Table of Contents
HOW TO DRESS LIKE YOUR CELEBRITY FASHION ICONS
The best part is, while we may not have all the resources (and fancy brand deals) they do, we can still dress up the way our celebrity fashion faves do! You heard that right. What better way to spend time at home than rummaging through old clothes and finding the perfect vintage dress or a nice, cropped cardigan that looks exactly like Jennie Kim’s?
So in this guide, we’ll show you the different ways these celebrity fashion icons influence different trends in the fashion world and general public. Plus, we’ll take a look at some of the best style icons and what wardrobe essentials you need to emulate their style.
How do celebrities influence fashion?
If you look closely, you’ll find that many celebrities tend to influence what goes in style and what goes out. TBH, just about anyone could follow a trend. But it’s the celebs that actually have a signature look that go into revered fashion icon status. They have signature pieces that immediately become a part of their image and are, over time, associated with them.
Think of an elegant, black full-length fitted sleeveless gown cinched at the waist, black gloves, hair in a bun and short bangs. Does that outfit sound familiar? You probably pictured Audrey Hepburn, who popularized this vintage style! While she certainly isn’t the only person who has worn a vintage-cut dress, she’s one of the best there was, and it became such a vital part of her image that it has been forever associated with her.
The best fashion icons of today have drastically changed, but while trends go in and out, style lasts forever. Here are a few of our favorite fashion-forward celebs and their wardrobe staples so you can feel like you’re stepping on the red carpet every time you go out!
International Fashion Icons
The best international celebrities have made a name for themselves with their unique style and trendsetting choices. Plus, some of the best and biggest fashion brands come from all over the globe. But that doesn’t mean Filipina gals like us can’t take a few fashion and style cues from them. Find out how to dress like your celebrity fashion icons from all over the world!
Meghan Markle
One of the most famous personalities in recent years, Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle has been making waves recently, and her top-notch fashion sense is just one of the many things that make her an icon. Looking at her wardrobe, anyone can see that she carries an aura of true royalty, even when she stepped away from the Royal Family. Plus, she isn’t just a celebrity, but a philanthropist, too.
The Meghan Markle style can be described as high-end and chic. Her looks favor plain-colored pieces that say feminine and strong at the same time. With a memorable sense of style, she’s someone who can be classified as a fashion icon.
To recreate a classic Meghan Markle look the next time you’re out and about, pair some dark-wash skinny jeans with your best black turtleneck. Add a blazer over your shoulders, some cigarette heels, and voila!
If you want to take it a step further, add a trench coat (ukay-ukay has some super cheap yet stylish finds). You’ll feel like royalty in no time, and Duchess Meghan Markle herself would be proud.
Jennie from BLACKPINK
Korea’s influence over us Filipinas ranges from skin care to music to fashion. We can’t help it, we all just love their cute-yet-sassy sense of style! Plus, it’s a lot easier to find affordable dupes for Asian style icons vs. Western ones. And Jennie from Kpop girl group sensation BLACKPINK is just one of the many fashion icons of SoKo who inspire us.
With her superstar off-duty look, Jennie’s casual street style favors muted pastel, branded handbags, and crop tops that show off a gorgeous waistline. She is also a brand ambassador for Chanel, so it makes sense that her outfits tend to revolve around Chanel bags or a Chanel blouse. But don’t you worry if you don’t have luxury items in your closet, because it’s still super easy to recreate some of her iconic looks without them.
Some combinations Ms. Kim tends to wear are:
- Simple jeans, a fitted t-shirt, and a black handbag with metallic accents
- Cropped top and baggy jeans
- Cropped cardigan and plaid skirt
Look for feminine crop tops with a lace detail or a comfy cropped cardigan. If you don’t have a crop top, take an old t-shirt and cut it yourself! The top will look perfect with a plaid skirt or baggy jeans, and you would have saved a little, too. Pair these with sneakers or heels and add a peachy lip tint, and you’re basically an off-duty K-pop megastar.
RIHANNA
Rihanna might be best known for her music and hit cosmetics label, but she also knows the best way to turn heads. From the streets of LA to the red carpet, her looks are never second best. That’s why she is one of our top fashionistas from this decade.
Favoring edgy pieces and large statement clothing choices, one element ties Riri’s sense of style together: confidence! She’s not afraid to go for out-of-the-box pieces, because the self-proclaimed bad gal knows that feeling good in your own skin is the most important part of fashion. She also has a recently launched, all-inclusive lingerie line, Savage x Fenty which prides itself on making sexy pieces for all body types and genders.
Riri tends to go for street-style inspired pieces that still look put-together. A great way to do this is to go for a monochrome casual fit. Pair that extra-large beige hoodie with some beige shorts, a matching cap, and matching beige sneakers. Add hoop earrings and you’re going to be feeling like the only girl in the world.
Of course, part of her shine is her radiant skin. If you, too, want to have naturally glowing skin, go ahead and check out our guide.
Filipina Fashion Icons
As Filipinas, expressing ourselves through fashion is practically second nature. From feminine to edgy, flamboyant to understated, our sense of style and fashion is always a form of art! However, Western clothing brands tend to tailor to a physique that’s not the same as ours.
That’s why it’s important to gain inspo from the country’s very own group of influencers. Let’s find out about some of the best, most stylish icons in the Philippines and what wardrobe essentials you need to recreate their style. Read some tips on how to dress like your celebrity fashion icons from the Philippines here.
Nadine Lustre
Nothing screams millennial queen like Nadine Lustre. She’s young, fab, carefree, and completely in tune with the newest, most stylish trends in the fashion world. And we love her for it!
When she’s not on the TV screen, fresh from the stage, or with the who’s who of showbiz, Nadine can be found flaunting her unique clothing pieces. The 27-year-old talent can usually be found wearing sultry pieces that highlight her physique.
To emulate her style, try experimenting with athleisure. Grab a sports bra and jogger pants, then pair them with a colorful windbreaker. Next, style your hair into space buns and pop on some winged liner. Perfect for that next IG shoot!
For a more dressed up attire, switch the sports bra for a sparkly bralette or cropped spaghetti-strap top. Contrast the tight-fitting silhouette with some low-waist baggy pants, chunky sneakers, and you’ve got her signature Y2K-inspired look down pat. Her makeup is part of her look, and if you wanna sport the same perfect winged eye, read our guide here.
HEART EVANGELISTA
Crazy rich Asian Heart Evangelista is not only a stylish celebrity, but a philanthropist and known animal lover, too. She has gone to international fashion weeks, served as the creative director of Kamiseta, and even has her own clothing line now. While her looks may seem intimidating because of all that Louis V, fear not! Her chic and classy wardrobe can best be recreated with just a few closet essentials that are more accessible than you think.
To emulate her clean, classy, and vibrant looks, you’ll need a plain white button-down shirt mixed with a pair of dress shorts in a muted color. Bring out the artist in you with a jacket that shows off a bright floral pattern or geometric shapes.
Catriona Gray
Our favorite Miss Universe and human rights advocate Catriona Gray definitely knows the way to our hearts, fashion-wise. One of the country’s most well-loved beauty queens and stylish activists, she’s a fashion icon through and through. After her famous lava walk on the big stage, she’s quickly proven that she also knows a thing or two about style! Feminine and powerful, every Filipina can carry a bit of Catriona in them.
She tends to sport bright colors such as red and pink. To recreate her fashion style, all you need to do is pair a dark leather knee-length skirt with a pink blouse. For a more casual fit, grab your best pair of skinny jeans, a t-shirt, and some kitten heels for the model-off-duty look. Contrast the dressed-down look with some elegant dangling earrings and a high ponytail.
I’m a firm believer that we all have it in us to be as stylish as these fashion influencers. All it takes is figuring out the best styles, silhouettes, and cuts that complement our individual bodies and then wearing them with confidence! If there’s one thing we could learn from all these icons, it’s that loving ourselves is one of the most important accessories to wear.
Fashion trends come and go, but as long as we know which pieces accentuate our best features and highlight our personality, we’ll have our signature style to stick with through time. Actually, finding our own fashion and style is a lifelong process, because we’re always going to evolve and change! In the meantime, the best thing to do is enjoy and have fun with what we wear.
Joey is an AB Psychology graduate of the University of St. La Salle – Bacolod. Her life’s passions include writing, film, and spending hours on end binge-watching fashion vloggers on Youtube.