The looks that make it onto the runways of New York, London, Milan, and Paris are rarely for the faint of heart. That’s part of their appeal—not everyone is prepared to walk around their respective cities, go to work, or hang out with friends in the sort of extraordinary ensembles that designers put together every season. Instead, they’re meant to be a jumping-off point that buyers and editors can sell pieces of to customers and/or readers. But what happens when you test that theory and actually try to wear exact runway looks out in the real world?
That’s what I set forth to find out throughout the month of January. Despite it being winter in New York City, I took five outrageous spring runway looks—from the tights-as-pants Bottega Veneta outfit that Kendall Jenner made famous to those layered T-shirt combos at Miu Miu—for a spin, wearing them at all of the aforementioned locations and more, including Who What Wear’s Bryant Park office, the subway, and more.
Ahead, my tales of taking spring 2023’s most shocking looks off the runway and into the real world.
