Cue the Nostalgia: 7 Celeb-Approved Trends That Defined 2023

Time is elusive, or at least, it feels like it has been over the last few years. Maybe it's just me, but I'm convinced we've never collectively held a more distorted sense of time. Hear me out. We're still grappling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and social media is a time warp that's mentally disorientating. On top of that, broader pop culture has fixated on the past—look to the popularity of television shows set in the Regency era (ahem, Queen Charlotte) and the return of Y2K fashion trends as proof. It's resulted in a collective sense of bewilderment around the passing of time. After all, how could we be nearing the end of 2023 when it feels like a different era envelops us? Who even remembers what took place this year? With so much happening around us all the time, it can be hard to be present, much less parse out what's actually defining this period. Luckily, there's one failproof way to sift through the noise to determine what's true to this moment: celebrity style.

As trite as it might sound, fashion has always acted as a mirror. It's reflected political movements, social values, and specific eras in time. The trends we see bubble up on the runways and, subsequently, red carpets offer the best possible highlight reel of what's happening in the culture. When reflecting upon this past year, there's no better place to start than with the celeb set, which is precisely what I did. By digging through hundreds of red carpet, street style, and runway images, I was able to finally get a grip on this era in time and the trends that tattered our timeline. Ahead, I'm breaking down the seven biggest fashion trends of the year based on their popularity among celebrities, designers, and stylish people. Plus, I've shopped out each with a mix of high-end luxury and contemporary brands beloved by the stars to ensure you can re-create the looks for yourself. In time, these trends will be added to the fashion history books—I'm sure of it. 

On Jennifer Lawrence: Khaite x Oliver Peoples 1969C Sunglasses ($525); Tiffany & Co. x Elsa Peretti Sevillana Pendant ($520); The Row top, pants, bag, and Maud Ankle Tie Sandal ($654); On Kendall Jenner: Gucci sunglasses; Bottega Veneta dress and Falcon Clutch ($5900); The Row Soft Leather Loafers ($1250)

Even if you found that the year flew by without a fair warning, it's hard to forget the ever-looming presence of one particular fashion aesthetic: low-key luxury. Like it or not, no corner of the internet was immune from the takeover of all things old money and quiet luxury adjacent. Defined by an ethos that it's better to buy better than more, we saw this approach appeal to many this past year in a way that can not be ignored. It signifies a shift in the zeitgeist, one that could be reflected in the popularity of shows chronicling the lives of the incalculably wealthy (e.g., Succession) and the looming economic insecurity and inequality that causes consumers to rethink the economic pragmatism of fast fashion.

Possibly the greatest indication of this movement's impact is through its widespread adoption in real life. We may have seen brands like The Row, Bottega Veneta, Chloé, and Tove champion well-made staples in their ready-to-wear collections, but celebrities made sure they came off the runway and into the real world. That's no more apparent than when Jennifer Lawrence was spotted in London in mid-June donning a slate-gray outfit from The Row or when Kendall Jenner was spotted in the streets of Paris donning a fitted dress from Bottega Veneta's F/W 23 collection with loafers from The Row. The more subdued approach to dressing taken by celebrities this year reminds us that luxury lies not in how "loud" the apparel is but rather how long it can last. 

Shop the trend:

On Rosalía: BlueMarble coat and shoes; Urban Sophistication The Puffer iPhone Case in Silver ($56); On Emily Ratajkowski: Bottega Veneta Drop Earrings ($820); Nour Hammour Joni 90S Glamour Shearling Coat ($2641); Chrome Hearts boots

As low-key luxury took off this past year, so did the return of all things furry. Nothing was immune from being turned fluffy—apparel, shoes, bags, etc. While it might seem antithetical to see this more "ostentatious" trend exist alongside the subdued, minimal pieces that have characterized the quiet luxury movement, it's actually not. Although they differ in approach, the same subconscious desires drive the popularity of both trends. Historically, we've always seen style used as a tool to showcase one's status in society, and that fact is even truer in times of economic uncertainty. In every recent major recession, trends have centered around displaying wealth—e.g., look to the rise of fur sales in the '80s and the embrace of bedazzled clothing in the mid-aughts. Basically, with every economic slowdown comes a new set of trends, and in this case, it's a few furry friends.

Of course, with concerns about the economy because of skyrocketing inflation caused by the effects of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine's impact on global supply chains, it only makes sense we'd see so much of this textile. Not only did designers snuggle up to this material—it was spotted in the S/S 23 and F/W 23 shows of Givenchy, Coperni, A.W.A.K.E. Mode, and Gucci—but so did celebrities. Some stars chose to lean into all things furry, while others took a more minimal approach. For the former, the best example was when Rosalía was spotted wearing a striped fur coat with matching fuzzy sneakers from BlueMarble at the beginning of the year. More recently, Emily Ratajkowski was spotted in a minimal look with a furry shearling coat, turtleneck, leggings, and knee-high boots. Even though both celebrities choose to embrace the trend in very different ways, they show us the paradoxes that exist within how society chooses to flaunt their funds. 

Shop the trend:

On Dixie D'Amelio: Ferragamo Shearling Coat ($9800), Organic Shape Earrings ($965), and Pump With Wedge Heel ($1330); On Lori Harvey: Ferragamo Sunglasses ($330), Suede Belted Trench Coat ($8900), Suede Turtleneck ($2600), Stretch Leather Pants ($2800), Eva Pump ($980), and Hug Bag ($3400)

Without a doubt, the events that took place in wider society this year played their part in what trends reigned supreme, but they weren't the only cards on the table. This year, in almost Game of Thrones fashion, we saw the biggest switch-ups in the lines of succession, or—in fashion terms—the creative directors at the luxury houses. Just to put it into context, it's been reported that eight designers departed their roles, seven were newly appointed, and multiple designers had their debut collections put into production this year. Basically, there's been a lot happening behind the scenes, which has led to the prolific rise of some brands' popularity in the past year. None are as noteworthy (at least in my mind) as Ferragamo. It's no secret that the positions of power, even in fashion, have long been held by white men, despite the industry's touting of diversity and inclusion efforts in recent years. But the game has shifted with the appointment of the British Trinidadian Jamaican designer Maximilian Davis at the helm of Ferragamo.

Even though Davis's debut spring/summer 2023 collection was only released a few months ago, its influence has already managed to paint the town red, quite literally. With that first collection and the subsequent fall/winter 2023 collection, we've seen crimson red cemented as the color of the year. Its popularity has been furthered by the embrace of the hue in other designers' collections (see Bottega Veneta, Loewe, Ashlyn, and ACNE Studios) and by the style set. Everyone has adopted the color this past year, from stars like Lori Harvey and Dixie D'Amelio to the fashion crowd that's bought into it fastidiously. It's not hard to surmise that part of the appeal of this color is its overall popularity, but I have a feeling it's deeper than that. It's not just that Ferrgamo's new collections are so damn hot. Rather, it's that so many people are excited to see themselves reflected in the echelons of high fashion. Davis's work reminds us that great designers should not be judged by the color of their skin but by how they can brighten the world with their work. 

Shop the trend:

On Laura Harrier: Saint Laurent Trench Coat ($11500), tank, YSL Python Leather Belt ($950), Silk Muslin Pencil Skirt ($2700), and Lee Patent Leather Slingback Pumps ($1090); On Dua Lipa: Saint Laurent Long Coat ($12000), Saharienne Clip Earrings ($1490), Hooded Top ($2490), pants, and pumps

Although we did see a fair share of excitement surrounding the appointments of new creative directors—e.g., Davis to Ferragamo, Matthieu Blazy to Bottega Veneta, and Sabato De Sarno to Gucci—the "fresher" faces in fashion weren't the only ones who held a grip on fashion people this year. We saw one particular industry veteran captivate the fashion crowd's attention this last year, Anthony Vaccarello of Saint Laurent. If any brand set the tone for what was stylish this year, it was Saint Laurent. In the brand's S/S 23 collection, every major trend of the year was reflected. Leather coats? Check. Longline hemlines? In tow. Eighties-inspired jewelry? Stacked to the max. Pointed pumps? Plenty of those. I could go on for hours, but I'll spare you, as there's a whole other season that was just as influential. When it came to luxury brands that put fashion into high fashion, Saint Laurent was it this year, and that fact wasn't something that was lost on the celebrity crowd. 

You could find the effect of YSL's collections everywhere you looked this past year. There were the more apparent places you'd see the brand's influence—e.g., worn by stars like Lori Harvey and Dua Lipa on the red carpet. The influence also stretched into broader pop culture. This year, Miley Cyrus released her music video for "Flowers," where she's dancing up the side of a mountain in a Saint Laurent gown, naturally. However, the best possible illustration of its impact goes back to how widely the Saint Laurent look was adopted outside the spotlight. Even if you couldn't get your hands on one of the brand's coveted pieces, the collections epitomized all the things fashion people look for in a good runway collection: inspiration. Anyone could feel like they came fresh off the Saint Laurent runway if they wore a well-tailored leather coat. Having that type of effect on anyone and everyone is something to be excited about.

Shop the trend:

On Jennifer Lopez: Michael Kors Collection Chesterfield Single-Breasted Wool Coat ($3290), jumpsuit, and belt; Valentino Large Roman Stud Leather Bag ($1875); Jennifer Fisher jewelry; On Simone Ashley: Le Specs Last Lolita Sunglasses ($56); Del Core coat and jeans; Valentino bag

As previously mentioned, many of this year's biggest trends drew inspiration from what's happening in wider culture, and the maxi-length-coat trend was not immune to this pattern. As fashion history has shown us, hemlines always extend in times of economic uncertainty. Long coats came back into style during the Great Depression, then after the banking crisis in 2008, and now, they've made a sweeping return. While precedent tells us that this silhouette was destined to come back into style, it was not the only thing contributing to all the extra yards of fabric this year. One can't deny that all the floor-sweeping coats from Saint Laurent's S/S 23 collection inspired many of the subsequent fall shows—it marked the beginning of designers embracing the silhouette to the max.

Of course, that's not to say each house didn't give the style their own signature spin. For example, Boss sent a maxi coat fashioned from patent gray leather down its F/W 23 runway. At Y/Project, a herringbone-print maxi coat was embroidered with distressed denim. Then there was Givenchy and Ami, which used styling to make the "simple" silhouette shine by adding leather gloves, knee-high socks, and pointed shoes. Each variation of this trend showed that history may repeat itself, but it by no means has to feel repetitive. That collective approach to re-creating the silhouette makes it so appealing to many, as the variation allows it to be easily worn by everyone—even stars like Jennifer Lopez, Hailey Baldwin Bieber, and Simone Ashley.

Shop the trend:

On Suki Waterhouse: Tory Burch Open-Back Pullover Top ($348), Jersey Chiffon Skirt ($898), and Lee Radziwill Cat Eye Bag ($798); On Gabrielle Union: Prada Arqué Leather Mini Shoulder Bag ($2450)

While modest hemlines may have made a major comeback this past year, you better believe the celeb set was still about their naked dressing. Unless you've been off the grid, you're likely already aware that celebrities have a long history of wearing barely-there pieces—refer back to the legendary CFDA red carpet look Rihanna wore in 2014. Sheer clothing isn't exactly the most surprising thing to spot on the celeb set at this point. However, that doesn't mean it didn't evolve over the past year to feel and look a bit different. Like a cold front that comes in quickly, designers shifted how sheer textiles were used in their spring/summer 2024 and fall/winter 2023 collections. No longer was it about just baring it all. Rather, the sheer separates were styled in a way that was, dare I say, more modest.

Just look to Tory Burch's spring show, in which sheer chiffon was made modest by having the material overlayed over dresses and miniskirts, or how sheer separates were layered on top of each other to draw attention to the underpinnings in Miu Miu's spring show. And then there was A.Roege Hove's spring show, which added a rich texture to opaque separates through plissé. Elevating see-through clothing isn't always easy, yet designers did just that this past year. Subsequently, we've seen some of the most stylish iterations of sheer dressing from celebrities this year—look to Suki Waterhouse in head-to-toe Tory Burch or Gabrielle Union in a slate-gray semi-sheer gown with a matching maxi coat. 

Shop the trend:

On Hailey Baldwin Bieber: Saint Laurent 557 Sunglasses ($420), vintage earrings, and Male Buckle Belt In Shiny Leather ($545); Balenciaga coat; Alaïa Second Skin Knit Bodysuit ($1520); Petar Petrov hot pants; Calzedonia Invisible 20 Denier Sheer Tights ($25); Jimmy Choo Romy 100 Black Kid Leather Pointy Toe Pumps ($775); On Rihanna: Gucci Rectangular Sunglasses ($450); Cecilie Bahnsen jacket ($720); Philosophy bustier; Balenciaga Knife Pantaleggings

If I haven't clarified by now, let me drill down my point one last time: No fashion trend exists within a vacuum. That's true even for the more "trivial" trends like the "pants optional" trend that took off this past year, which is characterized by the usage of underpinnings like tights, hot pants, underwear, and stirrup leggings to create the visual illusion of—you guessed it—wearing no pants. While one might initially write off the trend as a frivolous movement championed by a few famous people (ahem, Rihanna and Bieber), it's more than that. Like all trends, this movement reflects what's happening in the fashion world. 

We first saw tights styled underneath hot pants with a sweater and pumps in Blazy's S/S 23 collection for Bottega Veneta. Since then, variations of the no-pants look have been spotted everywhere. Tailored separates were styled with matching hot pants layered over tights in Ferragamo's and Helen Anthony's F/W 23 collections. At Puppets and Puppets, a model strutted down the runway wearing a tailored corset top with lace stirrup leggings featuring a built-in overlay to give the illusion of exposed underwear. And then there was Miu Miu's collection, in which actual briefs (some bedazzled) were layered over tights and paired with layered knitwear. This was the peak expression of the trend! Each iteration of this trend on the runways was not only reflective of all the exciting things happening in the industry but also changes in the wider world. 

The adoption of the no-pants look speaks to the longer history of more skin-barring forms of dressing being adopted after events of mass destabilization. For example, after the Spanish Flu in 1918, the roaring twenties were filled with more risqué hemlines including the minidress. With this in mind, it's only natural we'd see some new way to bare skin emerge, as we've collectively grappled with massive upheavals in the past few years. While some still might think that choosing not to wear pants isn't a big deal, I'd be to differ. At the end of the day, even with the free will to choose what we put on our bodies, we can never make the choice to be separated from the influence clothing has on society. Fashion has always reflected the era in which it exists—acting as a guide to who is deemed important, what is happening in the world, and what everyone is wearing. It will continue to do so, even if you choose to go pant-less or not post-2023.

Shop the trend: