Alexa Chung just proved this divisive noughties trend is back and here to stay

1 year ago 61

As far as personal style goes, Alexa Chung has always been a celebrity with plenty of individuality. The TV presenter turned fashion designer (opens in new tab) has never shied from putting her own spin on a trend or leading the way in creating fun, new outfit formulas.

Last night, Chung attended a dinner for perfume brand Frédéric Malle (opens in new tab) and as to be expected arrived in an outfit that was wholly unique. For the occasion, Chung chose to don a floor-length black gown and black pointed-toe ballet (opens in new tab) flats.

Though, while this may seem like a run-of-the-mill look for a press dinner, don't be fooled—Chung had a sartorial surprise up her sleeve. The star had styled a pair of straight-leg blue jeans (opens in new tab) underneath her transparent gown.

Taking to Instagram to show off the look, Alexa wrote "I missed dresses over jeans. Sorry if you didn’t."

As an outfit formula, dresses over jeans have been steadily making a return to the spotlight in recent months. In fact, Katie Holmes (opens in new tab) sparked quite a lot of debate last December when she arrived at the iHeart Radio Jingle Ball wearing a strapless mini dress over a pair of wide-leg denim.

The look originally gained prominence in the early noughties when jeans-and-a-nice-top was the outfit du jour. From red carpets to film premieres, celebrities took the style one step further by replacing tops with dresses and soon created an entire movement around it.

From Ashley Tisdale to Micha Barton, the It-girls of the early 2000s were certainly very fond of the outfit formula.

While Alexa and Katie's choice to revive the style might feel a little left of field, this is actually a look we have seen returning to the catwalk, as well. Molly Goddard displayed dresses over jeans as a part of her Spring/Summer 2023 (opens in new tab) collection, while brands including Burberry, Cecile Bahnsen and Collina Strada have also styled dresses over trousers on the runway recently.

Now that the look has garnered the tick of approval from Alexa Chung, would you welcome this trend back into your wardrobe? If yes, keep scrolling to shop dresses and jeans now.