Kaia Gerber usually keeps a few trusty silhouettes in her wardrobe rotation, especially sneakers and even a pair of sleek headphones. But while the model and certified bookworm is re-working her old favorites, she's also taking note of summer trends to incorporate into her travel style—and sometimes, doubling up on them.
Recently, Gerber jetted off—or specifically, helicoptered off—in style during Memorial Day weekend. While departing Manhattan for the holiday by helicopter on May 26, she toted her belongings around in not just one but two XXL bags and switched out her comfy kicks for ballet flats.
Gerber headed off for the long weekend wearing a bright cobalt blue sweater from James Street Co., a short-sleeve styled featuring a row of black buttons and a slightly cropped hem that showed off a sliver of her torso. The 22-year-old styled the top with a pair of black elastic pull-up trousers from Brandy Melville and matching leather ballet flats from Mansur Gavriel. She accessorized her off-duty look with black sunglasses and a chunky gold ring. And, she replaced what's usually a book in hand for her phone with a smoothie stacked on top.
While Gerber's destination hasn't been revealed just yet, her luggage hinted at a shorter trip, as she was only spotted slinging two maxi bags on her arms: Paloma Wool's everyday Camp Nou bag and a Celine duffle bag.
The two resurgent runway trends in her outfit, ballet flats and maxi bags (times two), are worth a second glance. Gerber's nostalgic shoe has been on the rise for quite some time, once again topping 2024's biggest shoe trends and spearheading TikTok's balletcore movement. Whether they're classic leather, see-through mesh, or Mary Janes, ballet flats have made great alternatives to heels or boots both on and off the runways, and have been co-signed by A-listers like Katie Holmes (who owns the same Mansur Gavriel pair as Gerber).
Gerber's choice to double down on her tote bags is also no coincidence. As spotted on fashion week runways from Bottega Veneta to Fendi, carrying two designer bags at once is not only super chic but very practical—especially if you're on-the-go.
Gerber has kept it cool and simple on the fashion front so far this year. Over the past few months, the Palm Royal star has ditched the red carpet for the most part (with the exception of the 2024 Met Gala) and instead continues to show out in street style. In 2024 alone, she's nailed down her travel style to a T, relying on rising sneaker trends and chunky headphones to tie her outfits together. Gerber's MDW outfit is a rare instance of the model switching things up, even if it is in the most subtle of ways.
Summer is right around the corner, and with that, travel is quickly catapulting into full swing. No matter where you're heading this season, adopt Kaia Gerber's "work smarter, not harder" cues and shop her MDW outfit, ahead.
