I Went Viral on TikTok for Trying On Controversial Outfits—6 Trends I'm After

I knew that I had finally made it to the fashion side of TikTok when I saw Madeleine White’s bubbly persona managing to make a seemingly impossible skirt into a fashion moment. She somehow has managed to capture the attention of people who don’t even care about fashion with her outfits that make such a statement they can’t be ignored. Watching her put them all together is mesmerizing. I finally got the chance to sit down with White and learn all about how she started creating never-seen outfits and her favorite trends. Here’s what she said.

How do you define your personal style?

I would say I primarily like to keep it very feminine. My Pinterest is full of ’90s runway—Cindy Crawford and Helena Christensen—that is the era that I love and I always come back to when I’m looking for inspiration. Then I intersperse that classic style with the current trends of today. I also love anything glittery, sparky, and feathery.

You’re known on TikTok for your sewing skills—how did you get into it?

I started sewing because I was a model for the last 10 years, and I got to a point where I couldn’t afford to buy new clothes and keep up with all of the trends. As a model, it’s really important to wear current fashion and have something new to wear to castings. I remember I really needed a new casting bathing suit, and I didn’t want to buy one, so I bought a little miniature $25 sewing machine on Amazon and was like, "I’m going to force myself to learn how to do this so I can make whatever I need.” It took me two weeks of sitting every day trying to figure out this little thing. I now realize that a mini sewing machine is way more difficult than a regular sewing machine. So I learned on there and then upgraded to a real sewing machine once I realized it was something I was good at and passionate about.

What brands are you into right now?

I love Coperni. I think Coperni and Loewe are going to be huge next year. I really, really have been loving Staud. It’s a really great middle ground where their pieces are fashion-forward and on-trend, but I think the price point is very reasonable. In terms of smaller or newer brands, my favorite brand for crazy going-out dresses is this brand Germanier. Think sequins and feathers. I saw it at Paris Fashion Week, and I was like, "This is incredible.” In terms of more affordable brands, I love Matilda Djerf’s brand, Djerf Avenue. It’s not super affordable, but it’s a good price point for good quality. My friend Xenia Adonts has Attire that’s a middle-ground, completely sustainable brand. I hate to say it, but Zara kills it. Everything from Zara is great. If you buy one dress from Zara and you wear it for the next 10 years, it’s a great option. At the end of the day, if you want to get one of those micro minis, you have two options: get it from Zara or sew it up and go to the thrift store.

What is the one piece of fashion advice you think that everyone should know? 

You don’t have to buy anything. You 100% have a new look already in your closet that you haven’t worn just by wearing two things in your closet that you haven’t worn before. Think outside the box with what you already have.

What trends are you into right now?

A lot of my recent viral videos have included rhinestones and jewelry that can be worn as clothes. I’m a huge Area fan, and I posted a rhinestone top by them that got 30 or 40 million views. I did my first big fashion month in September, and I noticed a lot of sparkles, so I’m here for this trend.

Shop the trend:

Sheer is so right now. It reminds me of that Coperni runway moment [that] was unreal. We’re going to see that trickle down into skintight, body-con, no-clothes dresses for sure.

Shop the trend:

I love the Diesel micro miniskirt that went viral recently because it’s so impractical. It’s an evolution of Miu Miu mini moment. When that one came out, everyone was like, "That is such a short skirt. No one is going to wear this.” I think skirts are going to get smaller and smaller and smaller, and I’m here for it. I love it.

Shop the trend:

I’m excited to see a lot of pink and a lot of neon monochrome outfits. I love Valentino pink and would also like to see bright green, bright yellow, and bright orange. This summer is going to be a bright one.

Shop the trend:

Definitely, one of the most controversial trends that I’ve tried recently is the no-pants trend where you wear micro shorts and underwear and call it pants. I love this and posted two videos doing it, and the comments seem to really, really not be on the same page. I’m sure that in a year’s time, everyone will be doing it.

Shop the trend:

A lot of feathers, a lot of textures—more is definitely more in 2023.

Shop the trend:

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