SNL Rehearsals Are a Runway Now

SNL has never been a show that puts fashion at the forefront. While the hosts let their personal style shine during the monologue and goodnights, the whole point is to see how even the most self-serious celebrity hosts tap into their silly side — and that usually involves equally silly costumes. (See: the ever-chic Bad Bunny in full version Shrek costumeand Ayo Edebiri as Solomona bisexual, Jordin Sparks-singing high school student.) Lately, though, celebrities and their stylists have found a way to game the system — by turning their weeklong rehearsals into a runway.

Perhaps the most stark example of this phenomenon is Sydney Sweeney, who co-hosted the March 2 episode with musical guest Kacey Musgraves. SNL has long been considered an honor – a true sign that you’ve ‘made it’. But hosting requires them to submit to a week of long rehearsals, writing sessions and pre-taping. What we’ve heard from the show’s alumni paints an unglamorous picture. (Anyone who knows John Mulaney’s Mick Jagger Story will certainly agree.) But Sweeney turned out to have looks for rehearsals that were just as (if not more) likely to have been seen at a fashion show.

Sweeney’s stylist, Molly Dickson, outfitted the star in a host of luxurious pieces that spent most of her time at 30 Rock. One day she wore a black leather Supriya Lele romper with a Givenchy bag and Alexander McQueen pumps. On the other hand, she opted for a navy blue Bottega Veneta skirt with a Miu Miu bag.

When it was Edebiri’s turn to host, she also came to the rehearsal dressed, styled by Danielle Goldberg. On one occasion, she wore a Bottega-heavy look, showcasing the house’s tromp l’oiel leather techniques. Dakota Johnson, who hosted in the lead-up to Mrs Web, carried her $8,000 Andiamo bag to rehearsals while wearing a long fur coat. Edebiri’s musical guest Jennifer Lopez also got the memo and wore gorgeous outfits ranging from her long fur and Himalayan Birkin to a baby blue cape and mint green opera gloves.

While this may be a newer trend, it’s also not surprising that so much effort goes into these rehearsal looks. It is clearly not a new suggestion that women are bound by social conventions to be polished and put together. But it seems especially noticeable SNL, a bastion of weirdness where hosts must let their guards down. Is the gap widening, or are we simply in a new era where the sense of immediacy of social media forces celebrity stylists to shape their clients for every moment they want? could be be seen, no matter how detailed?