Bella Hadid's Undone Button-Down Shirt and Reading Glasses Revive the Sexy Librarian Look

BRB—I have to go renew my library card.

Bella Hadid in an unbuttoned striped button-down shirt and glasses
(Image credit: Backgrid)

ICYMI—Bella Hadid is back, and her style is better than ever. After taking much of the year off to recuperate from her struggles with Lyme disease, the supermodel made a sudden return to our feeds last week with a bevy of back-to-back sightings in New York City. To recap, she's so far been caught in a now highly-coveted knit set, followed by a very 2000s-coded look via low-risers and Von Dutch. A couple of days ago, she foreshadowed the skinny jeans revival with a pair of '90s-esque slim denim. Now, her latest look brings back yet another core: Hadid wore a button-down shirt with reading glasses, effectively channeling a super sexy and stylish librarian (but one who looks like they shop on Depop, of course).

The 27-year-old was photographed while out and about last night in New York City, later posting the full fit on her Instagram feed. There were a few key points to her OOTN that stood out, the first being her striped Oxford shirt, which she wore unbuttoned to give off a plunging neckline and show off a slice of her midriff. She layered her top with a fitted leather blazer, scrunched up at the arms to give an illusion of cropped sleeves. She kept the bottom half of her outfit to a minimum, opting for straight black trousers and leather boots. As the "It" girl always does, she didn't leave the house without prescription Bayonetta-inspired frames. As for handbags, she went for a Givenchy's slightly slouchy Voyou bag.

bella hadid 2023

(Image credit: Backgrid)

Over the years, Hadid has fully embraced a quirky way of styling, cementing herself as a fashion icon even off the catwalk. But what makes this outfit a standout is that, in just a week since her return to the fashion pap walk, this occasion marks the second time Hadid channeled one specific trend. Call it librarian-core or geek-chic—either way, the aesthetic is rising from its '90s and early 2000s roots with a vengeance. After a hiatus from our style radar, the re-emerging style is back with over 33 million views on TikTok alone. We can guarantee that with Hadid seemingly back for good, this won't be the first or last time we see her channeling the bookish look.

Thanks to Hadid, we now have more outfit inspiration to fully immerse ourselves into the sexy librarian trend, making for the perfect in-office uniform or just a look to wear on a casual day out. As noted, it seems we're ditching the contacts for a pair of trusty prescription frames. The star of Hadid's outfit wasn't just her reading glasses but also a loosely undone button-down. Instead of going oversized, opt for a tighter fit. You can either wear it with a baggy blazer or go the Bella way with a fitted leather version. The rest is simple: just a pair of your go-to black trousers, and there you have it!

Shop Bella Hadid's Outfit

India Roby
Freelance Fashion Writer

Born and raised in Memphis, India Roby is a freelance journalist based in New York City. In 2021, India graduated from The New School with a Bachelor’s in Journalism + Design and a minor in Fashion Communication. Her bylines have also appeared in NYLON, Highsnobiety, Harper’s Bazaar, Arch Digest, Teen Vogue, Byrdie, Paper, The Zoe Report, Fashionista, and others.