Kerry Washington takes a risk in a sharp sheer suit and heels

Kerry Washington ditched her power suit for something more fashionable this weekend at the LA Times Festival of Books.

The 47-year-old star is best known for her role as crisis manager Olivia Pope in the ABC series Scandalwore a sheer, midnight blue suit when she visited the festival to discuss her memoir Thicker than water.

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Her suit consisted of mesh pants with satin shorts stitched into them, a blue textured top and a sheer blazer, making the whole outfit fit perfectly between dressy and dressy.

She paired the outfit with neutral makeup and a nude lip that complemented her youthful look, while she wore her hair tied in a long braid and thrown over her shoulders.

Chunky but simple gold jewelry completed the ensemble, with her hoop earrings and rings matching the decadent metallic color of her nails, extending the subtle luxury of Kerry’s look beyond clothing.

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The breezy matching set may have been inspired by the actress who once said, “I would wear pajamas to work every day.” Who can blame her?

On the stage next to Kerry was her memoir: Thicker than water, which was released last fall to great acclaim.

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The book chronicles the actress’s life, from growing up as a black girl in the Bronx to the imposter syndrome that came with entering the predominantly white world of Hollywood, and delves into Kerry trying to answer the questions surrounding her sense of self. Who am I? How do I find a deeper sense of connection and connection? What is my truest and most authentic self?

Thicker than Water has received multiple positive reviews, with former FLOTUS Michelle Obama describing it as “raw, vulnerable and honest”, while Gwyneth Paltrow, founder of lifestyle brand Goop, was “captivated by every chapter”.

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Kerry – who is raising daughter Isabelle and son Caleb with her former NFL star Nnamdi Asomugha, and is also stepmother to his teenage daughter from a previous relationship – previously admitted that her book was her most vulnerable project to date.

“If people don’t like the movie, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, talk to the director.’ When I’m the director, I say, ‘I know, the studio didn’t give me enough money,'” she told Vanity Fair, adding that “this time” there’s no one else to blame.

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“It’s far more fragile than any other creative endeavor I’ve ever undertaken.”

The mother of three was joined by other celebrities and celebrated authors at the LA Times Festival of Books, including RuPaul, John Green and Pulitzer Prize winner Viet Thanh Nguyen.

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She later took to Instagram to tell her 7 million followers that the festival was “LIT.”