Zendaya Breaks Her Months-Long Street Style Hiatus With the Most Vibrant Take on the Balaclava Trend
Triangle scarves have some stealthy competition.
On December 16, a TikTok creator went viral for running into Zendaya inside a Brooklyn bagel shop, seemingly confirming her return to New York City. Turns out, a balaclava-clad Zendaya landed at JFK airport a few hours prior—not that her bright orange hood was discreet.
The TikTok video hit 200,000 views before photos of Zendaya's arrival surfaced online, which marked the end of her three-month-long street style hiatus. Even so, she committed to going incognito mode in a layered winter look. First up? An oversize khaki-colored trench coat, stacked over a gray crewneck and black sweatpants. She tucked the joggers into knee-high, all-weather boots. A matching top-handle tote served as her carry-on, while her close friend, Darnell Appling, shouldered monogrammed Louis Vuitton duffles. Senior fashion news editor Halie LeSavage called the black bags "a dead giveaway" that Zendaya was indeed outside Baggage Claim.
NYC welcomed the Euphoria star with a 40°F chill, so she topped her brunette curls with a neon balaclava in Marty Supreme orange. (Perhaps she's supporting her Dune co-star Timothée Chalamet from afar.) It was a surprising select, given Manhattan is in the midst of a triangle scarf takeover. (Zoë Kravitz and Dakota Johnson are leading the charge.) Triangle scarves read dainty and effortless, while Zendaya's balaclava is impossible to miss.
Zendaya tried to maintain a low-profile outside JFK airport, but her balaclava gave her away.
Zendaya hasn't publicly tested the balaclava craze before, but she does adore a statement headpiece. (See her custom Louis Vuitton hat at the 2025 Met Gala, as evidence.) Back in 2023, when balaclavas dominated the closets of Hollywood's elite, Zendaya didn't partake in the trend. Instead, she let Gigi Hadid, Selena Gomez, and Hailey Bieber wear it to It-piece status.
Right now, however, it seems balaclavas are getting their due overseas. Last week in Paris, Lily-Rose Depp pulled off a cashmere version from Chanel. What's more, Taylor Russell hardly leaves her London pad without a ribbed The Row balaclava in tow. In September, Teyana Taylor proved the divisive style even has red carpet potential: She wore an army green rendition from Oude Waag Fall 2025 with ease.
Teyana Taylor took the balaclava trend to the One Battle After Another premiere.
Should she have jetted to London, Zendaya might've swapped her balaclava for the triangle scarf trend. Her fiancé's hometown brings out her softer side, as evidenced by her pastel knitwear, ballet flats, and worn-in jeans. New Yorker Zendaya, on the other hand, doesn't hold back: She'll wear an orange balaclava at the airport, even if it reveals her identity to paparazzi.
Shop the Balaclava Trend Inspired by Zendaya
