I love books. You could say they are my best friends. They are a refuge of normalcy when everything around me becomes abnormal. When I read a book, everything disappears: the endless war, the rampant violence, the growing coarseness and stupidity spreading everywhere, the feeling that we are living inside an episode of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” I hide inside the pages of books from a world that seems to be losing its mind. Besides, reading is simply fun.
In the fashion world, books are also having a moment, along with the requisite look to match. The trend, known as Literary Chic or Poetcore, is especially hot this spring. The idea is to look as though you’ve just stepped out of a library after spending hours immersed in a mind-expanding masterpiece. What does that mean? A midi or pencil skirt, or tailored trousers; a cardigan layered over a button-down shirt; eyeglasses with intellectual appeal; and a classic handbag. Those truly committed to the aesthetic can also carry a book — itself a trend currently popular among celebrities. In short: look smart, quiet, restrained and mysterious. Like someone who has never heard of TikTok. Maybe she even writes short stories no one else has read. Think Rory from “Gilmore Girls,” only dressed better than she was on the show.
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Fashion blogger Blanca Arimany at the latest Milan Fashion Week
(Photo: GettyImages\Edward Berthelot)
Vogue has already declared Literary Chic one of the defining trends of 2026. Leading the movement is Italian luxury label Miu Miu, which for several seasons has sent models down the runway styled as bookworms, tortured poets or sexy librarians. The fashion house has even launched a book club, whose latest gathering took place last month during Milan Design Week. The event, held at a library in the city under the title “The Politics of Desire,” brought together writers and academics alongside it-girls such as British actor Emma Corrin and fashion personality Alexa Chung.
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On her way to a poetry reading evening. From the Tory Burch show
(Photo: GettyImages IL/ Slaven Vlasic)
But Miu Miu is not alone. Italian label Jil Sander, for example, unveiled a project during Design Week in which 60 creators from different fields selected a book that influenced them. Vogue launched its own book club back in January — discussions so far have included “Wuthering Heights” and “The Devil Wears Prada.” All of this joins the wave of celebrity book clubs popping up everywhere, TikTok overflowing with book recommendation videos and the broader trend in which reading is considered cool and a book is the ultimate accessory.
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On her way to a creative writing workshop. From the Celine show
(Photo: GettyImages IL/Pascal Le Segretain)
But isn’t there something slightly dubious about all this? After all, you do not actually have to read books — only look like someone who does. Does the literary trend really mean people are reading more? Or is wearing the right cardigan enough? Maybe you can start with the cardigan, then pick up a book and disappear into another world.