This Celeb Actually Popularized The Oversized Suit Aesthetic (No, Not Hailey Bieber)

The 2020s have been rife with androgynous trends so far: Feminine menswear was one of the main trends of winter 2024, and this is just one of the ways that the fashion world has torn open identity boxes and experimented with boundaries. But androgynous dressing far precedes the decade of COVID-19; celebrities from Rihanna to Lady Gaga and Victoria Beckham were rocking oversized suits throughout the 2010s, while the concept of fashion blurring gender norms was actually recorded as early as the 17th century. Back in the '90s, well before it-girls like Hailey Bieber were embracing the baggy-suit aesthetic, one star cemented it in the modern psyche. 

At the 1990 Golden Globes, Julia Roberts defied expectations by swapping a red-carpet gown for a gray Armani suit that she acquired from the namesake store's men's department. Fully committed to the menswear aesthetic, she finished the look with a purple floral tie and brown men's dress shoes. It was certainly a bold move for the actor, who was yet to become a household name (she won her first Golden Globe for her supporting role in "Steel Magnolias," but her breakthrough film, "Pretty Woman," hadn't been released yet). Despite still being a newbie, she donned the experimental trend with confidence. 

"I think the oversized suit is so powerful and androgynous," says celebrity wardrobe stylist and fashion expert Jazmin Whitley. In an exclusive chat with Glam, Whitley notes that in addition to being comfortable, going for the big-suit aesthetic can "really elevate your street style," even if you're wearing it to brunch rather than a red carpet. "It can be everything on everyone," she confirms, adding that the silhouette continues to be popular in the 2020s because it aligns with the trending shapes and cuts we're seeing elsewhere in contemporary fashion. For example, jeans got even baggier starting in 2024, and the excess fabric trend is showing no signs of slowing down.

As we've seen since Julia Roberts graced the Golden Globes red carpet in her baggy power suit, the look is enduringly popular. "I think the oversized suit will always be 'in,' but we do see an uptick in wear the same way leopard print is a staple but has more popular moments," Jazmin Whitley explains exclusively to Glam. Many celebrities have taken notes from Roberts, with Hailey Bieber all but making this look part of her sartorial rotation. The model has put her own spin on it by opting for features like pinstripes, crop tops, and chunky black loafers. Meanwhile, "The Bear" actor Ayo Edibiri also recently followed in Roberts' footsteps, donning an all-gray Loewe suit to the 2025 Golden Globes. The actor was the spitting image of Roberts from 35 years earlier, though she wore a gray shirt instead of the classic white and went with a shiny, gilded tie. And Rihanna took things to a whole new level in 2024 by wearing a green-and-white jersey beneath her baggy gray blazer, swapping dress shoes for red sneakers from her Fenty x Puma collaboration.

Each year that it rises again, the look seems to adapt to the conventions and trends of the era, from Rihanna's athleisure-inspired interpretation to Lady Gaga incorporating shoulder pads in her 2018 Marc Jacobs suit. Now well into the 2020s, we're seeing new renditions, like the pairing of corporate-looking suits with streetwear basics, such as crew-neck white tees. For a more feminine approach, you could skip the shirt and tie altogether, letting the blazer itself be the star of the show. The 2020s have also brought suits in more unexpected shades; Roberts nailed the traditional gray, but now we're being served everything from olive and sky blue to creamy pink. Case in point: Kate Hudson slayed in dark beige in early 2025, while Alicia Keys was rocking the look in purple as early as 2019.

Jazmin Whitley points out that the oversized suit continues to impress because it reflects popular contemporary silhouettes. "We're seeing more baggy denim, and girls are wearing longer tops vs. crop tops," she explains. "We're moving away from the bodycon and playing with shapes and proportion." One way that we're embracing big suits in the 2020s is with the accompaniment of chunky jewelry. As Whitley tells Glam exclusively, this makes the look more extravagent. "I love to style it with an oversized tote — we're going to see bigger accessories this season," she observes. 

Wearing the look in a YSL show in 2024, Bella Hadid complemented her black oversized suit with thick-rimmed, oversized glasses, so there's no limit to the accessories you can go big with. Even Kim Kardashian, the queen of bodycon herself, has gone all out with matching big accessories to her big suits in the past, notably wearing blue gloves with a baggy, black suit in an April 2022 Instagram post. 

Minimal makeup is one of the key parts of our guide to nailing androgynous dressing. It's also important to maintain the correct proportions with every piece of your suit ensemble so that you don't end up swimming in fabric. In other words, if you're going baggy with your pants and blazer — and chunky with your bling — then some elements of your 'fit need to be tight and fitted, even if the overall silhouette is looser. That might be the shirt you wear underneath, or you could even strike that harmony by wearing nothing underneath your blazer, allowing a sliver of skin to keep the look chic. Both Hadid and Kardashian (and Hailey Bieber follows this rule, too) achieved balance by going for sleek hairstyles, toning down the beauty element to let their suits and accessories shine.