Trend Alert: Suni Lee, Alix Earle Sign Off on Trench Coat Dress Style For Fall

The SI Swimsuit cover star and Olympic gymnast nailed two very similar, yet personalized ’fits during New York Fashion Week.

Alix Earle and Suni Lee / Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images and Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

New York Fashion Week is wrapping up, and we’re so excited to head into fall with lots of new fashion inspo. We spotted tons of black mesh moments and sweet satin ensembles, not to mention autumn staples like brown suede, metallic studs and ruby red pops of color throughout the week. But one unexpected—yet still totally understandable—trend kept popping up. Both Suni Lee and Alix Earle donned trench coat dresses and we’re officially a fan of the style. It makes for the perfect summer-to-fall transitional outfit that can easily be dressed up or down from a business casual workday to a brunch to a dinner party.

“Trench coats are lightweight, yet offer a comfortable layer of warmth for tricky climates in the midst of the summer to fall transition. Most trenches are also made from a gabardine fabric that’s both resistant to colder temps and rainy days,” stylist, creative designer and Nacre Voyage fashion label founder Catherine Bibeau tells SI Swimsuit.

Earle, who graced the cover of SI Swimsuit’s June digital issue, donned a caramel suede version from FRAME Denim as she cohosted a Sept. 6 event with the brand, for which she is a new ambassador.

Alix Earle / Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

Lee, an Olympic athlete who won bronze in the individual all-around this year and gold at the 2020 Tokyo games, attended the Tommy Hilfiger show on last weekend in a classic khaki belted trench coat that hit around mid-thigh. She added some edge to the outfit with chunky sunglasses.

Both women completed their looks with knee-high heeled boots, including brown leather crocodile ones for Earle and classic round-toed black ones for Lee. There’s one additional accessory, according to Bibeau, that you simply must pair with a trench coat dress.

“Belts are a trench coat’s best friend—most of these coats come belted, so use it to your advantage. Belting your trench is an awesome idea to give your waist and body shape, and leaving the belt undone on your trench gives a laid back, yet still put together feel and adds value to the look of your trench and shows off the outfit underneath. When belted, you can even pull it off as a dress if you’re a daring fashionista,” Bibeau adds. “Shoes make or break it—right now, we’re seeing a pointed-toe mule everywhere, which in combination with a trench coat, is giving sophistication.”

Suni Lee / The Hapa Blonde/Getty Images

Barbara Palvin sported the trend earlier this season for a campaign with Free People, and Kendall Jenner was ahead of the curve, as always, and debuted the look at a Gucci event during Milan Fashion Week last year. She made it the most fall-coded ensemble with chunky sunglasses, a red purse and matching pointed-toe kitten heels.

Kendall Jenner / Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images