Secrets of the Stylish: Bridgerton's Jessica Madsen

Bridgerton star Jessica Madsen is having fun with fashion – and she's only just getting started.

"This is the beginning for me," the actress told us ahead of her recent visit to Cartier's Queen Cup Polo, "so delving into this area feels incredibly exciting". She's particularly enjoying "working with stylists and my team to find those brands that really resonate with me," she explains.

For the polo, Madsen chose to wear a tailored Ba&sh skirt suit, accessorised with a Cartier bag and jewellery. "I have Magpie eyes when it comes to fashion," she says. "If I love it and it feels like a piece I can have forever, I'll treat myself to it. Most of the time, I'm drawn to an empowering yet elegant suit." She adds: "I'm constantly surprising myself and exploring where my confidence lies, which is really exciting."

Here, Madsen discusses her own style evolution, her long-lasting love for Cartier and why fashion is anything but frivolous.

Candice Lake

Talk us through your look for the Cartier Polo – why does this look in particular feel like a good fit for you?

"When I saw this Ba&sh suit, I immediately thought it was me and when I tried it on, it felt like it was an extension of myself. I love the Miu Miu mini-skirt vibe – I have Magpie eyes when it comes to fashion. If I love it and it feels like a piece I can have forever, I'll treat myself to it. Most of the time, I'm drawn to an empowering yet elegant suit, so when Cartier invited me to the polo, I thought that this was the perfect day out for it. To wear Cartier jewellery is also incredibly cool – I was in heaven.

"Personally, I don't think it gets any better than Cartier when it comes to jewellery. This feels so special to me; I've loved Cartier ever since I was a little girl. My parents and older siblings all have matching Cartier watches, so to me, it feels like a true staple."

Candice Lake

How do you decide which brands you want to work with?

"It's intuitive, I go for what I gravitate towards. This is the beginning for me, so delving into this area feels incredibly exciting and to work with stylists and my team to find those brands that really resonate with me. It's amazing to explore the crossover of fashion and art and to discover brands that are progressive and bold."

How involved do you tend to be with the styling process?

"I like to be really involved, but I also want my team's input and to allow them their creative freedom. I love nothing more than being surprised by what someone else envisions and what that evokes in me. It's a sort of dance together to find that. We're all so multifaceted, so it can be extraordinary to see what elements and essences of yourself that fashion can bring to the forefront. I want style to help inspire and stretch my self-expression, as well as my creative boundaries, too."

What kind of fashion makes you feel your most confident?

"It's hard to put that into words as it varies so much for me. A suit is my usual go-to but, equally, it could be a long flowing dress. It really depends on the piece and whether I gravitate towards it. I'm constantly surprising myself and exploring where my confidence lies, which is really exciting."

How has your style evolved over the years?

"It's been a real journey. I've been many different versions of myself when it comes to my style. If you asked any of my friends that question, they would laugh with very wide eyes! For years, I only wore black, flared, high-waisted trousers with a white t-shirt and chunky boho jewellery. Then one day I had a paradigm shift, where I was all about big, bold colours. Nowadays, I've mellowed a little in myself and my palate is more sophisticated. At the moment I'm really drawn to textures and unusual fabrics with calm, earthy undertones.

"For special occasions, I love every opportunity to dress up and have fun with what I'm wearing when appropriate. My style changed whenever I experienced big changes in my life or internal shifts that changed how I felt on the outside to what I wanted to express. It was a change that came quite naturally to me."

Candice Lake

What has been your most memorable fashion moment in recent years and why?

"The leopard-print Sark suit I wore for the season two premiere of Bridgerton. I adored that suit and it really felt like a second skin. The silk shirt I wore underneath had little gold heart buttons, which felt like the cherry on top of what felt like a bold and unapologetically me outfit. I also wore it to the wrap party of season one, and I was like, 'I'm bringing it back'. I knew it felt good, that's all that matters."

At the Bridgerton season two premiere

Whose style have you always admired and why?

"Cate Blanchett hands down– she's my style superhero. She always looks beautiful and chic, whether she's rocking a suit or a dress. It's effortless. She also radiates strength as well as vulnerability, which I deeply admire and try to connect to in myself. She seems so authentically herself, which I really love."

What is your ideal getting-ready set-up?

"I always have to have a great playlist to get me in the mood, whether that's at home or in the make-up chair at work – music is a must for getting ready. I love taking my time to dance around and really enjoy it, as well as time for indulgence using body oils and hair masks. When everyone arrives, the creative part begins. I love having my hair and make-up done, as in my day-to-day normal life I'm very minimal, so it's always such a treat to be made up."

Candice Lake

When do you feel most beautiful?

"To feel really beautiful, it's an inside job. So whenever I have had a good night's sleep, I'm well hydrated, relaxed and doing what I need to to look after my happiness, then I think you radiate something beautiful on the inside and out. You can have your make-up done and wear something amazing, but it's really how you feel inside about yourself to radiate that and add to everything on the outside.

"At the moment, I'm exploring what really, truly makes me happy and making sure I care and look after myself in the best way I can. I love doing face masks and hair masks, as well as meditating and listening to good music and podcasts to properly relax."

Candice Lake

Candice Lake

Fashion has a reputation for being frivolous, but why does what we wear matter?

"It's a shame that fashion is seen as frivolous because to me, at its root, fashion is art. It's a medium of expression, from the design – whether it's clothes or jewellery – to the fabrics you choose to wear. It makes you feel something. Fashion isn't just visual, it's tactile, and you're living and breathing in a piece of art. So, in my opinion, anything that makes you feel something shouldn't be seen as frivolous."

Candice Lake

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