Everyone Is Dressing Like a Hot-Girl Librarian This Fall, and We Kind of Love It

The library is open.

Shh! The library is open, and through its dusty doors you’ll find a flock of fashion lovers wearing their librarian-inspired best, like prim cardigan twin sets, stockings and reading glasses. The party girls are hanging up their bodycon dresses and high heels and settling down in a leather club chair to dive into the classics, and they’re dressing the part.

What do you think of when you think librarian: a buttoned-up cardigan sweater, maybe hand-knitted with fuzzy wool or mohair? Stockings and pumps? A pair of teeny glasses perched on the end of their nose? Maybe slightly undone, messy hair escaping from a bun or chignon? All of the above? Great! You’ve done your homework.

Below, take a deep dive into the library-chic fashion trend, including its runway roots and how to get the look this season.

The Trend

Though the internet has hopped on the dark academia trend over the past few years, we have Miu Miu to thank for this whole vibe. Prada’s rebellious little sister showed a variety of nerdy-chic looks on their fall/winter 2023 runway, including a gray twinset and polka dot skirt on model and actor Mia Goth, prim purses, ladylike skirts and coats in nubby tweed, herringbones and wool, tiny tortoise shell glasses and rumpled hair. The pulled-up visible hosiery on many of the models—and even the lack of pants on others—gave it a hint of undone sex appeal and kept it from looking too fusty and stuffy, as though you got up to something with a lover in the stacks upstairs. The line always beautifully toes the line between twee and sexy, and their interpretation of librarian glam is the ultimate example.

Bella Hadid, street style queen extraordinaire, has been embracing elements of the library look for awhile now, what with her love of unconventional layering and taking typically “frumpy” pieces and giving them new life. Devon Lee Carlson has also put her spin on the aesthetic with skinny cat eye glasses, cozy wool sweaters and ballerina flats, looking as though she just left the Classics section with some Brontë books in hand. Amelia Gray, another It Girl, appeared in the Miu Miu campaign wearing a prim turtleneck, slingbacks and the infamous sparkly mini-mini-mini shorts over matching sheer pink tights, plus the circular spectacles. Cute, right? The point of library dressing is not taking it too seriously or looking too buttoned-up; you always want one element of surprise or something undone, whether that’s a few buttons, a short so short it’s basically panties, or an unexpected dose of color.

How to Get the Look

To nail this bookish aesthetic, there are a few key pieces you should start shopping for. Let's start with something you probably already have in your closet: a cardigan. This is essential to the library chic vibe, so don’t build an outfit without it! The classic simple crewneck cardigan, preferably in cotton, wool or cashmere, should be your main styling piece here, which is great because cardigans are super easy to find at a variety of price points.

Old Navy’s SoSoft Cropped Cardigan Sweater ($37) has gone viral because of its fit, variety of colors and accessible price tag. If cashmere is your thing, Reformation’s Clara Cashmere Crew Cardigan ($198) is a timeless choice. Your cardigan should be fitted and hit at the hip, not oversized. Layer it with a matching tank for a twin set look or button it up as a shirt. For other takes on knitwear, you could also try a cozy sweater vest, or tie a sweater over your shoulders to add a bookish touch to any outfit.

Ditch your flowy maxi, and opt for an office-appropriate pencil skirt. You don’t have to pull your tights waistband out from under and show it off a la Miu Miu (though why not?) but pairing your cardigan with a patterned pencil skirt is a fun and easy way to nod to the brand's runway looks. A slim slip skirt or even a vintage slip would work well here too, almost like your prissy underthings are accidentally showing while you shelve returns. Not into a body-con fit? Any traditionally "frumpy" skirt like a calf-length pleated skirt in a subdued shade like khaki or grey will also fit the bill. Or, on the other hand, channel Miu Miu's pant-less look with an itsy-bitsy mini skirt and stockings.

The accessories are really what takes this look into fashion-girl territory as opposed to just a business casual look—you want to lean in almost to the point of parody. That means switching your tiny Y2K purse for a a ladylike handbag—head to the thrift store for this one and look for vintage-inspired satchels that could fit a book or three. Bonus points for a top handle. Make like the It Girls and add a pair of tiny glasses. Think reading glasses, the kind of spectacles that perch delicately on your nose. Tortoiseshell is best, but any little glasses will work here.

Finally, you can't go wrong with a pair of kitten heels. Pointy kitten heels were that girl during Fashion Month for a reason, but loafers and Mary Janes also work perfectly for a more casual take on the vibe. Wear yours with sheer black or black dot stockings, and you're ready to hit the stacks.

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Read the original article on Byrdie.