Gwyneth Paltrow’s conservative court fashion earns easy win: legal experts
Paltrow earned legal victory in ski crash case and also with her trial trends
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gwyneth Paltrow dressed to impress throughout eight days of testimony in the Park City, Utah, ski crash trial stemming from an alleged collision in 2016.
The 50-year-old Oscar-winner showed off her subtle, yet sophisticated sense of style in the courtroom as she paired major designer labels with her own G. Label by Goop brand threads, some of which sold out in minutes online upon being featured in court.
Cynthia Augello, partner at Warren Law Group, told Fox News Digital that "every aspect of her behavior, attire and statements will be scrutinized," so it comes as no surprise that Paltrow went for an understated presence to impress the jury.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"A litigant's choice of clothing in court can unconsciously convey significant information about them, whether it is accurate or not," Augello said. "Ms. Paltrow's overall demeanor and unique aura leave an indelible impression on both the judge and the jury, and while her visage should not influence the outcome of the case, it undoubtedly plays a role in shaping perceptions."
Paltrow earned a legal victory Thursday when an eight-person jury found she was not liable for a ski crash collision involving Terry Sanderson at the Deer Valley Resort. She countersued and was awarded $1 in damages, in addition to attorney fees.
GWYNETH PALTROW WINS SKI CRASH LAWSUIT
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gwyneth Paltrow wore a wide range of fashionable outfits for her eight-day ski crash trial. (Associated Press)
"Gwyneth Paltrow has chosen an appropriate wardrobe for her trial, opting for attire that aligns with the expectations of the local community, while maintaining an effortless appearance," Augello said. "Despite the likelihood of her clothing being costly, it is a widely accepted notion that her wardrobe would be expensive."
Costly is an understatement for a few of Gwyneth's getups. On the first day of trial, Paltrow wore a $1,200 pair of brown leather Celine boots, a green trench coat and cream-colored sweater from The Row, and aviator Ray-Ban sunglasses.
Gwyneth Paltrow wore a cream sweater and glasses for first court appearance Tuesday related to 2016 ski incident. (Rick Bowmer)
Gwyneth Paltrow appeared happy while leaving the courtroom. (AP Photo/Alex Goodlett)
On the second day of proceedings, she walked into the courtroom wearing an ivory-colored cardigan from G. Label by Goop with a $25,000 gold Foundrae clip chain heart necklace. She also carried a vintage brown leather Celine purse.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"If Ms. Paltrow were to dress down, it could create an impression of attempting to deceive the jury, which is generally not well-received," Augello said. "By appearing approachable and relatable, she doesn’t give the impression that she thinks of herself as more important than the jury."
GWYNETH PALTROW SKI TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS TAYLOR SWIFT, TOM BRADY AND OPRAH
Despite the underlying cost, each of her looks had a similar neutral palette.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gwyneth Paltrow sported a sold-out Goop sweater with a $25,000 necklace. (Rick Bowmer)
Gwyneth Paltrow wore a Goop cardigan to court one day. (Rick Bowmer)
She wore a gray Brunello Cucinelli suit on the third day. Gwyneth has worked with the coveted Italian designer in the past, and wore the exact same suit to go shopping with her daughter, Apple, in November.
Attorney Andres Munoz, partner with Romano Law, told Fox News Digital that Paltrow "made a conscious effort to choose her attire."
"Her choice of clothing and accessories may be to play to the local crowd or to underscore that she’s the ‘obviously famous defendant’ that is being subjected to a money grab by the plaintiff," Munoz noted. "But juries also have a keen ability to sniff out disingenuous behavior. So, the balance is to appeal to the jury by appearing more likable and relatable, while staying genuine.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}GWYNETH PALTROW PREPARES TO TAKE THE STAND AS HER COURTROOM APPEARANCES GO VIRAL
"Juries often penalize disingenuous behavior with an instant loss of credibility and likability. She can’t deny her own profile, so dressing down could hurt her in the end."
Gwyneth Paltrow wears a pink blouse from her Goop collection to court on Tuesday. (Jeffrey D. Allred)
On the fourth day, Gwyneth testified in Prada. She wore a long navy skirt and a black, long-sleeved polo with Chelsea boots which retail for $1,320. She told the jury that day that she lost "half a day of skiing" and was not friends with Taylor Swift despite knowing the symbolic meaning behind her own $1 countersuit.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}GWYNETH PALTROW SKI CRASH TRIAL: BIGGEST BOMBSHELLS
The "Blank Space" singer won a sexual assault trial in 2017 against a former radio DJ who initially sued Swift after he claimed he was wrongfully terminated from his job after an incident at a meet-and-greet with Swift in 2013. She claimed he grabbed her inappropriately and counter-sued for battery and sexual assault, seeking $1 in damages.
"A party’s main goal at any trial is to win over the jury with a more persuasive, credible story," Munoz said. "That can be done explicitly with testimony and evidence, and implicitly with unspoken actions to be more likable and appear credible. Paltrow’s appearance during this trial is an unspoken tool of persuasion that absolutely falls within that latter category.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gwyneth Paltrow rocked a Brunello Cucinello suit she had previously worn shopping. (Jeff Swinger)
Gwyneth Paltrow testified wearing a Prada ensemble. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, Pool)
"Juries are unpredictable, especially with strategies that may appear disingenuous. So even though she’s going for a certain ‘look,’ you never know how the jury will actually interpret it. Sometimes it can backfire."
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She brought back her Prada boots for day five and wore a $595 Goop black cardigan with a matching skirt, and repeated her Celine boots for day six, but opted for Proenza Schouler White Label leather culottes for a cool $900. Paltrow also paired the look with her own pink G. Label blouse.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Criminal defense attorney Silva Megerditchian said while jurors "see everything," as long as the clothing is appropriate, it truly does not affect the verdict.
"It is important to note when representing a celebrity, there is a difference between likability and credibility," Megerditchian said.
Gwyneth Paltrow went back to black for day seven and carried her trusty $250 notebook. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
On verdict day, Gwyneth Paltrow wore a Ralph Lauren top with a blue blazer from the designer label. (Rick Bowmer)
"As we saw in the Johnny Depp trial, Mr. Depp came off extremely likable and relatable. Ms. Paltrow may not come off relatable or even likable, but most legal analysts would say her testimony was credible and in a trial, nothing is more important than the credibility and believability of the witness, regardless of what they are wearing or how expensive their jewelry is."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sanderson initially claimed that Paltrow left him with a "permanent traumatic brain injury" after she crashed into him from behind while skiing in 2016 at the Deer Valley Resort in Park City.
He initially filed a $3.1 million lawsuit against the actress, the exclusive resort and the ski instructor who was providing lessons to Paltrow's son at the time of the accident. A judge dismissed the claim, and Deer Valley Resort and the instructor were removed from the lawsuit.
Sanderson then sued Paltrow for $300,000. She countersued for $1 and attorney fees.
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