Blake Lively was spotted out in New York City this weekend, an outing that has become rare for the actress amid recent events.
The Gossip Girl alum made her first public appearance in three months on Friday, September 5, attending an event at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she took part in a panel discussion hosted by Glossy focused on the beauty industry.
For the stylish occasion, Blake wore a sheer top beneath a brown blazer, paired with a coordinating pleated skirt and knee-high boots adorned with brass buckles. She has often been criticized for her personal style, but with this outfit, she's proving that what the outside world thinks about her isn't of any concern.
She wasn’t alone at the event — Blake shared on social media how moved she was by the presence of a friend. Katie Sturino, founder of Megababe, stuck around after an earlier panel to offer her support. Blake reshared a snap Katie took from the audience, writing on her Instagram Stories, “This is what girls lifting each other up looks like.”
“I love and appreciate you @katiesturino,” the 38-year-old added, “as a founder, as a woman, as a friend.”
Although her husband, Ryan Reynolds, didn’t attend the event with her, Blake gave him a sweet nod online as he traveled to the Toronto International Film Festival to debut John Candy: I Like Me, a documentary he produced.
“My husband's love for John Candy is infectious,” Blake wrote in a separate Instagram Story. “He honors him with his words, in his work, and now in this beautiful film.”
She also described the documentary as, “A story full of heart, soul, loss, laughter, friendship, family, art, work, pain and joy.”
For Ryan, the project gave him a new perspective on the beloved Canadian actor and comedian.
“I didn't know that he had this sort of spiritual bedrock to him,” the Deadpool actor shared with E! News at the film’s premiere on September 4. “I wasn't aware that he lived at this intersection of being a people pleaser, but also starting to kind of work on mental health, which is something nobody talked about back then.”
Ryan, who has previously spoken about his struggles with anxiety since childhood, said the film helped him better understand how people navigate mental health challenges.
“It's still a little tricky to talk about, but if you're a people pleaser and you are dealing with mental health issues,” he said, “it's actually a really terrible combination. Because the people pleaser never wants to burden anybody else and the only way to really kind of deal with stuff you're going through is to talk about it. They're kind of at odds with one another.”