The Internet's Latest Fashion Icon: The Polo Bear

A recent trend on TikTok has creators seeking fashion inspiration from an unlikely place: the iconic Ralph Lauren Polo Bear. These bears, introduced by the company in 1991, are one of the most recognizable symbols in the fashion industry. Since its debut, the bear has appeared on almost every form of product sold by Ralph Lauren, including watches, sweatshirts, socks, and more. Most notable are the Polo Bear sweaters, which feature the bear adorning distinguished outfits, which change with each release.

Courtesy of Farfetch

Courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue

Courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue

In a movement started by Lindy Goodson on TikTok, people have begun replicating the bear’s outfits using their own wardrobes. The outfits all have some features in common, including lots of layering and neutral color palettes with occasional pops of color.

Courtesy of @the_real_lin_shady on Instagram

Courtesy of MyTheresa

Courtesy of Maanika on Tiktok

In Lindy’s Instagram post, pictured on the left above, she replicates the outfit of the bear on her sweater, complete with khaki trousers, round sunglasses, and a yellow sweater tied over the shoulders. This was the first Polo Bear outfit that she posted, kickstarting the trend. This bear in particular was particularly famous across platforms, as more creators took inspiration from the outfit. Maanika, pictured on the right, put her own spin on the look, opting for a tighter-cropped brown jacket overtop of her sweater. This goes to show that you can easily alter these ensembles to fit your individual style and utilize your own pieces.

Courtesy of @kelsey_leiter on Tiktok

Courtesy of Ralph Lauren

Kelsey Leiter hopped onto this trend, spending a week dressing up as various Polo Bears. In one of her Tiktoks, she revealed that she started to incorporate the styling she experimented with into her own styling, having unintentionally worn a matching outfit to one of the bears, as pictured above.

Here are some other creators who experimented with the Polo Bear style:

Courtesy of @lonniehammons

Courtesy of @ambi.lyn

Courtesy of @danimonstah

From these experiences, TikTokers and viewers alike are learning new ways to style the pieces that they already own. This trend has generated a new appreciation for the art of styling and has sparked people to be more creative with their choices. Looking for new sources of fashion inspiration, which may even be hiding in plain sight, is a great way to reduce your spending and to fall in love with your wardrobe all over again.

Featured Image Courtesy of Angora