Last Night's Scandal Brought Muted and Bold Colors to the Forefront

Don't kill Olivia! Last night's Scandal had us on the edge of our seats with President Grant choosing between starting a war to save Olivia Pope's life or letting her die to prevent it. Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) chooses to start the war, officially deeming Olivia (Kerry Washington) the new Helen of Troy, or the face that launched a thousand ships. Although Olivia was prepared for death, Fitz couldn't pull the trigger. Phew! All the while, she's still being held captive with nothing but her pajamas from last week's episode: a Rag & Bone silk shell and La Perla silk pants.

Back at the White House, the other ladies of Scandal are holding down the fort. First, Lady Mellie Grant (Bellamy Young) is in her signature bold color, wearing a red Lela Rose dress. "This is typical Mellie," costume designer, Lyn Paolo, tells InStyle. "She's trying to be strong, especially in the scene where she's seducing Andrew to steal his phones, so the dress was perfect for that."

Just before Mellie meets with Andrew though, she's visited by Elizabeth Grant (Portia de Rossi), who is recovering from a brutal encounter with Huck and fearful for her life. Finding Olivia is the only way that she'll be safe. In this scene with Mellie, Elizabeth is in head-to-toe gray, wearing an Armani silk blouse and skirt. "We wanted her in all neutral because we knew there was going to be a big reveal of the damage on her back," Paolo said. "It would be more graphic with the muted colors of her wardrobe."

Next week, we're crossing our fingers for Olivia's safe return!

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