Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Are My Ultimate Style Icons—5 Outfits That Live in My Head Rent-Free
And how I've recreated them in my own wardrobe.
As a millennial who began watching Full House while still in the womb (it’s true, you can ask my mom), the influence of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen runs deep in my veins. I respect how quiet and mysterious they have become in their private lives, and am always fascinated (and entertained) by how even the tiniest glimpse of them in public has given way to highly-engaged fan pages on Instagram and full-blown dissertations on TikTok. And people just eat it right up. (I’m people.)
Their personal style, in particular, is what captivates me the most. It has inspired how I dress, often subliminally, for well over a decade. The way that they really wear things—from their lived-in hair to their beat-up Birkins—is a philosophy to which I, too, subscribe. (Objects, even really fancy ones, are meant to be used, in my humble opinion.)
It’s not even necessarily what they wear, but rather how they wear it that’s their secret sauce. Still, there have been a few looks over the years I can’t stop thinking about. Here’s how I recreate them.
If there’s one item I associate with both Mary-Kate and Ashley, it’s an oversized, tailored black maxi coat that kisses the ground. What I love about this article of clothing, aside from looking chic at all times, is its range: As you can see here, Ashley styled it simply and impeccably for the 2021 CFDA Awards. For an elevated look, layer it over a sleek, long black dress with a simple pair of black pumps and a great pair of earrings.
This is a look I keep in my repertoire on those dreaded days I don’t know what else to wear. It’s an alternative, more pared-back way to wear a tailored black maxi coat (my own second skin). Dressing it down with a pair of easy silk trousers and a trainer provides a sense of casual polish I seek in my everyday life living in New York City. I love the addition of a thin scarf for another layer, and the stacks of gold necklaces add a bit of personalization.
I love the contrast between the semi-formality of the maxi skirt and the T-shirt layered under a V-neck sweater. It’s giving office at 5, semi-formal dinner at 8—and I’m here for it.
I foamed at the mouth after Mary-Kate Olsen wore this Balmain coat to the 2013 Met Gala, and continue to do so today, some 13 years later. This look has been making the rounds again after Conner Ives dressed Sara Moonves in a custom, fur-trimmed opera coat at a recent party.
Surprisingly (or perhaps not), there’s quite a gap on the market for this type of robe/coat/dress. I ended up sourcing a traditional Chinese robe in a similar color, and adding the fur trim myself. But this house coat by Colleen Allen gives a similar effect, as does this number on Etsy. I also would do unspeakable things for this Chloé coat.
I think about these looks a lot. It’s no easy feat to make high-neck, floor-length lace appear both sexy and haunted-by-a-Victorian-ghost simultaneously, but they did it. (Not that I would ever doubt them.) The fur-trimmed embroidered jacket is the icing on top—bohemian, Victorian, and alluring, all at once.
