There is paying tribute, and then there is stepping directly into Hollywood history. As Lexi Minetree prepares to introduce a younger version of Elle Woods in Prime Video's new prequel series, the 25-year-old actress has been doing something few stars ever get the chance to do.
Rather than simply recreating Reese Witherspoon's iconic style, Minetree has been walking red carpets in dresses that once belonged to the original Elle Woods herself, making each appearance feel less like a fashion statement and more like a genuine passing of the torch.
Reese's Pink Dress Returns
Minetree's latest appearance came at the UK special screening of Elle, where she arrived in a vibrant magenta Stella McCartney gown that instantly caught fans' attention. The strapless archival design featured a structured bustier neckline and a delicate train, while her curled updo and soft pink make-up completed the unmistakable Elle Woods-inspired look.
The dress was already familiar to fashion fans. Reese Witherspoon first wore the same Stella McCartney gown at the 2014 Met Gala during the Charles James: Beyond Fashion exhibition. More than a decade later, the dress has found a second life, this time on the actress taking over one of Witherspoon's most beloved roles.
This Has Happened More Than Once
Throughout the promotional tour for Elle, Minetree has repeatedly worn pieces linked to Witherspoon's own fashion history. During her debut appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she surprised viewers by revealing she was wearing the exact pink Marc Jacobs dress Witherspoon famously wore to the Legally Blonde premiere in 2001.
Fallon even displayed the original photograph beside Minetree, creating a striking side-by-side comparison that quickly became one of the tour's most memorable moments. She later continued the tribute during Prime Video's 25th anniversary Elle Woods celebration in New York, choosing an archival pink sequinned Dolce & Gabbana dress inspired by one of Witherspoon's memorable looks from Legally Blonde.
Reese Shared Her Wardrobe
Appearing on The Tonight Show days later, the Oscar-winning actress revealed that Minetree's stylist had contacted her after asking whether she still had outfits from the early Legally Blonde years. Witherspoon happily agreed.
'I have all the wardrobe in storage,' she explained, adding that Minetree was welcome to choose 'as many dresses' as she liked. She also revealed that the famous Marc Jacobs dress fitted Minetree perfectly, joking that it was 'like Cinderella's slipper' before declaring, 'She was meant to be Elle Woods!'
Lexi Borrowed a Few Pieces
Minetree herself has admitted that it became difficult not to explore the wardrobe. While appearing during Prime Video's Obsessed Fest, she confessed that she had borrowed several items from the Elle set, although she playfully avoided revealing exactly which ones.
'There were just too many beautiful things,' she laughed. 'I mean, how could you not?' Her comments only added to the growing fascination surrounding the wardrobe, with fans eager to spot every hidden callback to Witherspoon's original era as Elle Woods.
The Clothes Tell a Bigger Story
What makes these fashion choices stand out is that they represent something much bigger than nostalgia. Rather than recreating famous outfits or commissioning modern versions, Minetree is wearing pieces that genuinely belong to Witherspoon's own collection.
It transforms each appearance into a symbolic handover between the actress who introduced Elle Woods to cinema audiences in 2001 and the performer now bringing the character's younger years to television.
For fans of Legally Blonde, every pink dress has become another reminder that while a new actress may be stepping into the spotlight, the legacy of Elle Woods is being carried forward with the blessing of the woman who made the character a pop culture icon.
