Keke Palmer Is Dressing Like the People's Princess of Comedy
From archival Dior to off-the-runway Schiaparelli, stylist Zoe Costello's outfits cast Palmer as the leading lady on- and off-screen.


It doesn't matter if Keke Palmer is dropping by a podcast, hosting the Met Gala red carpet, or working the TV talk show circuit to promote her newest movie. (Right now, it's the buddy comedy One of Them Days.) She's as charismatic offscreen as she is in the roles she plays—and the central reference for her latest press tour outfits says she knows it.
Dressing for back-to-back-to-back interviews in the likes of Stella McCartney, Chloé, and vintage Dolce & Gabbana, Palmer wanted to channel a beloved style icon her way. "Keke actually sent me a bunch of references and sent me a mood board when I first started working with her," stylist Zoe Costello tells me hours after a 4:30 A.M. fitting for another of Palmer's TV spots. "She had some amazing references of Princess Diana."
Keke Palmer and stylist Zoe Costello have worked together for just over a year.
Keke Palmer carries Dior's Lady Dior bag, named for Princess Diana—her way.
Sure, a lot of people pay homage to Lady Di with recreations of her '90s suits and that infamous "revenge dress." But Costello, who's worked with Palmer alongside creative director Sergio Hudson for over a year, has leaned more into her energy: capturing Palmer's indefinable magnetism with a mix of off-the-runway and vintage pieces that let her personality shine. Even the Diana-approved bag she wore for a recent appearance, the Lady Dior, came in a modernized east-west silhouette.
The pair's styling origin story couldn't have happened in Lady Di's heyday. They got acquainted after Palmer slid into Costello's Instagram DM's to compliment her editorial work. Eventually, it turned into a full-blown partnership, with Costello first dressing Palmer for appearances related to her music, and later, her movies.
Across both facets of her career, "She liked that I understood her vision at the start, and I can elaborate on it," Costello says. "I want to make sure it's not monotonous and there's something interesting in each look that's different whilst keeping it cohesive."
Palmer has worn looks from Schiaparelli mini dresses...
....to even more Schiaparelli suiting and a Tom Ford bag for a day of press in NYC.
Costello describes Palmer's style as "open to it all": "She's so fun to dress and she just loves exploring different brands." (Vivienne Westwood is a recent, new-to-her favorite.)
For her turn in One of Them Days, where Palmer and SZA play two roommates desperate to make rent in 24 hours, press tour styling could incorporate serious fashion houses—just with pieces that didn't take themselves too seriously. "The movie's so fun and it's a comedy, so I wanted to bring a little bit of of that into the looks," Costello says. A Galliano-era Dior jacket lined in turquoise faux fur or a key-shaped Schiaparelli dress show are inherently playful; so is the dash to change between three back-to-back looks between interviews, and the upbeat smile Palmer pairs with each one.
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Another major moment: archival Dior paired with a Chloé bag and Louboutins.
Before we hang up, I ask Costello what's changed the most since Palmer first reached out on Instagram all those months ago. The stylist says her client's all-out love of fashion hasn't wavered; meanwhile, the audience who looks forward to seeing it is growing. "I think that the only thing now is it's just getting harder with her schedule with fittings—because she's so busy." Today's people's princess has a lot of subjects to see.
Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire, where she assigns, edits, and writes stories for both sections. Halie is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, emerging fashion and beauty brands, and shopping (naturally). In over seven years as a professional journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from fashion week coverage spanning the Copenhagen, New York, Milan, and Paris markets, to profiles on industry insiders like celebrity stylist Molly Dickson, to breaking news stories on noteworthy brand collaborations and beauty product launches. (She can personally confirm that Bella Hadid’s Ôrebella perfume is worth the hype.) She has also written dozens of research-backed shopping guides to finding the best tote bags, ballet flats, and more. Most of all, Halie loves to explore what style trends—like the rise of emotional support accessories or TikTok’s 75 Hard Style Challenge—can say about culture writ large. She also justifies almost any purchase by saying it’s “for work.”
Halie has previously held writer and editor roles at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters, among other outlets, and appears in newsletters like Selleb and Self Checkout to provide shopping recommendations. In 2022, she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College. Outside of work, Halie is passionate about books, baking, and her miniature Bernedoodle, Dolly. For a behind-the-scenes look at her reporting, you can follow Halie on Instagram and TikTok.
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