How to Recreate Kaia Gerber’s Street Style
Here at Zeitgeist, we have a theory that when it comes to everyday style, our wardrobes revolve around roughly ten pieces. Even supermodels with seemingly endless closets still turn to the same items, or at least the same type of item, time and time again. These mainstays provide a versatile foundation to build upon and pair with the special pieces in our closets. The familiar garments also allow us to sub in new styles without going too far out of our comfort zones.
And speaking of comfort, there’s no better place to turn to for casual outfit inspiration than Kaia Gerber’s street style. When she isn’t following in her supermodel mom Cindy Crawford’s footsteps walking the Versace runway and winning Model of the Year in 2018, she’s darting off to Pilates class and making Starbucks runs in hoodies and yoga pants like the rest of us. Plus, Kaia’s model-off-duty style is surprisingly easy to recreate on a budget. Despite being one of the biggest supermodels of the moment, she wears an unexpected amount of affordable pieces, including plenty of vintage jeans and tees.
When you look at Kaia Gerber’s outfits, it’s easy to see why she’s the face of Parisian cool-girl brands like Celine and Saint Laurent. Her tomboyish ‘fits feel like a laid-back California take on classic French girl style. They’re timeless, effortless, and thankfully, easy AF to copy.
Here’s how to recreate Kaia Gerber‘s street style with just ten versatile wardrobe staples.
Levi’s 501 Jeans
Musier Paris cardigan, Levi’s 501 jeans, Celine bag, Lexxola sunglasses, Converse sneakers
Brandy Melville hoodie, Levi’s 501 jeans, Gucci Jackie bag, Converse sneakers
In case you missed the memo, Levi’s 501 jeans are officially the jeans of California It-Girls like Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and Kaia Gerber. The timeless denim adds the perfect dose of 90s supermodel-off-duty style to simple everyday outfits. Plus, a casual tee and straight-leg jeans are ideal for showing off the season’s hottest It-bags like Kaia’s Gucci Jackie bag and Celine Ava bag.
When it comes to denim, Kaia rarely strays from classic Levi’s 501 jeans in a medium wash with little to no distressing. On top, she keeps it simple with basic t-shirts, cropped sweatshirts, and lightweight cardigans. Regardless of where she’s headed, she almost always sticks with her go-to navy Converse high tops or black Dr. Martens combat boots.
Cardigans as Tops
Brandy Melville cardigan, Chanel sunglasses, Converse sneakers
Re/Done jeans, Cult Gaia bag, Dear Frances sandals
Another trend that’s become increasingly popular thanks to Gen Z fashion icons like Kaia Gerber is the humble cardigan. Kaia frequently wears cropped button-up cardigans with straight-leg jeans, midi skirts, and cut-off denim shorts. Worn barely-buttoned over a simple bralette, her versatile knit tops offer the perfect balance of youthfulness and sexiness.
Thanks to her toothpick-thin frame, Kaia is one of the select few people who can actually fit in Brandy Melville’s one-size-fits-all clothing. She’s a big fan of Brandy Melville’s cropped sweaters, sweatshirts, and sweater vests. Might we suggest hitting up your favorite local vintage shop or thrift store as a sustainable Brandy Melville alternative?
Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars
Khaite blazer, Levi’s Re/Done jeans, Converse sneakers, By Far bag
vintage Queen tee, Levi’s jeans, Converse sneakers
To successfully recreate Kaia Gerber’s street style, you’ll need a pair (or ten) of Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars. While other supermodels love to flex their expensive designer sneaker collections, Kaia prefers a more humble alternative: classic Converse high tops in basic colors like black and navy. When asked about her timeless style, she told Harper’s Bazaar, “My mom has always focused on the classics of style and I think she passed that onto me, where less is more.”
When we say Kaia pairs her Converse with everything, we mean everything. Like a Cali-version of a chic Parisian girl, she sports her beat-up sneakers with midi skirts, summer dresses, blazers, tees and jeans, leather jackets, and everything in between.
Cropped White Tees
Levi’s jeans, New balance sneakers
Saint Laurent jacket, Converse sneakers, Miu Miu sunglasses
Kaia’s style revolves around classic garments that never go out of style. We’ll likely be referencing her paparazzi pics in twenty years for model-off-duty style inspiration similar to the way we look to Nineties supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Christy Turlington today. By utilizing timeless staples like straight-leg jeans, white tees, and leather jackets, Kaia all but ensures her style will still be cool for years to come.
And what item is more of a classic than a basic white tee? Kaia prefers cropped short-sleeve white tees with a fitted silhouette and a crew neck. Though simple, the basic tee looks effortlessly chic when thrown on with jeans or leggings and a drool-worthy leather jacket.
Graphic Sweatshirts
Video Store Apparel hoodie, Birkenstock sandals, Ray-Ban sunglasses, Celine AVA bag
Chanel bag, Adidas x Alexander Wang sneakers
Even before the pandemic, Kaia usually kept things pretty casual. Like most teenage girls, her go-to casual outfit is an oversized sweatshirt and basic black leggings. When asked how the pandemic changed her style, the supermodel told ELLE, “I think I’m in the same boat as everyone— I’m living in sweatpants and workout clothes. I do think it’s nice to have a break and I think everyone wants to appear more human now… The world feels less pressure to get dressed in the morning, which I think is a good thing. Being able to feel confident in sweatpants is one of the greatest gifts. I mean, even putting on pants is a win for me.” Celebs, they’re just like us.
In another interview with ELLE, Kaia revealed that often steals her chic graphic sweatshirts from the closet of her older brother Presley, a fellow model who’s walked for designers like Moschino, Prabal Gurung, Dolce & Gabanna, and Ralph Lauren. “Presley has really good sweatshirts. Not like Yeezy sweatshirts or anything, but they’re just really good and worn in,” said Gerber. “And since he’s bigger than me, they’re really oversized, which I love.”
Wool Coats
Loewe coat, Nanushka pants, Celine Teen Triomphe bag, Ray-Ban sunglasses, New Balance sneakers
Fendi coat, BY FAR bag, Birkenstock sandals
When it comes to winter outfits, Kaia usually sticks to her basic tee-and- Levi’s jeans routine with a long wool coat thrown on top. She loves oversized coats— like this drapey camel number from Loewe or this boxy double-breasted plaid coat from Fendi— inspired by menswear tailoring and 90s minimalist outerwear. In general, she sticks to sleek neutral colors like camel, grey, brown, and black.
Another Kaia Gerber-approved trend: wearing socks with Birkenstocks.
Matching Workout Sets
Set Active sports bra and leggings, Nike Air VaporMax OG sneakers
Set Active sports bra and leggings, Ray-Ban sunglasses, New Balance 624 sneakers
Since the pandemic brought supermodels’ jetting-setting lifestyle to a screeching halt, most paparazzi pics these days are of celebrities heading to and from the gym. Kaia is often papped leaving Dogpound— an LA gym and celebrity hotspot where she’s been spotted working out with Kendall Jenner, Kit from The Bachelor, and Cara Delevingne— in stylish matching sets from Set Active, sneakers, and 90s-inspired rectangle sunglasses.
When Kaia isn’t matching her monochrome activewear sets to her beloved Chucks, she pairs them with classic white kicks like the Nike Air VaporMax OG and New Balance 624 sneakers.
Blazers
Frame leather blazer, Brandy Melville sweater and skirts, New Balance sneakers, Celine AVA bag
Frame blazer, Celine AVA bag, DMY by DMY sunglasses
Oversized, menswear-inspired blazers are one of Kaia’s favorite outerwear styles. While she usually sticks to minimalist blazers in neutral colors and plaid prints, she sometimes throws on a chic leather jacket— like this black leather blazer from Frame. Mixing in professional pieces like blazers and trousers brings balance to her otherwise super-casual outfits while still staying true to her tomboyish aesthetic.
One of the things we love most about Kaia Gerber is that she isn’t afraid to break the rules of traditional celebrity street style. The key to breaking them is following her less is more approach and sticking to minimalist silhouettes and timeless pieces. Kaia’s unbothered by outdated ideas about what can and can’t be paired together and frequently mixes black clothing with navy sneakers or a brown leather handbag. And unlike many celebs, she actually wears items more than once. (Shocking right??)
Floral Midi Dresses
Reformation dress, Medea bag, Rebecca Minkoff heels
Reformation dress, Golf le Fleur x Converse sneakers, Prada bag, Miu Miu sunglasse
Outside of modeling, Kaia doesn’t spend much time in the spotlight. She rarely does interviews and doesn’t attend red carpet events as frequently as other models like the Hadids or Jenners do. As a result, we don’t get to see her dressed up much outside of runway shows and magazine editorials. When asked about her noticeably private life, she told i-D, “I didn’t want my modeling to be overshadowed by being a celebrity, or being some personality… There’s only so many times I can talk about my beauty routine or the advice I got from my mom about modeling. It’s boring. I want to do what models do, and that’s modeling.”
Though Kaia usually keeps things pretty casual during the day, she’ll occasionally sport a floral summer dress and sneakers while she’s out and about on a sunny day. Here, she effortlessly color-coordinates her puff-sleeve Reformation dress with her blue Golf le Fleur x Converse sneakers. Paired with minimalist accessories, the monochrome summer outfit feels effortlessly chic instead of matchy-matchy. For more formal events, she swaps her sneakers for strappy heels and adds statement accessories. She sported this navy Reformation midi dress and red mini purse to a friend’s wedding in Miami in 2019. #RipPeteDavidson
Baseball Caps
R13 leather jacket, Avila by Dn tank, Levi’s Re/Done jeans, Prada bag, Converse sneakers, ‘47 Yankees baseball cap
Dondup blazer, Levi’s Re/Done jeans, Converse sneakers, ‘47 Yankees baseball cap
To complete her sporty outfits, Kaia Gerber often accessorizes with a navy Yankees baseball cap. The classic style instantly brings a summery, tomboyish feel to the look and helps to balance out professional items like blazers and trousers. She also uses bucket hats and chunky beanies to the same effect.
With her recent campaign for Celine, Kaia secured the baseball cap’s status as one of her signature pieces. For both Celine’s Spring/Summer 2021 runway show and subsequent ad campaign, the supermodel sported minimalist baseball caps emblazoned with a simple Celine logo.
