Olivia Dean: Style Breakdown

With the release of Olivia Dean’s second studio album, The Art of Loving (Sept 26, 2024), it feels like the perfect moment to rewind through her most iconic fashion moments. Olivia Dean’s style has become one of the most exciting in UK music—understated but always intentional. She has been very vocal about her style inspiration being Dianna Ross, which radiates in a lot of her looks. Dean’s performance wardrobe often leans into slinky slip dresses—a silhouette that mirrors her music, intimate, fluid, and effortlessly timeless.

‘Man I Need’ Music Video Dress

The dress Olivia wears in the “Man I Need” music video feels like it was perfectly designed to match the set design of the video. Created by Conner Ives and styled with Manolo Blahnik heels, the look channels the video’s primary-colour fantasy. A pale blue base, detailed with dark floral embellishment, a soft cowl neck, and delicate fringe trim, makes the dress feel effortless yet cinematic, striking a balance between simplicity and star power. 

Custom Parnell Mooney 

At Dean’s three sold-out London Apollo shows in May 2024, she took to the stage in a stunning custom Parnell Mooney look, each night in a different monochromatic colour: pink, yellow, and red. Each look featured a ruffled, tiered skirt and coordinating top. In the middle of the concert, she removed the long skirt to reveal a coordinating mini skirt underneath, with matching-coloured tights and shoes to coordinate this cohesive sorbet collection. A monochromatic dream. 

‘Rein Me In’: Sam Fender Collab

Unlike her more dramatic stage outfits when singing with Sam Fender for her version of the song ‘Rein Me In,’ her style is more dialled down, reminiscent of her street style. This matches Sam Fender’s simple but emotional aesthetic. He is minimal and down-to-earth, letting his music speak for itself. Dean leans into this energy by wearing minimal looks—plain black midi skirts and black or white vest tops, with her boldest choice being a simple black cowl-neck top. The stripped-back palette feels raw and authentic, allowing the song itself to take centre stage. By rejecting flashy styling, the performance becomes more intimate, spotlighting the emotional weight of the track over spectacle. 

Statement Fuzzy Boots

During a performance at Lollapalooza Festival, she wore a simple mini dress designed by the South London brand KNWLS paired with knee-high fuzzy boots. On paper, this outfit seemed completely contradictory and jarring to her normal style, but together, it was perfectly kitsch. Olivia, we bow down.

Olivia Dean is as much a rising star in the fashion world as she is in the music industry. Every outfit feels intentional without trying too hard, subtle but considered. Whether she’s in a slinky slip dress or fuzzy boots, Olivia is proving she’s as much a style icon as she is the patron saint of your situationship playlist.