After undergoing a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, Cara Jade Myers adopted a new approach to fashion. The Killers of the Flower Moon actor returned to public events with increased confidence in her style.
Myers was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer in February 2026, shortly after her 40th birthday. A December 2025 mammogram revealed dense breast tissue, leading to additional scans and a biopsy.
As a result of her diagnosis, Myers paused her acting career and declined roles in a miniseries and a feature film to focus on treatment. Three weeks after her diagnosis, Myers underwent a double mastectomy, followed by reconstructive surgery in July.
Cara Jade Myers #Oscars #Oscars2024 pic.twitter.com/rrX4tpeO8l
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Finding Herself Through Fashion
During recovery, surgeons used devices to stretch her skin, which made her usual clothes fit poorly. After reconstruction, she also noticed her breasts felt denser, which affected her balance. As she recovered, Myers returned to dressing up. 'Fashion has made me feel like myself again,' Myers told Vogue.
Myers reflected on her new perspective, noting that concerns about being judged for her outfits now seem minor compared to what she endured during treatment.
'I've become more fearless in my wardrobe. In the past, I've always been so worried about standing out. But getting cancer made me realise, "Why am I making myself smaller?",' she said. 'The last 40 years have gone so fast, so for the next 40, I'm going for it.'
Distinctive Red-Carpet Selections
Myers continued this approach at the 2026 Toronto and Vancouver International Film Festivals in September, promoting Marie Clements' How We Stand alongside co-star Amber Midthunder.
In Toronto, she wore a cream suit by Creators Kidz Co., featuring laser-cut details, which she previously wore at Santa Fe Indian Market. She later wore a black gown by K. Lookinghorse — an Indigenous brand linked to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe — with a dramatic train.
Notably, Myers selects her outfits without a stylist, adding a personal touch to her appearances.
Cara Jade Myers, Janae Collins, Jillian Dion, and Lily Gladstone. pic.twitter.com/11MzE4fBsb
— NativeAmerican (@NativeLegacyHub) August 16, 2025
In Vancouver, she wore a graphic black-and-white turtleneck gown by Jamie Okuma. She also wore a colourful striped off-the-shoulder dress, paired with long earrings by Jennifer Younger and turquoise necklaces designed by her father, Terrence R. Campbell.
Outside of red-carpet events, Myers embraces thrifting and recently added spiked Christian Louboutin heels to her wardrobe. She also continues to dress up for date nights in Los Angeles.
Models Share Their Journeys
Other models have also addressed body image and personal identity following breast surgery. Linda Evangelista was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 following a routine mammogram and underwent a bilateral mastectomy. When the cancer returned to her pectoral muscle in 2022, she described her surgical scars as symbols of survival.
'I have always viewed scars on the body from surgeries and from disease as trophies. They are like gold and shiny and should be on a mantle. It shows you won,' Evangelista told Vanity Fair in 2023. Before appearing shirtless in a fashion shoot, Evangelista showed her mastectomy scars to friends.
'I should have known myself, looking in the mirror. Something I don't love to do, but I should have known that it is beautiful. And they made me feel beautiful,' Evangelista said. 'I'm beautiful, but I needed to hear it from someone else. So I just really think it's important that as women, we support each other and uplift each other.'
Bianca Balti had a different experience. In 2022, after learning she carried a BRCA1 mutation, she chose a preventative double mastectomy despite not being diagnosed with breast cancer. 'The hardest part of this entire process has been the fear. Of finding out the diagnosis, the unknown, of taking time off work, of not knowing how my body will look,' Balti told Vogue.
in memory of Bianca Balti, she's not dead but she deserves recognition after VS rejected her to put Kendull Jonner in her place pic.twitter.com/3rlp3a7mJg
— Satin (@ohdiormio) August 24, 2017
She explained that sharing her decision publicly encourages other women to seek screening and genetic testing.
'Every time I speak publicly about what happened to me, people will reach out and tell me they did a mammogram or had their genes tested. So I know it actually makes a difference when you talk about it.'
Their experiences highlight the different decisions women may face when breast cancer, or its risk, changes their relationship with their bodies.
