Fashion Week Outfits That Should Never Be Forgotten Part 2

A mini-series as a reminder of the good days of celebrity style at fashion week.

In honor of Spring / Summer 2023 fashion weeks around the world and my panging nostalgia, I'm looking back at some of the fashion week attendee outfits that have been on my mood board for decades. They weren't always opulent, or even that unique, but they represented a type of style that we can't forget.

In the past, the best fashion week style wasn't always perfectly pulled together. It just had that thing. So, in honor of London Fashion Week, let's look back at a look from nearly 15 years ago, worn by someone who famously had that hard-to-describe thing about them.

This look was simple and was worn by none other than the quintessential British aughty's it-girl Alexa Chung. Sitting front row during the Luella show in September 2009, Chung smiles coyly at the camera, her arms dangling over her folded legs. She's wearing a black dress over a black and white stripe shirt with a tiny leopard-print belt around her waist. Her trendy ballet flats cross in front of her, while her black Chanel bag sits on the floor (I KNOW).

What I love about this outfit is that even though relevant for the time - especially the ballet flats - it's timeless. I would wear that right now, and not necessarily feel like I'm following any sort of trend. Plus, it wasn't about standing out for a camera; it was about looking good and comfortable and showing off an innate sense of style.

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At the time, Chung knew she was "it." She even published a book with IT as the title calling attention to her place in the Zeitgeist. The draw for me was not that she had the best clothing or wore the top designers but that she had such a clear sense of personal style. And that's what it's always been about hasn't it?