On November 24, 2015, Emma Roberts showcased two sides of her personal style while spending the day in New York City.
💫 Jump to a Style Moment:
First, she attended Johnson & Johnson’s Donate a Photo holiday event in a pleated Thakoon dress and cap-toe L.K. Bennett pumps. Later, she stepped out in a leopard-print coat, patent loafers, and everyday wardrobe staples that felt considerably more relaxed.
Together, the outfits captured a style formula Roberts would return to over the years: feminine tailoring for public appearances, balanced by polished, practical pieces off-duty.
Event-Ready Emma Roberts Pairs Thakoon Pleats With L.K. Bennett Cap-Toe Pumps
For the charity event at the Ritz-Carlton, Roberts embraced a monochrome palette built around texture and movement rather than bold color.
Emma Roberts wears her hair down at Johnson & Johnson’s “Donate A Photo Holiday Kick-off” on November 24, 2015, at the Ritz-Carlton New York (Credit: Ivan Nikolov / WENN)
By pairing a monochromatic Thakoon dress with matte Wolford tights, Roberts showcased how to balance delicate chiffon with the practicalities of a New York winter.
Emma Roberts balances the airy movement of her pleated Thakoon dress with structured L.K. Bennett “Sally” pumps, their patent cap toes adding a sharp, polished finish against sheer dotted tights
The outfit relied on texture over color, utilizing intricate embroidery and sharp pleats to create visual interest.
A closer angle reveals how the removable ankle strap subtly anchors the silhouette, transforming the classic pump into a modern Mary Jane that complements the dress’s delicate black trim
She pulled the entire look together with a pair of Wolford tights. The standout accessory was her pair of L.K. Bennett “Sally” pumps, which added structure and polish to the otherwise soft silhouette.
Founded in 1990 by Linda Bennett, L.K. Bennett has long occupied that sweet spot between high street and heritage luxury—favored by professionals and the British royal set alike, including Catherine, Princess of Wales. Its signature lies in feminine, quietly structured silhouettes that feel timeless without ever reading conservative.
From every angle, the contrast between soft chiffon and sleek footwear stands out—Emma’s cap-toe pumps grounding the look with just enough edge to offset its romantic softness
Inside the L.K. Bennett “Sally” Pump That Completed the Look
Emma’s “Sally” pumps reflect that philosophy with a more architectural edge. Crafted in Spain from velvety black suede, the design is sharpened by a glossy patent cap toe—a subtle nod to classic European styling—while the slim 4.25-inch heel is balanced by a discreet 0.5-inch platform for added stability.
A removable buckled ankle strap introduces versatility, allowing the silhouette to shift from a secure, Mary Jane-inspired profile to a cleaner, more traditional pump.
Up close, the suede-and-patent interplay and hidden platform of the L.K. Bennett pumps highlight a design built for both height and stability, elevating the monochrome styling without overpowering it
More than just a finishing touch, the shoes anchor the entire look: worn with matte Wolford tights, the strap creates a continuous, uninterrupted line that keeps the monochrome palette feeling sleek rather than heavy—an understated styling trick that speaks to the brand’s enduring appeal.
The L.K. Bennett “Sally” platform pumps pair plush black suede with a glossy patent cap toe, while the slim stiletto and subtle platform work together to deliver height, balance, and a quietly polished finish
More L.K. Bennett Shoe Moments Worth Exploring
Roberts’ event look also serves as a useful reminder of why L.K. Bennett became a favorite among celebrities and royals alike.
While the Sally pumps are no longer widely available, they remain representative of the brand’s approach to elegant, wearable footwear. Explore more notable L.K. Bennett shoe moments below.
👠 Explore L.K. Bennett Shoe & Fashion Stories:
- 🇬🇧 What happened to L.K. Bennett? traces the British label’s rise from footwear favorite to royal wardrobe staple, with useful context on Linda Bennett, the brand’s kitten-heel legacy, and its later business turnaround.
- 👑 Kate Middleton’s Gucci dress and L.K. Bennett “Art” pumps shows how the Duchess relied on the brand’s practical block-heel silhouette to anchor a polished museum look with repeat-wear appeal.
- 🌸 Kate Middleton’s floral L.K. Bennett dress and “Fern” pumps highlights one of her most recognizable head-to-toe brand moments, pairing a blue-and-white pencil dress with the label’s classic nude courts.
- ✨ Kate Middleton’s Alexander McQueen lace dress and L.K. Bennett “Sledge” pumps is a strong reference point for the brand’s signature nude platform pumps and their leg-lengthening, occasion-ready appeal.
- 🌿 Olivia Munn’s “Lilybelle” braided leather sandals offers a different side of the label, spotlighting L.K. Bennett’s softer, fashion-forward sandal design with braided leather and an elegant ankle strap.
Off-Duty Emma Roberts Makes Leopard Print Her Signature
That same day, Roberts swapped pleats and pumps for a more casual city look that revealed another recurring theme in her wardrobe: a long-running affection for leopard print.
Emma Roberts lets the statement outerwear do the talking, pairing oversized sunglasses and a plush black scarf with a bold leopard-print coat
The actress built the look around familiar wardrobe basics: a gray T-shirt, black skinny pants, a structured Kate Spade bag, and glossy Vince Camuto loafers.
Emma Roberts elevates an otherwise simple black-and-gray outfit with a leopard-print Coach peacoat, glossy Vince Camuto penny loafers, and a structured Kate Spade hatbox bag while leaving the Ritz-Carlton in New York City on November 24, 2015 (Credit: WENN / Nicky Nelson / Avalon)
The leopard-print Coach coat provided contrast without overwhelming the outfit, allowing the accessories and footwear to remain part of the overall story.
Glossy Vince Camuto “Mitchell” penny loafers add a menswear-inspired finish to the actress’s sleek black separates
Why Leopard Print Became an Emma Roberts Style Signature
Leopard print appeared regularly throughout Roberts’ wardrobe during this period, showing up not only in her street style but also in editorial shoots and magazine appearances.
Stepping out in Manhattan, Emma Roberts balances classic wardrobe basics with eye-catching animal print and a structured Kate Spade bag
The Teen Vogue cover she shared that month offered another glimpse of the pattern’s growing presence in her personal style.
Roberts’ leopard-print obsession extended beyond the sidewalk, as seen in this cozy Instagram snap wrapped in the same standout coat
“I loved my @teenvogue cover shoot mostly because I got to dress like ME!!!!,” she shared on Instagram.
Emma Roberts layers a leopard-print Loeffler Randall shearling coat over a pastel floral Zimmermann set, finishing the playful look with metallic Loeffler Randall “Ambra” flats and Quay sunglasses in an Instagram photo shared on November 20, 2015
Photographed by Matteo Montanari, she’s wearing a cropped sweater paired with an animal print skirt.
Emma Roberts embraces her love of leopard print on the November 2015 cover of Teen Vogue, pairing a fuzzy cropped sweater with a bold animal-print skirt while promoting her starring role in Scream Queens
Vince Camuto “Mitchell” Loafers Deliver the Polished Finish
Grounding the outfit were Vince Camuto’s “Mitchell” loafers, a patent-leather style that complemented the look’s polished feel while remaining practical for a day in the city.
The Vince Camuto “Mitchell” loafer combines patent-leather shine with a streamlined penny-loafer silhouette for everyday polish
While Vince Camuto’s “Mitchell” loafers are no longer available, the brand continues to offer similar polished styles, including the Paelyn Penny Loafer and Eadric Leather Loafer, both available at Nordstrom as of June 2026.
Like Roberts’ patent pair, they blend classic menswear-inspired design with everyday versatility, making them easy companions for everything from tailored trousers to casual denim.
That preference for polished, versatile footwear appears throughout Roberts’ wardrobe, from Christian Louboutin’s elegant “Iriza” pumps and Saint Laurent’s sharp “Paris” pumps to the more relaxed appeal of Chanel espadrilles and everyday flats. In this case, both the L.K. Bennett heels and Vince Camuto loafers demonstrated how the right shoes can anchor an outfit without competing for attention—a formula that remains just as effective today as it was in 2015.