was first presented the role of Ken in Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated Barbie, Ryan Gosling candidly admitted to doubting his own “ken-ergy”. This seems hard to believe now with how effortlessly the 42-year-old actor has embodied Ken, both in the scenes we’ve seen thus far, and in his red carpet looks leading up to the film’s release. Indeed, Gosling underwent an extensive transformation to become Ken, including bleaching his hair and bronzing his skin. His recent red carpet looks in particular have garnered worldwide attention, with Kencore executed to perfection through bright, monochrome suits and open-collared shirts — but, consciously or unconsciously, Ryan Gosling has been channeling his inner Ken long before Barbie promotions. Be it his colour-blocked ensembles for The Gray Man promotions in 2022, or the off-white Ferragamo suit he wore for Only God Forgives in 2013, Gosling’s red carpet looks have always exuded a distinct Ken-ergy.
Before he was Ken, however, Ryan Gosling was first Sebastian Wilder in the Academy Award-winning La La Land; he was also the charming womaniser, Jacob Palmer, in Crazy, Stupid, Love; and The Notebook’s Noah Calhoun even before that. In his everyday life, Gosling’s style is reminiscent of 1980s retro America, with his favourite pieces often being plain tees or warm tones and washed-out denim. His red carpet style can be best characterised as black tie, frequently opting for fitted, boldly-coloured suits, with a casual, colourful twist in the form of patterned sweater-vests, ornamented ties, or even occasionally going tie-less for a sharp yet laid-back look. Always charming both on and off screen, Gosling’s immaculate looks spanning the past three decades are proof that true heartthrobs never go out of style.
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Audrey MiuCredit
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