FASHION

Emma Watson Reinvents a Prep Style Staple

by Matthew Velasco

Emma Watson is seen on September 20, 2023 in Milan, Italy.
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There was a period a few years ago when everyone was wrapping heaps of fabric dubbed “infinity” scarves around their necks. Before then, a scarf in a Burberry check was all the rage with its varying shades of browns and reds. Now, on Wednesday in Milan, Emma Watson proved that this fall’s biggest scarf trend is, well, not a scarf at all.

The actress was spotted in the Italian city with a crisp, white knit sweater hanging loosely over her shoulders. While for many, layering a knit coverup over your outfit is something reserved for the preppy type, it has interestingly become a fashion girl go-to. Everyone from Hailey Bieber to Kendall Jenner have tried out the style (all in varying ways—from diagonal wraps to knotted concoctions).

Watson, though, simply laid hers over a white silk button down. And while, yes, keeping a sweater handy for the fall weather is something we all do, Watson’s piece added an interesting detail to her look. The gold hardware broke up the all-white top half and perfectly matched with the color scheme of her leather Prada handbag. Likely, the actress kept the sweater perched on her body rather than layer it over her look. But still, there’s something to be said for being prepared, right?

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Watson continued the white theme with another on-trend choice coming in the form of sling back kitten heels. The only departure from the palette was with her mini skirt—a dark navy number that she tucked into her button down. The skirt also had gold hardware and created the perfect foil to her sweater’s flailing arms.

Fittingly, it seems that fashion brands have caught on as to what’s going on with celebrities’ shoulders. Just a few steps away from Watson at Fendi, Kim Jones presented dresses with built-in scarf extensions, while in New York, Brandon Maxwell had his own fun with the fad too.

Despite designers trying things out, Watson proved that the look is rather simple to achieve with your current wardrobe (figuring out the optimal way to tie the sweater seems to take the most thought, though). And as temperatures continues to drop, the sweater-as-scarf movement is only picking up steam.