Jessica Alba Has The Tradwife Look Down Pat

Jessica Alba is having a tradwife summer—but without all the dated gender roles and unnecessary fluff.

Alba was spotted in Manhattan SoHo’s neighborhood today, sporting ’50s-inspired pale blue sundress. Alba’s floor-length piece was amped up with a plunging, low-cut neckline and featured a handful of retro details like statement puff sleeves and a floaty, empire-waist skirt. The actress styled her outfit with her signature brunette waves, dewy, natural skin, and square-frame glasses by Aspinal of London. She topped everything off with sleek Manolo Blahnik stilettos and a Hunting Season structured handbag.

The tradwife archetype—a TikTok creation that’s like an offshoot of cottage-core, coquette-core, even “Ladies Who Lunch” style—has inundated the Internet over the past few months. There’s been a slew of creators, dressed in similarly bucolic dresses to Alba’s, baking bread, tending to their gardens, or in the case of Nara Smith, making just about everything under the sun “from scratch.” And whether or not celebrities are actually paying attention to the sometimes divisive trend, it looks like they’re catching on. Just this summer alone everyone from Rihanna to Jennifer Lopez have been seen in what could be defined as tradwife fashion. Even top brands like Maison Margiela and Prada have subtly nodded to the trend, too.

While Alba’s look, from the pale blue print to the feminine maxi skirt, had all the making of tradwife style, she could have simply preferred this typically summer dress for her afternoon jaunt. On the contrary, Alba is decidedly not a tradwife. She’s the breadwinner in her family. She built up The Honest Company for over a decade before taking it public in 2021 with a $1.4 billion valuation. After stepping down as chief creative officer earlier this year, she’s since re-concentrated on her acting career.

The day prior, Alba—who is currently promoting her series “Honest Renovations”—pulled out a chic monochrome look for an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers. She wore a form-fitting v-neck top by David Koma that was lined with statement silver sequins across the front. She tucked her tank into a pair of floor-skimming jeans, also from David Koma, before finishing things off with pointed-toe heels and a Mansur Gavriel bag.