Angelina Jolie Accessorizes Her Simple Little Black Dress With Tattoos and a Meaningful Brooch

Angelina Jolie is known for her sleek and simple style, often photographed wearing sophisticated trench coats or running errands in stilettos. Today, at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, Jolie went for one of her signature elegant no-frills looks—but the ensemble had a meaningful story.

The actor wore a simple high-neck column dress in black from her fashion label, Atelier Jolie. Giving new meaning to the simple gown, Jolie then added a gold Cartier Panthère brooch.

The decorative pin isn't just a piece of jewelry, however. The piece belonged to renowned opera singer Maria Callas, who Jolie plays in the new biopic Maria directed by Pablo Larraín. “You can imagine how special it was to wear a piece of jewelry that was hers,” Jolie told Vogue.

Callas had a large collection of gems including the iconic Panthère, made by the French fine jewelry house in 1971. The brooch featured one of Cartier's signature gold panthers—complete with emerald eyes—perched on a white oval chalcedony gemstone.

Style was a crucial part of the opera singer's story. Callas was a client of legendary couture designers, like Christian Dior and and Yves Saint Laurent. And while Jolie intends to pay homage to Callas, she doesn't want to replicate her outfits.

“I chose not to copy [Maria’s] looks because they are hers, and her Venice carpets were stunning, so I gave a little nod to her—in a different way,” she said. “But I made sure to wear something ladylike in her honor.”

Jolie's take, however, was a bit more daring. Her backless gown showed off her impressive tattoo collection. The intricate designs across her arms and back acted as the perfect accessory to her simplistic look.

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