#TBT To Allison Williams On 'Elle' Cover

Wishing Elle Magazine a very happy birthday, HBO Girls actress Allison Williams posted a throw back of her Elle cover photo from the glossy’s February 2014 issue to Instagram Thursday. Almost two years have passed since the spread, and though both the glossy and Williams have significantly matured since, I personally think this particular cover was one of the best for both parties.

The 26-year-old actress has plenty of beauty and brains to brag about, sporting brunette bombshell-status style and having graduated from Yale with a bachelors degree in English, but she lets her confidence speak for itself. Her fierce nature illuminates off the cover in which Williams, front and center in front of a faded grey backdrop, gazes into the camera with a toothy grimace and loose strands tangled over her face. According to her interview with Elle, the actress thinks of fashion as a “pure extracurricular.” So basically, her fashion sense stems from her natural beauty and preferences. Teach us the ways, Williams.

Elle covers have a few signature elements that often repeat themselves like the pouty lip and windswept hair. After all, how many ways can a cover girl actually pose? But this shot of Williams redefined the Elle woman.

Her dark, slit eyes scream sexuality, while her lifted arms and hands grasping her neck signify a kind of vulnerability and the combination of her teeth and off-the-shoulder, triangle cut dress give Williams’ an edgy aesthetic.

Fans of Williams often recognize her as an all-American beauty who down plays her naturally good looks on screen for her role as Marnie. We've even seen her pull off a boyish charm as Peter Pan during NBC's live performance last December. It's not often enough that fans catch Williams out of her element, and this cover photo captures a darker, sexy side of the actress that is attractive and alluring to an extent.

The glossy often highlights its cover star's beauty, but rarely are these women portrayed in an alternative light. I personally think that this cover is their best as it provided Elle readers with a new perspective of the glossy and its cover girl.

Unfortunately for us, the stunning Anthony Vaccarello off the shoulder jersey dress Williams wore for the Elle cover is currently unavailable. However, I searched around to find you (OK and myself) a few alternatives to choose from.

Check out three off the shoulder jersey dresses inspired by Williams's Elle cover.

1. Torn by Ronny Kobo

Klara Dress, $98.40, shopbop.com

If you can't buy, improvise. Vaccarello's jersey dress may not be available, but we can certainly emulate the look. What I loved about Williams's dress was its triangle hem. Here, we get a similar style with a little more flair since, duh, it's an illusion.

2. Romwe

Off-shoulder Bodycon Apricot Dress, $23.33, romwe.com

This Romwe dress is an all around steal. It has a similar triangular shape as Williams's cover dress, it's affordable, and blush pink looks great on any skin tone.

3. Tobi

Off The Deep End Dress, $48.00, tobi.com

This might be a bit of a stretch, but you'll still give off that dark, mystery woman vibe, and bottom line: you can never go wrong with an off the shoulder mini.

Want more beauty tips? Check out the video below, and be sure to subscribe to Bustle’s YouTube page for more hacks and tricks!

Images: Courtesy Brands (3)