Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have spent more than three decades in the public eye — from cherubic child stars in matching dungarees to elusive fashion powerhouses whose personal style has captivated the industry. While the early 2000s saw the twins experimenting with trends and making headlines for their unconventional red carpet appearances, their evolution into tastemakers and founders of The Row has cemented their status as modern-day icons of minimalist luxury.
The Olsen twins’ style journey began long before their names became synonymous with stealth wealth. In the late 90s and early 2000s, as teen stars navigating Hollywood, their fashion choices reflected the era’s maximalist mood — think Chinese silks, low-rise jeans, statement belts, and boho layers. Mary-Kate, in particular, became known for her ‘homeless chic’ aesthetic: oversized knits, slouchy boots, and layers upon layers that seemed chaotic at first glance but soon defined a generation of off-duty dressing.
As they entered their twenties, the twins became more private and selective — and so did their wardrobes. Their red carpet appearances grew increasingly rare, but each outing became more polished and directional. Gone were the attention-grabbing looks and loud accessories, replaced instead by floor-grazing dresses, vintage coats, and considered makeup. By the mid-2010s, their look was locked in, with neutral palettes, precise tailoring, architectural silhouettes, and luxurious fabrics taking centre stage — an extension of the quietly brilliant work they were doing behind the scenes with The Row.
It was this shift, from trendsetting It-girls to visionary designers, that made the Olsens’ style all the more powerful. Unbothered by fads and uninterested in celebrity culture, they refined an aesthetic that rejected the loud and leaned into the lived-in. Oversized coats, exaggerated proportions, simple shirting, soft leather totes, and dark sunglasses became their uniform. They far from chased the spotlight, but it followed them anyway.
In recent years, their appearances remain rare and restrained, yet still magnetic. Whether spotted leaving The Row’s showroom in layered neutrals or sitting front row in all-black ensembles, Mary-Kate and Ashley embody an effortlessness that feels both out of reach and endlessly referenced. Their influence can be seen in the return of quiet luxury, in the resurgence of longline silhouettes, and in the widespread appeal of ‘non-trend’ dressing.
Now in their late 30s, the twins have become figureheads of a new kind of fashion authority. Their style remains unshakeable: timeless, tactile, and utterly unbothered by the noise. As the fashion world moves through cycles of chaos and clarity, the Olsen twins’ singular aesthetic proves that restraint, when done right, can be the ultimate power move.
