She’s 53, and she still has it! I couldn’t help but gush over how gorgeous Regina King looked in a little black dress on Tuesday when she arrived at the Los Angeles premiere of her new biographical drama film Shirley.
Now streaming on Netflix, the John Ridley-directed biopic features Regina King in the lead role, portraying political figure Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress. It details Chisholm’s historic presidential campaign as the first African-American woman to run for the Democratic Party 1972 presidential nomination.
For the red-carpet premiere at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, Regina King eschewed the film’s 1970s theme in favor of her signature sophisticated yet edgy style.
Regina King puts on a leggy display in a little black dress at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s Shirley at the Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on March 19, 2024 (Credit: Dave Starbuck / Future Image / Cover Images)
Regina King’s Unique Style: More Than an LBD
I love Regina King’s confidence while showcasing her toned legs in the little black dress with a twist designed by Schiaparelli’s creative director, Daniel Roseberry. The haute-couture house is known for its eccentric, avant-garde designs, which mirror King’s taste for bold yet glamorous looks.
King’s little black dress is not your ordinary LBD. It was fashioned from two fabrics, separated by the central seam. One side appeared cut from a velvety fabric and the other from a ruched jersey.
But what caught my attention was the gold-tone chain halter neck strap that hung down her back and clasped to her wrist like a gold chain bracelet. In addition, the longer ruched side of the dress was linked to the chain bracelet encircling her wrist.
In my opinion, these exquisite touches added excitement to the otherwise classic LBD.
Regina King wears a black Schiaparelli dress with a chain halterneck hanging from the back, encircling her wrist (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
Glam Team Magic: Regina King’s Hairstyle and Makeup
When it came to her glam, Emmy-winning hairstylist Araxi Lindsey styled Regina King’s long hair in intricate cornrow braids. Meanwhile, Emmy-nominated makeup artist Latrice Johnson gave her a bronzed glow with shimmering eyeshadow, heavy eyeliner, and pink lipstick.
Styling duo Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald, whose clientele includes Taraji P. Henson, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Olivia Munn, and Jodie Turner-Smith, put together Regina King’s premiere look.
They further accessorized the Oscar-winning actress with spiky gold hoop earrings and several gold rings. I think the amount of jewelry was perfect—just enough to complement the ensemble and give her appearance an extra dose of glitz.
Regina King wears her long hair in cornrow braids and accentuates her striking features with bronze makeup and heavy eyeliner (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
Drawing further attention to her incredibly toned legs, Regina slipped her feet into a pair of metallic gold-tone pumps by Le Silla.
She opted for the Italian shoe label’s famous “Eva” pumps, cut from metallic-effect material in the “Nugget” gold color. These sleek, modern pumps’ feminine and refined allure is enhanced by their 4.7-inch stiletto heels and tapered toes.
Kristen Stewart, Eva Longoria, and Zendaya were among the many stars who love the Le Silla Eva pumps.
Regina King pairs her LBD with metallic gold pumps by Le Silla (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
Regina King Stars with Sister Reina King in Netflix’s Shirley
Real-life sisters Regina and Reina King, who also portray sisters on screen, executive-produced the movie. Reina, playing Shirley’s sister Muriel in the film, was on hand at the premiere clad in a black ensemble.
Posing alongside Regina, Reina wore a loose-fitting collared shirt with decorative silver buttons paired with flowy wide-leg pants and green suede platform heels.
Regina King with her sister Reina King in a matching black outfit with green suede platform sandals (Credit: Dave Starbuck / Future Image / Cover Images)
Director John Ridley Praises the King Sisters
Shirley director John Ridley has nothing but praises for Regina and Reina King, saying the two worked “as hard as they possibly could as individuals to bring this story to life.”
“Their take on Shirley has always been about representing her as a whole person, as a human, as an individual,” he said during the premiere.
“We all know how challenging it is to do the work. But it’s even more challenging when you want to do good work and maintain good relationships with people. It’s even more challenging when you need to maintain good relationships because the person you’re doing the work for is your sister,” he added.
Reina King, director John Ridley, and Regina King pose together at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s biographical drama film Shirley (Credit: Dave Starbuck / Future Image / Cover Images)
Regina King’s First Film Since Son’s Death
Shirley marks Regina King’s first movie since the death of her son Ian, her only son, with her ex-husband Ian Alexander Sr., in 2022.
Just one month into the biopic’s production, in January 2022, King revealed the devastating news of her son’s passing. She took a break from filming but decided to complete the movie months later to honor her son.
“I know Ian would have felt like if I didn’t finish something because of a choice that he needed to make, then I wasn’t honoring him,” King told Harper’s Bazaar. “We all landed at the finish line on Ian’s wings. He guided us there.”
Regina King with her late son Ian Alexander Jr. at the 45th NAACP Image Awards on February 23, 2014 (Credit: Tony DiMaio / Startraksphoto)
Regina King Promotes Shirley in Low-waist Jeans and Furry Crop Top
On Friday, the day of Shirley’s Netflix premiere, Regina King was seen making her way to the Jimmy Kimmel Live! studios to promote her new project.
King waved to her supporters outside the studio while confidently showcasing her midriff in a fuzzy gray-and-white long-sleeved crop top and low-rise light-washed baggy jeans.
She teamed the laid-back ensemble with black pointed-toe flats, a silver Louis Vuitton bag slung over her shoulder, and large silver hoop earrings.
Even if I’m not impressed with Regina’s recent appearance, I genuinely admire her confidence and willingness to take risks with her style.
Regina King bares her midriff in a fuzzy crop top and low-waist jeans on her way to promote Shirley on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on March 22, 2024 (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages)