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If there's one piece that embodies Olsen Twin Fashion more than anything else, it's the Kelly Bag. The iconic design from Hermes is an Olsen favorite — they both own multiple in various shades and textures of black — and it embodies everything they're known for. Think: oversized proportions, "effortless" finishes (Olsen Kellys are tastefully worn from years of use), black-on-black monochrome, a steep price tag, a dash of the contrarian (many celebs opt for a Birkin, the Kelly's more popular older sister), and, most of all, a blatant disregard for trends.
The Olsens have held our attention on the fashion front for more than three decades, but for the last 10, not much has changed. Look at photos of Mary-Kate and Ashley from 2012 and compare them to 2022 — you'd be hard-pressed to tell which year is which. Anything black, oversized, structural, and vaguely menswear-adjacent immediately calls to mind the sisters (and, of course, their fashion label, The Row). Sure, they've had different eras — boho-chic, y2k teen, and moto-grunge — but since they landed on this current aesthetic sometime in the mid-2010s, it stuck.
The Olsens own a hyper-specific, highly-coveted space in the fashion world and have worked hard for that honor, but arguably, their current style peaked in the early 2010s. Since then, its influence has been more of a slow burn than a white-hot blaze. In the era of teeny-tiny bags, neon queens, dopamine dressing, and the Y2K revival, it's hard to see where the sisters fit in. If 2022 is a maximalist screaming into the TikTok void, Olsen Twin Fashion is a whisper between two insiders in the front row. It's exclusive, understated, difficult to nail — but, impossible to miss. It's an "if you know, you know" way of dressing, often too subtle for the splashy red carpets of 2022, where bright colors and bold cutouts reign supreme.
The past few weeks, however, suggest otherwise. An array of monochromatic looks graced the red carpet like a fresh, understated breeze. Celebs seem to again be taking cues from the Olsens and embracing all things sculptural, oversized, tasteful, eye-catching, and basic black (or maybe a crisp white if you're feeling cheerful).
Take, for instance, Emma Watson's recent appearance at the Schiaparelli Couture show. The actress wore an exaggerated black blazer, gray jeans, and a white button-down. The outfit — all sharp edges, strong shoulders, and adventures in volume — wouldn't look out of place on Ashley Olsen, who has been known to step out in some sharp, off-kilter suiting from time to time.
Naomi Campbell also wore another Olsen fave — an oversized duster, a silhouette especially beloved by Mary-Kate — to a Balenciaga dinner the same week. After all, there's almost nothing more Olsen than ignoring seasonality and wearing a floor-length coat in July.
And the hits keep coming: fashion darling Tracee Ellis Ross donned an elegantly shapeless pleated dress outside the Balenciaga show, Emrata rocked belted men's suit pants (in black, naturally) with a surprisingly interesting take on baggy tailoring, and Bella Hadid took a break from her usual "weird girl aesthetic," donning a voluminous black gown and giant croc-print jacket in rapid succession. Even the eternally vibeless Hailey Bieber got in on the action wearing a classic moto jacket several sizes too big, evoking several iconic Olsen 'fits of fashion weeks past.
And of course, there's Mary-Kate Olsen, looking more Olsen-y than ever in giant sunnies (naturally), baggy suiting (of course), and an unseasonably long black coat (again, there's nothing more Olsen than not dressing for the weather).
It's unclear if this is a passing trend or part of a larger shift away from maximalism and the ever-collapsing trend cycle. Are TikTok trends like "old money" and "rich mom" just Olsen Twin Fashion repackaged for a younger, larger audience? It's very possible. It's also possible this classic look will simply find its place in this fragmented landscape of increasingly niche aesthetics and quicksilver trends. Perhaps, Olsen Fashion will simply remain the inspiration du jour for The Row superfans and frustrated Pheobe Philo disciples who have been waiting on a collection for years. Either way, the Olsen twins will be fine, and Olsen Twin Fashion will live on.
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