It's Controversial, But It's True: Overalls Are About to Be Fall's New It Item

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(Image credit: @dronme; Courtesy of Brandon Maxwell; @annabelrosendahl; Courtesy of Tibi)

It's rare in the social media age—when, if you follow the right people, you can spot a trend coming from a mile away—for a fad to actually sneak up on you. Normally, the signs are all there. But in the case of overalls, it took all but a few weeks for the once "frumpy" onesies to go from outdated to one of fall's most sought-after wardrobe items. These days, they're everywhere.

I first spotted a pair during Oslo Runway on influencer Annabel Rosendahl. Pairing it with an oversize tee, Saint Laurent's cult-favorite Le 5 à 7 shoulder bag, and point-toe heels, the Norwegian made the utilitarian silhouette appear surprisingly elevated. My attention was piqued, but one good outfit doesn't make a trend, so I wrote it off as a fluke and went on with my day. Not long after, I noted the silhouette on the runway during New York Fashion Week, first at Brandon Maxwell and later at Coach and Tibi. By the time fashion month was over, it was already too late to get ahead of the trend. It was already here, on everyone from model Elsa Hosk to French influencer and recent Mango collaborator Camille Charrière

If you're as blindsided as I was, I get it. But it's not too late to get in on the fastest-rising trend of the season. Scroll on to shop the best overalls on the market right now. 

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On Instagram:
(Image credit: @greceghanem)

This look feels extremely relevant this week, as it's been about 70° every day in NYC. When this heat wave inevitably ends, though, don't fret. Just swap out the tube top for a cozy knit and the thong sandals for chunky boots. 

Shop overalls:

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On Instagram:
(Image credit: @hoskelsa)

The best thing about overalls is how low-maintenance they are. Toss on a bandeau bra, some sandals, and a chic bag—boom, you're done. 

Shop overalls:

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On the runway:
(Image credit: Brandon Maxwell/ImaxTree)

Brandon Maxwell's S/S 23 collection displayed leather and denim overalls that provided us with a new outlook on the silhouette. Making them even cooler, he had them styled undone, allowing the tops worn underneath to be the focal point. 

Shop overalls:

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On Instagram:
(Image credit: @kendalljenner)

Find someone with more influence over our shopping choices than Kendall Jenner—I'll wait. But actually, I should've known this trend was coming the second the supermodel posted this BTS photo of herself wearing baggy, oversize overalls back in September. 

Shop overalls:

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On Instagram:
(Image credit: @annabelrosendahl)

This easy-chic look turned heads during Oslo Runway and is just as awe-worthy today, nearly three months later. 

Shop overalls:

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On the runway:
(Image credit: Coach/ImaxTree)

Coach took overalls from utilitarian to grunge in its S/S 23 collection, opting for a shorts silhouette in heavy-duty leather as opposed to the traditional pant look. 

Shop overalls:

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On Instagram:
(Image credit: @dronme)

This look answers the long-debated "what to wear to [insert any activity that takes place in nature in the fall]" dilemma.

Shop overalls:

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On Instagram:
(Image credit: @camillecharriere)

You really can't go wrong on a Saturday afternoon with some striped coveralls, a white tee, and some Cortez sneakers. 

Shop overalls:

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On the runway:
(Image credit: Courtesy of Tibi)

Tibi's spring collection offered yet another way to overall with styles made of trouser material as opposed to cotton or denim. 

Shop overalls:

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On Instagram:
(Image credit: @monikh)

Toss on a flouncy blouse to add a touch of romance to this otherwise utilitarian shape.

Shop overalls:

Next: The Grungy New Boot Trend That Was Everywhere During Fashion Month

Senior Fashion Editor

Eliza Huber is a New York City–based fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and celebrity style. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 after almost four years on the fashion editorial team at Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a marketing degree from the University of Iowa. She has since launched two monthly columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled the likes of Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top trends from fashion month, season after season. Eliza now lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, running in Central Park, and scouring eBay for '90s Prada and '80s Yves Saint Laurent.