‘Maid in Manhattan’ Is Still My Favorite Fashion Rom-Com

It’s what makes Marisa’s style transformation powerful and endearing. One of the best scenes in the movie is when Marisa emerges at a fancy Met party wearing an unforgettable strapless peach chiffon gown, punctuated with a hefty diamond wreath necklace by Harry Winston. “You and me can’t go anywhere beyond this evening,” Marisa tells Christopher, knowing her white lie can’t go on much longer. “Then you should have worn a different dress,” he replies. The plot may revolve around their complicated romance, but the heart of the movie is seeing Marisa begin to thrive. Through her glamorous transformations, she begins to live her best life in the Big Apple, without a grueling hotel schedule to worry about. As a hard-working single mom, it’s what she deserves.

Marisa isn’t the only feast for the eyes in the film, however. As she tries to snag Christopher for herself, villainous socialite Caroline Lane (Richardson) delivers some impeccable outfits in the process. It’s literally her wardrobe that Marisa borrows from, after all. She has this minimal, classic aesthetic about her that’s just so New York. When she has a mini meltdown at the concierge desk, she sports a white beaded V-neck sweater—you know, casual day wear. When she outs Marisa as a maid, she does so wearing a classic olive turtleneck dress that’s perfect for winter.