Okay, I've Been Influenced: These Celebrities Are Making Graphic Tees Look Actually Chic

My graphic tees and I have been through a lot together: the personal style crisis I had at 18 years old, another "I hate my clothes" dilemma at 22, multiple cross-country moves. Sure, they're stretched-out and the prints are barely visible, but those are my girls—I haven't been able to part with them. So, they've just been sitting in the back of my pajama drawer. That might change, though, thanks to some of my favorite celebrities who have bravely been styling theirs out and about lately, making them look actually chic.

Over the past few months, we've seen Sabrina Carpenter, Odessa A'Zion, and Lila Moss wear graphic tees boasting their favorite bands, characters, and more at concerts, fashion shows, and dog walks. Most recently, A'Zion kept it casual in a Simpsons short-sleeve (featuring the Shakespearean spoof, "To beer or not to beer") with Coach's Brooklyn Bag, to an effortlessly cool effect. Meanwhile, Miley Cyrus donned a graphic tee with her own face on it to the premiere of the Hannah Montana: 20th Anniversary Special.

Even stylists like Gabriella Karefa-Johnson are giving the trend another life. At a dinner celebrating her new role as Trends Spokesperson for Depop, she gave out vintage graphic tees from the site as a party favor. Why? They're a hot commodity right now: There's been a 107-percent increase in searches "graphic tee" on Depop since January, Karefa-Johnson tells me.

"[Graphic tees] feature so heavily in my stylistic rotation that I’ve developed an entire system of dress around it," she says. (She wore a vintage Britney Spears T-shirt to the event, courtesy of Depop, of course.) "For folks in the public eye, where it’s slightly harder to speak freely, they can speak for you," she says. "Let us not forget, also, that the graphic tee is just, frankly, easy. It’s effortless, adaptable, and for any girl on the go."

Now, do I plan on styling my Twilight Team Edward T-shirt for a black-tie event? No. However, I do feel compelled to take my favorite graphic tees out of retirement and reintroduce them to my everyday outfit formulas. Let the celebrity outfits below inspire you to do the same. Should you need more (because one Twilight tee is never enough), Karefa-Johnson recommends "using compound keyword searches—like era, color, or cultural references—to surface pieces that feel rare."

Sabrina Carpenter's Cub Scout Graphic Tee

As a longtime Carpenter, I can confidently say that Sabrina Carpenter wasn't ever a Cub Scot. But she didn't have to be to pull off this circa-1981 lemon yellow graphic tee. Take it from the Grammy winner: A personal connection isn't necessarily required to vibe with a print.

Teyana Taylor's "I Love NY" Chanel Graphic Tee

Matthieu Blazy's sequined "I Love NY" T-shirt stole the show during his Chanel Métiers d'Art debut. One month later, Teyana Taylor expanded its reach far beyond the show's subway backdrop, wearing it for her opening monologue as a Saturday Night Live host. A fur stole from Chanel (her take on the "unexpected red theory") dressed up the tourist staple in an instant.

Kate Hudson's The Grateful Dead Graphic Tee

Last January, Kate Hudson styled her Grateful Dead T-shirt with a red satin skirt, as an homage to the band's guitarist, Bob Weir, who passed away earlier that day.

Charlize Theron's Givenchy Graphic Tee

Even Sarah Burton's Givenchy is getting in on the graphic tee resurgence. Charlize Theron gave the monogrammed $870 T-shirt a proper close-up at the Palm Royale Season 2 premiere in mid-January. Pairing it with relaxed pinstripe pants and white sneakers proved Theron is a cool girl on and off-duty.

Lila Moss's Conner Ives Graphic Tee

The graphic tee trend even earned a front-row seat at London Fashion Week, thanks to Lila Moss. She arrived at Conner Ives's Fall 2026 runway show in a low-rise column skirt and a raglan tee, both from the brand.

Miley Cyrus's 'Hannah Montana' Graphic Tee

It doesn't get much more iconic than wearing your own face on a red carpet. Cyrus did just that last month to celebrate 20 years of Hannah Montana. The cropped baby tee wasn't your average merch, though: She stacked it beneath a pop star-worthy chainmail gown from Rabanne.

Bella Hadid's Graphic Baseball Tee

Two weeks ago, Marie Claire's fashion features editor Emma Childs called raglan baseball tees the "underdog trend" for spring. The statement must've hit Bella Hadid's desk, because days later she tested it in long-sleeve form. Hadid's seems to have been a vintage find, but thanks to the uptick in baseball tees on the market, similar styles are as wallet-friendly as this under-$50 version from Anthropologie.

Jennifer Lawrence's The Beatles Graphic Tee

Jennifer Lawrence declared herself a Beatles babe in a butter yellow "Strawberry Fields Forever" T-shirt earlier this month, worn alongside her beloved Adidas Tokyo sneakers.

Odessa A'Zion's 'The Simpsons' Graphic Tee

Never mind A'Zion's lifelike fish shoes: For me, her graphic tee was the main character on April 7. One seemingly laid-back shirt declared she's a Simpsons fan, plus an oversized shirt savant.