These Fashion People Consistently Set the Bar—Now, They’re Suddenly Wearing the Same Specific Top

If you’ve spent any amount of time on fashion’s corner of the internet, you’ll be familiar with this piece of advice: If an outfit isn’t interesting through texture or shape, make it interesting through colour. The latter is seemingly what every style insider has collectively decided to do over the past few weeks, with the red top trend a fiery new way of dressing that’s swiftly becoming hard to ignore.

Indeed, not since the red Versace dress Cindy Crawford wore to the 1991 Academy Awards has this colour garnered so much interest. But when smothering the top half of your body with a bold hue that commands traffic, you’re bound to steal attention.

Monikh Dale wears a red top with black joggers, red sandals and a beige jacket while in London.

What Is the Red Top Trend?

The red top trend first piqued my interest when I saw Zoë Kravitz wear a one with teeny tiny athletic shorts and round-toe mules à la Carrie Bradshaw while grabbing an iced latte in New York City. The thought of enhancing a very simple ensemble with a dominant shade in this way wasn’t one that had really crossed my mind before. I was interested, especially as an owner of a red cashmere Prada top that I have often struggled to style in the past. (I’ve probably worn it twice since buying it, and both times over a polka dot skirt.) One sighting does not make a movement, of course. But once I saw this outing, I began to notice elegant red tops cropping up everywhere.

Just last month, Victoria Beckham took to the streets of Paris in a polo-style red top, complementing the strong shade with flared jeans and an Hermès Kelly bag. Earlier in the year, while in Los Angeles, Kendall Jenner paired a scarlet half-zip long-sleeve style from The Row with wide-leg trousers and black loafers. Elsewhere, in New York, both Jennifer Lawrence and Dakota Johnson put two very different spins on the red top trend, with Lawrence wearing hers under a blazer and with woollen trousers and Vans trainers, while Johnson styled a crimson button-down with Agolde jeans and Saint Laurent shoes.

Kendall Jenner wears a red half-zip long-sleeve polo top from The Row with trousers and loafers.

How to Style the Red Top Trend

Of course, there are so many different iterations of the red top trend, as the crux of this silhouette really comes down to contrasting the daring tone with a neutral base in order to make yourself appear more striking.

This is something the ‘pop of red’ trend and ‘unexpected red’ theory, both of which went viral in the early days of 2024, taught us. But here, the red top trend acts as a very breezy way of helping an outfit look more considered, as all you need is a well-structured shirt, blouse or tank to make you appear thoughtful and put-together.

This trend's appeal also lies in its versatility, as it does so much to elevate basics like trousers or jeans. It’s no surprise to see this hack appear time and time again in the collections of The Row, Khaite, Bottega Veneta and Tibi, so this fuss-free formula is key to achieving the same level of polish and chicness that these brands possess.

And to borrow the teachings of colour theory for a moment, red is tied up with a number of psychological and biological associations, making this trend really one to get the blood pumping…

Dakota Johnson wears a red button-down shirt with blue Agolde jeans and Saint Laurent loafers while out in New York.

Ahead, I’ve curated a comprehensive edit of the best styles to shop so you can test and replicate the red top trend. From expensive-looking high street staples to more designer options worth investing in, take your pick and layer it back with your existing wardrobe items to try your hand at the most effortless celebrity-approved colour trend of the year.

Shop the Red Top Trend

Red Top Trend Outfit Ideas

Jennifer Lawrence tries the red top trend with black trousers, trainers and a blazer while out in NYC.

Musier Paris founder and artistic director Anne-Laure Mais does the red top trend with athletic shorts and ballet pumps while in Paris.

Victoria Beckham wears a red polo top with bootcut jeans and an Hermés Kelly while in Paris.

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We regularly try pieces ourselves, everything from bestselling jeans to designer shoes, speak to external experts and fashion insiders and stay closely connected to what our readers are searching for. Our advice is grounded in expertise and has to pass our exceptional taste levels—so you can feel confident in every recommendation.