On December 8, two days before Taylor Swift visits The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Sabrina Carpenter dusted off the late-night television circuit for her close friend. The It girl changed looks not once, not twice, but three times for Late Night with Seth Meyers, setting a high bar for Swift come Dec. 10.
Carpenter was impossible to miss outside Rockefeller Center on Monday afternoon, thanks to her bubblegum pink skirt set. Stylist Jared Ellner—the same creative behind her Short n' Sweet and Man's Best Friend aesthetics—signaled a new era might be upon us. A bra-less V-neck blouse, a micro-mini skirt, and a matching neck tie felt surprisingly understated compared to previous sparkly selects. (See her sequin shorts set from Gucci on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in Aug. 2024.)
Next, Carpenter winterized the springy shade with semi-sheer tights and vintage T-strap pumps, courtesy of Manolo Blahnik. It seems she sourced the sandals secondhand—TheRealReal listed the same satin stilettos for just $120. To finish, the Grammy winner carried a vintage Chanel wallet by the crossbody strap, its pink quilted leather front and center.
Once inside Studio 8G, Carpenter traded the pink two-piece for an impressive archival look, circa-Fall 1994. Ellner helped her track down a little black dress from a 30-year-old Chantel Thomass collection. That's the underrated French lingerie label behind some of her most iconic looks: Remember her lace skirt set during a September interview with Zane Lowe? Chantel Thomass Spring 1995.
Fashion girls instantly recognized its delicately draped, tulle bodice as the long-sleeve dress modeled by Claudia Schiffer on the runway. Emerieu, a Parisian secondhand boutique, kept the black-and-white mini looking good as new for Carpenter and Ellner.
Schiffer's buckled black heels didn't come with the rare LBD, so Carpenter popped on platform Christian Louboutin pumps instead. (The same label behind her Short n' Sweet tour shoes, by the way.)
Carpenter ended the night in an oversize sweatshirt, just like any average 26-year-old. It seems she picked up the gray "Late Night" crewneck as a souvenir—NBC Studios sells it for $72 inside Rockefeller Center. She opted out of pants altogether for the umpteenth time this year. (Before hosting Saturday Night Live in October, she styled an off-the-shoulder sweater in a similar, pant-free form.) Carpenter coupled the crewneck with the same Manolo Blahniks seen earlier in the day.
Now, it's Taylor Swift's turn to deliver another late-night look or two. Marie Claire's resident head Swiftie, Halie LeSavage, will ID the Eras Tour star's entire Late Show With Stephen Colbert set come Dec. 10. In the meantime, shop the curated edit below to channel Carpenter's latest styles.
