In the "Cruel Intentions" universe, there are good girls and there are bad girls. There is also light and dark, sweet and sultry, provocative and pretty, and a lot of iconic Sarah Michelle Gellar and Reese Witherspoon moments. In the dark, twisted romantic drama, step siblings Kathryn Merteuil and Sebastian Valmont make a plan to seduce Anette Hargrove, their headmaster's daughter who is a known virgin who has committed remaining as such until marriage. Oh, and this all happens with a wealthy, upper class Manhattan backdrop. Intrigued yet? If not, the way personalities and power dynamics are portrayed through the wardrobe might reel you in. The color palettes are distinct: Kathryn is constantly dressed in dark hues, while Anette opts for pastels. While Kathryn finds comfort and power in sheers, corsets, mini skirts, and lingerie-inspired dresses, Anette is buttoned up, both literally and figuratively, in blouses and cardigans. There is even a noticeable difference in how the two ladies wear their school uniforms: Anette's top is buttoned to the top, while Kathryn has every button possible unbuttoned.
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My "Cruel Intentions" rewatch occurred with the spring season very much on my mind. This is the conclusion I've come to: whether you consider yourself a good girl or a bad girl, both are spring appropriate. We're all a little bit of both anyway, right?
The Bad Girl Aesthetic
When we meet Kathryn Merteuil lounging in her luxurious and decadent Manhattan home wearing a black corset top with ruched detailing—underneath a Dolce & Gabbana suit, nonetheless. The entire color palette, save from the bust of her top, is dark and, to be fair, so is her energy. As a viewer, it's easy to immediately clock Kathryn as manipulative and a lover of scheming. From a fashion perspective, I immediately appreciate the dichotomy: a sophisticated power suit on top, a seductive surprise underneath.
On the Spring/Summer 2026 runways, corsets, bustiers, and corsetry were a trending silhouette, with McQueen, Erdem, and so many more giving examples of how to translate this trend to spring.
Alexander McQueen Spring 2026
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Erdem Spring 2026
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One of Kathryn's most iconic looks consists of a completely sheer mesh top, leather mini skirt, and heels—she is even at one point, while emerging from a car, wearing a matching leather trench coat. This wasn't for a special occasion, this is just simply the nature of Kathryn's style: sexy, sometimes a little overdressed or inappropriate for the event, and always in a pair of heels.
From dresses to skirts to tops, sheer was trending on the Spring/Summer 2026 runways, with Moschino teasing with a woven, fishnet inspired top with embroidery that covered up anything from being exposed, and Ferragamo completely freeing the nip. Designers made a case for leather in the spring, too, especially in the form of skirts as seen on the Hermés and Khaite runways.
Moschino Spring 2026
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Ferragamo Spring 2026
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Hermès Spring 2026
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Khaite Spring 2026
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Shop The Sheer Top & Leather Skirt Trends:
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Continuing on with her love for lingerie-inspired fashion, Kathryn lounged in a black silk slip dress with deep red detailing. Her dark color palette persists, her comfort and security in her sexuality continues shining through, and her vampy take on the slip dress has the summer goth aesthetic back on my mind.
Chloé Spring 2026
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Ferragamo Spring 2026
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The Good Girl Aesthetic
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We first meet Anette Hargrove while she's wearing a pastel pink button down top and white pants—all while riding a horse. She feels like the human embodiment of the spring season: light, airy, sweet, warm, pure, and probably smells like daisies. It's immediately clear that we're meant to view her as the antithesis of Kathryn, both in terms of style and personality. Anette isn't at all manipulative, her intentions are pure and clear, and something about her wardrobe and color palette makes me believe that and trust her.
Pastel button downs made their way down Spring 2026 runways, with Chanel, Veronica Beard, and more making a case for them as a spring wardrobe staple that's easy, breezy, and versatile.
Chanel Spring 2026
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Fendi Spring 2026
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We later see Anette in a monochrome pastel purple look: a long sleeve top and knee-length skirt. Her silhouettes lean rigid, much like herself, and her looks (aside from the occasional floral) lack design, embellishment, enhancement, or accessories. Her looks tend to, aside from the slight pop of color, be no frills. It is, however, straightforward, consistent, and true to herself and what we know of her personality.
Spring 2026 runways, such as Tory Burch and Dior, made a case for a muted pop of color through skirts of varying textures and lengths. Tory Burch featured a lightweight flowy blue skirt with a matching top and Dior featured a pale pink mini denim skirt, for example.
Tory Burch Spring 2026
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Dior Spring 2026
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At the end of the movie, Anette is unbuttoned. In her most vulnerable scene, her character development is on full display: an unbuttoned cardigan, a revealing (for her) floral dress with lace trim, and arguably the most vibrant hue in her pastel wardrobe. Anette has evolved but is still, in the end, herself.
Through their Spring 2026 collections, designers made a case for pastel and pale colored knitwear for those breezy spring evenings: Tory Burch with a blue collared cardigan and Loewe with a butter yellow v-neck sweater, to name a few.
Tory Burch Spring 2026
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Loewe Spring 2026
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