rosette fashion trend© Instagram

Rosettes Are All Set To Take Over Our Wardrobes In 2023

Reflecting on the fashion legacy of an icon is a daunting task, especially when that icon is Carrie Bradshaw. Her love for Fendi Baguettes and Manolo Blahniks, and her knack for transforming otherwise discombobulated outfits into highly coveted ensembles of the late ’90s and early 2000s have left an indelible mark on fashion. One prime example of her influence: the oversized rosette trend.

You must be thinking—florals for spring? Groundbreaking!—at least the new oversized iteration we’ve been seeing everywhere, especially on this week’s Oscars 2023 red carpet is kind of genius. Trust us, this is one trend you’ll absolutely want to get in on, because it’s fresh, fun, and blooming big time for spring 2023.

If you haven’t noticed by now, style savants everywhere are in the chokehold of the craft-forward trend once regularly spotted in the arsenal of our favourite fictional Manhattanite. From the star-studded red carpets to the supermodel covered runways, social media feeds and now even high-street stores, you can’t turn without being faced with the ’90s-inspired fabric floral motif.

Carrie Bradshaw’s love affair with the rosette trend began in 2000 when she wore a lilac-coloured version on a wife beater singlet in the second episode of season three of Sex and the City. Since then, it has become a regular feature in her wardrobe, surviving numerous relationships and spin-offs.

The oversized hibiscus rosette that Carrie wore on an asymmetrical white dress in the opening scene of the Sex and the City movie has become an iconic look. In the reboot, And Just Like That, the trend lives on with Carrie sporting a white blazer with a teal embroidered design to the recital on the night Big died.

rosette fashion trend©Instagram

But fast forward to now, it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Celebrity-adored labels like Saint Laurent, Magda Butrym and Fanci Club have all regularly featured the rosette motif in their collections, with style savants like Hailey Bieber and Zendaya gravitating towards this look.

On the red carpet, the rosette was adorned by the likes of Suki Waterhouse and Harry Styles at the Oscars After Party and BRIT Awards respectively. On the runway, they’re being featured in collections from Paris to Milan and cropping up on the catwalks of Prada and Mirror Palais. On the streets, they’re making waves, styled as a restaurant-approved necktie or a subversive boutonniere brooch.

Floral prints are one thing. They can be hard to wear, hard to pair with other patterns, and easily fall flat against other spring trends. Rosettes, however, are the complete opposite—they’re fun, they’re easier to wear than you might think, and they’re anything but, well, flat. That’s because the rosette trend refers to the use of large (or small) appliquéd florals sewn onto everything from bodysuits, headbands, shoes, and, the most obvious canvas, dresses, as evident at the 95th Academy Awards.

Stars like Halle Berry, Michelle Yeoh, Suki Waterhouse, and Cara Delevingne really leaned into this spring 2023 trend that was also all over the runways during fashion month.

Designers like Sandy Liang turned up the rosettes in New York while Prada made a case for the pretty detailing during its Milan Fashion Week show; each offered a slightly different approach on how to wear these new florals for spring, but the impact was all the same. Adorned, sculptural florals, of all shapes and sizes, are in, and they’re here to make fashion exactly what it should be: fun!

Irrespective of whether your style is Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy chic or Paris Hilton hot, the trend can offer an effortless way to accessories any ensemble. Unlike traditional spring florals, rosettes feel a bit more artistic, and thus, are also more impactful when it comes to their presence in the fashion world. Maybe it’s their 3D nature that makes them like works of art, but there’s no denying that the decorative blooms take everything to another level of opulence.

And unlike its ’80s counterpart, the 2023 rosette is no longer just a kitschy accessory—it’s an aesthetically adaptable accent. It was the frontal focal point of a ruched dress on Hailey Bieber. It served as elegant decor on a corset-style top worn by Bella Hadid.

It’s even been revisited by J.Lo as a neck accent on a bodycon dress. With its newfound gender neutral appeal and inherently in-your-face design, the modern rosette is a refreshing emblem of taking up space. And in today’s “anything goes” fashion landscape, its wackiness makes it wearable as ever.