Emma Chamberlain Gives Her 20/20 Take on 2023

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Emma Chamberlain may have a +1.25 prescription, but her hindsight is 20/20. The YouTuber turned coffee entrepreneur (and bona fide fashion girlie) sat down with Vogue to debrief on some of her favorite (or least favorite) fashion trends of 2023.

Chamberlain, you may be surprised to learn, is on board with the controversial pantless trend. She would even be so keen as to try it herself, she admits. But wait! “Oh, my God!” Chamberlain shouts. “I’ve just been informed that I did do this trend.” While she rocked the trend at the spring 2024 Maison Margiela show in September, Chamberlain once again wore the sans-pants look at the GQ Man of the Year awards in Los Angeles after our conversation. 

“People get mad at me, I totally understand,” she admits. “It’s not a trend that you wear to work, to the grocery store. I like the humor in it, where there’s actually something very awkward about how it looks to not be wearing pants.” But for Chamberlain, who uses fashion as a tool of self-expression and experimentation, it’s the perfect sandbox. “Do I think that this is for everyone?” she asks. “No, I think it makes more sense for people who love playing fashion. I think it makes sense, and I think it’s fun. The average person who just doesn’t really give a fuck—no—this is not for them. They’re gonna hate this.”

While she enjoys a bold look, Chamberlain also favors a sleek silhouette. But she wants the record to reflect that she loathes the name that the aesthetic has been saddled with: stealth wealth. “Are you kidding me? The irony of it is there’s never been a trend that you can re-create for cheaper. I hate [the idea that] you can only look chic and minimalist if you’re wealthy,” she says. “I do love the timeless silhouettes, more muted colors, and return to basics, but I hate what it’s called.”

With her interest in audacious trends and minimalism, it’s no surprise that Chamberlain wants glasses to match any of her vibes. Given her extensive collection—“I have, like, one pair in my bed, six pairs under my bed, four on my nightstand, a pair in my car, and a pair in my purse”—her collaboration with Warby Parker only seemed like a matter of time. 

Chamberlain’s collection with the glasses giant, which launches today, was filled with consideration for the versatility of how people dress. “Sometimes you don’t want your glasses to distract from the rest of your outfit,” she says. “But then sometimes a huge statement sunglass makes the outfit. I have a massive collection. It’s ridiculous. But it’s because it’s one of my favorite accessories.”

Below, join Emma Chamberlain as she visits the Vogue optometrist for an annual check-in. 

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