I have decided that today is not my day. Not only did I wake up on the wrong side of the bed, but I rolled into the office and flipped open my laptop only to witness Bella Hadid outing my secret styling hack to the world.
The night prior, the model was spotted out and about in Los Angeles sporting a pair of low-rise bootcut jeans, teamed with a bohemian-inspired vintage bed jacket. Quelle horreur! My precious hero item nonchalantly exposed to the star’s 60 million followers. Thanks, Bella.
So, I have finally decided to give up the ghost and come to terms with the fact that my beloved bed jacket has entered the mainstream consciousness.
Defined by a romantically loose silhouette, drawn together with a sweet ribbon-tie up fastening, ripples of Rococo ruffles and a cropped silhouette, billowy bed jackets have long peppered both my wardrobe and Vinted feed.
© Getty ImagesThey are perfect for injecting a touch of whimsy vintage into any everyday look - whether heading into the office or braving a first date. Like Ms Hadid, I often style mine with dark-wash denim, creating a textural mish-mash that’s both contemporary and uber-feminine.
It’s not rare for my bed jackets to spark an unsavoury reaction. “My grandmother used to wear those!” remarked one acquaintance, while another compared the layer to that belonging to a ghost child in a Victorian genre painting. But therein lies the appeal of the preloved piece - the story stitched into its seams, the hauntingly beautiful motion it makes when catching the wind and how unapologetically girly it makes the wearer feel. Nobody could ever deter me from wearing them.
© @lirisaw
© @dualipaMake no mistake, I knew that my gatekeeping efforts would fail one day. Chemena Kamali’s epic boho-chic revival posed a serious threat, with Chloé’s autumn-winter 2024-2025 championing swathes of frothy lace, balloon sleeves, babydoll frocks and 70s-inspired silhouettes. Likewise, brands such as Zimmermann, Simone Rocha and Bora Aksu continue to platform vintage-inspired, beruffled looks.
The second jumpscare came last summer, when Dua Lipa enjoyed one of her numerous luxury holidays alongside her partner Callum Turner, wearing a crisp white, three-quarter puff sleeve blouse with broderie anglaise detailing by Chloé. Thankfully, all attention fell to her stellar bikini collections and the giant rock perched atop her engagement ring finger. Crisis averted.
© Getty ImagesIt makes sense that vintage bed jackets have now gripped the fashion set. After all, nostalgia is key in today’s online climate of clickbait virality and consciously deterring the male gaze. The rise of the Sabrina Carpenter-approved underwear-as-outerwear trend centred on flouncy nighties and ornate bloomers - taking lingerie from bedroom to showroom. Prada, D&G and Coperni were quick to jump on the bandwagon, leading stars such as Emily Ratajkowski, Karlie Kloss and Alexa Chung to take note.
As WGSN's Catwalks Senior Strategist, Kim Cupido previously told me: "Romantic aesthetics will continue to infuse collections, and for SS26, this will take two distinct directions. The first story, one we’ve named Nu Romantic, will use soft volumes, dusted pastels, delicate lace and 3D floral trims to give pieces a heirloom look. Opposing this will be a darker, more subversive take on romance themes, using layered sheers and distressed edges to give an unpolished direction to theatrical and boudoir-like aesthetics, creating a theme we’ve dubbed Haunted Cabaret."
© @tanialeslau
© @tanialeslauOk, so I may have to loosen my grip on my secondhand renditions, which admittedly, were inspired by a pale pistachio version Iris Law wore back in 2020. I guess the piece was never mine to claim in the first place. Nor were they Iris’ or Bella’s - but 17th-century women who kick-started the dainty trend, which only became popular between the 1900s and 1950s among convalescents and new mothers.
Hence, it’s time for bed jackets to take their place in the sun. And, as their number one fan, who am I to protest? You heard it here first - 2026 is officially the year of the bed jacket.
