9 Celebrity Trends We’re Brave Enough To Admit We Kind Of Like
Ugh, we might even say love.
by The Candidly Team
In our 20s, we fell victim to a lot of faddy things that can now be coined objectively ridiculous. We can still feel the sting of 16 butterfly clips gripping our scalp and the phantom bruises of our loooow denim waistbands.
Nowadays, you wouldn’t call us “trend people.”
99.9% of trends are just too fleeting … too young … and, honestly, too unflattering to bother with.
That’s not to say we don’t like to dress tastefully or look excellent.
We just tend to gravitate toward things that are more classic. Timeless. Comfortable. Chic. Like THIS. And THIS.
So what are we even doing here, you might ask. Well, I believe the term is “eating our words.”
That’s right. Because today, we’re going to divulge 9 trends the “kids are wearing” that we really, truly love and wear and fully embrace as over-40 women. And we do it, not because they’re trendy, but because they’re all those things we mentioned above: timeless, comfortable, flattering.
But enough adjectives. Let’s get to the trends, and the specific pieces that make them come to life.
1. The “Clean Girl” Combo Of Loose-fit Jeans With A Tank
Why we love it: Here’s the gist. The combination of a fitted tank (or tee, for that matter) with a longer, looser-fitting pair of jeans is just very, very flattering on every shape human. It makes waists look more nipped and legs look longer. And then, of course, there’s the fact that it’s pretty much like wearing pajamas in terms of comfort. Just big, fat wins all around.
Madewell The Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Jean
Madewell has been doing magical things with jeans of late. We appreciate that the high-waist and trouser-like leg on this pair make us look taller, especially at this full length.
Price: $138
Artfish Women's Sleeveless Tank Top
To get those A+ proportions, we need a perfect ribbed tank. The scooped neckline on THIS highly affordable gem (from Amazon!) makes our arms and chests look their very best. This tank was such a “find,” that we wrote a whole piece about it HERE. It comes in two lengths; the shorter is great for those of us who hate tucking and would rather our tees just hit smack at the top of our jeans and the narrowest part of our waist. Here is one of us modeling the short-length tank with the above jeans.
See? So easy.
Price: $20
2. The “Coastal Grandmother” Look
Why we love it: Had you told us there’d be a trend that made everyone dress like Diane Keaton in a Nancy Meyers movie, we’d have thought you’d been spying on our dreams. But honestly, we get the mass appeal. Beachy linen trousers and smart button-downs have a way of looking incredible on everyone. And we can wear them in the warmer months without puddling onto the floor.
Madewell The Harlow Wide-Leg Pant in 100% Linen
These have topped our leaderboard of wide-leg trousers (we’ve tried dozens - duzzzzens). They’re obviously comfortable, but the way the pleating and the drape work together, we just get a very long and luxe look out of them, pretty much regardless of what tank, or tee, or button down we wear on top. They also size in plus, petite, and tall.
Price: $98.50
J.Crew Factory
Chambray shirt in signature fit
A chambray button-down sort of solves the riddle of how the hell do I look put-together and casually chic with minimal effort? This one is so light and breathable, but it has that great J. Crew cut (and size range!)
Price: $44.50
Gigi Pip Rylee Bucket Hat
A bucket hat is great for keeping your skin shielded from the time-fast-forwarder that is the sun. But we don’t have to sacrifice style. Not with this bucket hat.
Price: $64
3. White Sneaks With Fancy Fabrics
Why we love it: Ummm, because we get to wear a down comforter of a shoe with max orthopedic support and still feel like Audrey frickin’ Hepburn. Why else?
Dr. Scholl's Time Off Platform Sneaker
No need to send you 40 pairs of trendy white sneaks. These are the best. Clean. Minimalist. Modern. Perfection with skirts and dresses.
Price: $70
Quince 100% Washable Silk Maxi Skirt
Real silk doesn’t usually present itself at this price, but the quality and fit are on point with this maxi skirt from Quince, which is also washable! We wear it with a tied button-down and the above sneaks and pretty much feel ready for a red carpet, or to go to the grocery store. It’s that mix of high-low that just speaks to our soul. We are nothing if not elevated slobs.
Oh, and there’s a midi version of this exact skirt, which also comes in plus HERE.
Price: $80
Gap CashSoft Turtleneck Maxi Sweater Dress
A sweater dress that fits like a cozy glove is peak fall/winter elegance. But also, it’s sooooo effortless. Especially with sneaks.
Price: $71
4. The “Cottagecore” Florals
Why we love it: This trend actually inspired us to write a whole, long article. There are just too many wildly pretty, supremely flattering, completely comfortable, and outright lazy dresses out there to choose from. Throw any of these on with your most comfortable sandals, and poof, you’re your loveliest self. And again, you feel like you’re in house clothes.
Faithfull Valras Midi Dress Leilani Mid Blue
Faithfull dresses are a revelation for women who want to dress wildly comfortable while looking insanely flattered. The puffed sleeve. The long, elastic waist. The low neckline. Every detail is designed to make you look your best.
Price: $154
Glnege
Floral Midi Corset Dress
Nothing looks as good on everyone as a proper fit-and-flare dress. Just choose a favorite print (or 2, this is Amazon after all), and you’ll be set for any daytime event your life commands.
Price: $53
Gap × DÔEN Eyelet Midi Dress
Another incredible creation from the Gap/DÔEN brand collab we never saw coming but wish would never end. This perfect spring dress is understandably going fast though, so if they have your size, you may wanna pounce.
Price: $158
5. The Supremely flattering strapless dresses
Why we love it: Look, we’ve been saying this since WAY before it was cool, but strapless dresses are actually MORE flattering than sleeveless, especially if we have thicker arms or wider chests. In any case, a strapless black dress will always be an elegant staple, so owning one stunning version is a decision you won’t regret.
BHLDN Hayden Strapless Stretch Crepe Midi Dress
The fabric of this dress is this magical, melting, stretchy crepe that makes wearing a fitted dress 22x less daunting. You’ll feel so “held in,” you won’t even reach for shapewear.
Price: $198
Susana Monaco Twist Front Strapless Dress
If you’ve been wanting to dip your tiniest toe into cutouts, this is the safest and chicest way to do so. This dress is so soft and stretchy and smoothing on top then falls into the perfect maxi length skirt. And the cutout just gives it that tiny little hint of sexiness that makes it 12x more exciting to wear.
Price: $137
abercrombie Strapless Satin Sculpt Maxi Dress
Breakfast at Tiffany’s anyone?
Price: $130
6. The Return Of Real And Proper Maxi Skirts
Good skirts are hard enough to find, but for so long, brands were only making boring midi or horrifying mini skirts, so we pretty much forgot about skirts altogether. Then, something miraculous happened. Maxi skirts started showing up again. Good ones. Gorgeous ones! So much so that we wrote a whole THING about them. When cut correctly, a fine skirt can replace your pants and make you look miles more dressed up. But the comfort is always there. Always.
Reformation Bella Silk Skirt
The ultimate holiday skirt and the fit is relaxed enough that we don’t feel at all restricted. Instead, it complements curves and makes us look elongated. Plus, Ref offers free tailoring so you can get your exact right length.
Price: $218
Marcella Raven Skirt
If floatiness and stunning proportions are your dream, this is the skirt for you. Wear it with any fitted top in your closet and some minimalist, flat sandals, and you will look 100% put-together. Also comes in black and sizes up to XXXL.
Price: $110
7. The Tomboy-chic Accessories
Why we love it: About 3/4 of our team at The Candidly recently declared that these two words best describe their style aspirations: Feminine Tomboy. We just appreciate a balance between effortless, casual comfort and feminine fits that make us feel good. We got into the clothes HERE, but there are actually two accessories that have emerged from this trend that we’re absolutely all-in for. And here they are:
Madewell The Essential Sling Crossbody Bag
The way this bag swoops across your chest makes it part of your outfit. So you can be wearing a big, old tee and loose jeans, throw on this bag and bam, you’re chic!
Price: $110
Quince Cashmere Baseball Cap
No one wants to do their hair. So own a cashmere cap, and you won’t have to.
Price: $50
8. The Mary Jane flats
Why we love it: Sometimes the prettiest, most elevating things are the simplest. Such is the case with the graceful little strap that turns a ballet flat into a Mary Jane. This shoe, maybe more than any other, is one we can wear with any outfit in our closet, and it will make everything look that much better. That much more planned out, intentional, styled.
Margaux The Demi-Jane
Behold, the most beautiful ballet flat in existence. We dream of owning it in every color it comes in.
Price: $275
Rothy’s The Square Mary Jane
If breathability and comfort top your list when it comes to shoes, these MJs are a godsend. They feel like air itself, and you can walk 7 miles in them without an ounce of foot pain. They’re also washable which is kind of amazing. And every color is prettier than the last.
Price: $159
9. The “Quiet Luxury” White Dresses
Why we love it: People get so spooked about wearing white, and that’s a damn shame, because it’s one of the most elegant and quietly luxurious neutrals around. More brightening than beige. More exciting than black. We actually have 3 starter dresses we firmly believe make wearing white less scary. Every single one is a joy to wear.
Marcella Clara Dress
We wrote a whole tribute to this dress, because the fit is wildly flattering on every shape. The top is like a smoothing tank, and the bottom is so airy, we never want to take it off (in the summer especially). It’s great for spring/ summer festivities and can also be belted like so to break up the white just a teeny bit.
But for those unconvinced, it also comes in black. Oh, and it sizes up to XXXL.
Price: $125
Petal & Pup Rosetta Dress
Have we eased you into the idea of strapless enough to make you consider this supremely well-fitting dress? Yes, it comes in other colors, but we implore you to try it in white. Unless, of course, you aren’t partial to compliments.
Price: $79
Tuckernuck Pomander Place White Stitch Finley Flutter Sleeve Dress
This is one of those dresses that’s great for apple shapes or for all us humans who want to eat enormous lunches without giving a moment of thought to our belly pooch. But in white, it still has that clean, luxe look that makes our clothes look more expensive. Even as we still get to feel like the slobs we truly are inside.
Price: $128
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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