Kim Kardashian Is a Fashion Icon
LOVE HER, HATE HER or hate to love her, Kim Kardashian’s style is irresistible. Even the reportedly once reluctant Anna Wintour has seemingly changed her mind. Kim is the original social media influencer— and has been for many years. Now, at 41, she’s traded in her Hervé Léger bandage dresses for experimental Balenciaga couture. (Have you seen her in the Fall 2022 campaign?) So, in my mind, it’s not up for debate: Of course she’s stylish!
Think about it. Kim is constantly ahead of the curve. She taught us the importance of contouring and led the biker shorts renaissance. (You’re welcome!) While her outfits might seem daring at first, it’s because the rest of us haven’t caught up to her yet. Without fail, a year later, we’ll all be doing our best Kim K emulations, and the body-con dresses and catsuits that people once mocked will be sold by mass retailers. Coincidence? I think not.
Let’s also not forget about the success of Skims—the underwear, loungewear and shapewear brand Kim founded, which was reported to be worth $4.21 billion in January of this year. Are you telling me that everyone who purchased her clothes is wrong? Making something that popular takes talent and, more importantly, style— and Kim clearly has both of these.
Sure, her critics might say she’s only trendy because she’s rich. However, there’s a difference between owning luxury items and knowing how to style them. This is something that Kim has mastered in her post-Kanye era, where oversized sunglasses, crop tops and pantashoes (Google it!) are her everyday uniform. Of course, Kanye was integral to Kim’s ascendance into high fashion. (We all remember the Keeping Up With the Kardashians episode where he purged her wardrobe.) But it’s a testament to her own fashion sense that she has continued to look fabulous since their divorce. In fact, I would say she’s taking even more risks on the red carpet and keeping her everyday wardrobe effortlessly chic. With her every evolution, Kim’s distinctive touch remains the same, and she doesn’t apologize for any of it.
In short, Kim has earned the “style icon” title. She’s been influencing fashion for years, which has rewarded her with acknowledgement from the fashion industry and her fans alike. In the words of The Kardashians star herself (and the popular TikTok audio), looking this good is “a full-time job and it’s extremely time-consuming and it’s not as easy as it may appear to some people.” So show the queen some respect!