166 InSTYLE NOVEMBER 2019
Let it be known that Caitriona Balfe doesn’t take a red
carpet lightly. Case in point: the 2019 Golden Globes, where,
among a sea of standard fishtail gowns, Balfe—a four-time
nominee for best actress in a TV drama for her role as Claire
Fraser in Outlander—turned up in a strapless custom
Moschino frock that featured a voluminous burgundy
velvet tulip skirt. A less confident woman wouldn’t neces-
sarily opt for a silhouette that balloons at the hips, but Balfe,
40, isn’t afraid of Fashion (with a capital F). “That was
probably the most polarizing thing I’ve worn,” she says with
a laugh. “But it was different, and I loved it. I always say if I
love it, then I’m happy. It doesn’t have to be for everyone
else. Some of what I wear is crazy, but it’s good crazy. And if
my mom hates it, then I’ve probably done the right thing!”
It wasn’t always this way. High fashion didn’t really enter
Balfe’s consciousness until 1999, when she was approached
to become a model while studying drama in her hometown
of Dublin. She spent the next 10 years hitting the catwalk
for such houses as Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, and Marc
Jacobs before moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting
career. Going from runway darling to Holly wood ingénue
was an adjustment fashionwise. “When you first start, the
availability of what you get offered [to wear for big events]
is different—you’re just grateful that somebody’s lending
you a dress,” she says. “I was fortunate to have had prior
relationships with many designers and to get the opportu-
nity to work with them again in a different way.”
Now, with Outlander going into its fifth season on Starz
and a major role in the upcoming blockbuster Ford v.
Ferrari, out in November (she plays Mollie Miles, the wife of
legendary 1960s race-car driver Ken Miles, por-
trayed by Christian Bale), Balfe has even more
opportunities to show off her fashion prowess,
although comfort is essential. “I’m never going
to do a 20-foot train because I need to be able
to get from point A to B and go to the bathroom
by myself,” says the actress, who works with
stylist Karla Welch to prepare for the red carpet. “Plus,
there’s no point in walking out the door in something that
doesn’t make you feel great. If you don’t wear something
with confidence, it doesn’t matter how it looks.”
Indulging Balfe’s madcap fashion whims was part of
the joy of this shoot. Her favorite looks? The Miu Miu
shorts-and-jacket combo (“I could wear that every day”),
the Ferragamo jumpsuit (“I was like, ‘I can steal this,
right?’ ”), and the very scrunchy pink shawl by Moschino
Couture. “I love when you can really play with clothes and
enjoy them,” she says.
Balfe’s zesty outlook extends beyond her wardrobe.
“I couldn’t be happier with where I’m at, the people in my
life, and the things going on in my career,” she says. “It’s
been a hectic but good year. I hope it isn’t my best one,
though. Because that would really be shit!” n
L
“Some of what I
wear is crazy, but it’s
good crazy. And if
my mom hates it, then
I’ve probably done
the right thing!”