Every fashion week delivers its “quiet trend”- the one you don’t notice at first, until suddenly it’s everywhere. This season, it’s not a bag, not a shoe, not even a silhouette. It’s the belt or more specifically, what replaces it.
On the streets of New York, oversized trenches are no longer tied with their matching fabric straps. Instead, they’re being cinched with bandanas, men’s ties, and silk scarves. A red bandana tied at the back like a bow. A striped tie trailing almost to the hem. A printed scarf looped so casually you’d think it was accidental- until you realize it’s the entire outfit.
Bandanas in particular feel like the hero here. They carry that mix of utilitarian grit and playful color that instantly disrupts the beige seriousness of a trench coat. They read street, they read DIY, but paired with a classic coat? They read editorial.
And maybe that’s why I’m obsessed. The other day, I threw a bandana around the handle of my Off-White bag (the strap is literally breaking)- but no one knew. It looked chic, intentional, even purposeful. That’s the power of this styling trick: necessity disguised as design.
It raises all the right questions:
- Are bandanas the new “It accessory” - not on heads or wrists, but cinching trenches and elevating everyday pieces?
- Does replacing the belt with something imperfect- even messy-make the trench more personal, more alive?
- Are we finally embracing accessories not as decoration, but as invention?
For me, the answer is yes. This isn’t about trends so much as it is about styling as storytelling. A bandana tied at the back of a coat isn’t just holding fabric together- it’s signaling rebellion, individuality, a refusal to wear something the way it was prescribed.
Fall/Winter has always been oversized season, but this year it’s oversized with interruption. Layering, tying, bandana-ing; it’s fashion saying: “Go ahead, mess it up.” And honestly? I love it more than the trench itself.
Toodles XX
Jennie
1 comment
Okie trying the bandana trick NOW