Love it or hate it, you have to admit that the Twilight franchise is a true cultural phenomenon. It’s been 10 years (!!) since the first film was released and we’re still no closer to a winner in the battle of “Team Edward” vs. “Team Jacob”.
But man candy aside, one thing we can agree on is that many of you seem to love the main character Bella Swan (played by Kristen Stewart) and her effortless style. We first talked about Bella’s wardrobe back in 2009, so given the ten year anniversary of the film, we thought it was high time we post an updated guide to her style.
Read on to find out how you can dress like Bella today – you never know, maybe you too will capture the heart of a handsome but troubled teen vampire and/or werewolf.
Table of Contents
Bella Swan’s Style – Overview
Bella’s style is very low-maintenance, yet she still looks gorgeous at all times. Everything has a pretty yet effortless “I just threw it on” look to it. While it is clear that Bella would much rather stare at Edward all day than spend hours getting ready (who can blame her), she does have a specific sense of style.
Here we break down Bella’s wardrobe essentials, as well as show you two outfits that you could see Bella wearing on a typical day in Forks.
Bella’s Basics
Products: White Sweater – Gap, Green Henley – Urban Outfitters, Striped Henley – Forever 21, Red Henley – Dymade, Blue Henley – A&F, Blue Shirt – Hanes
Bella’s wardrobe is very straightforward and simple. She has a wide array of long sleeve henleys and tops to shield her from the cold of Forks. Bella often sticks to neutrals and cool colors such as blues, greens and whites, but I mixed it up by adding a few colors such as red and electric blue. She’s also known to rock the typical Seattle button-down plaid shirt.
When it comes to copying her style, the main thing that you should focus on is to make sure your top is laid-back. Casual tops are a Bella staple.
Bella’s Coats
Products: Blue Utility Jacket – Old Navy, Yellow Coat – H&M, Yellow Denim Jacket – Forever 21, Green Utility Jacket – Old Navy, Red Bomber Jacket – Forever 21
Since Bella lives in a cold climate, she needs an abundance of coats to keep her from getting cold in dreary Forks. Unlike her tops, her coats have more variety in cut and color.
Most of her coats end about hip height to show off her legs. Often, her coats are the most colorful part of her outfit, so she chooses them in colors like blue, yellow, red, and green. I love the red bomber jacket on the bottom right as an updated take on Bella’s look.
Outfits Inspired by Bella
Bella Swan Inspired Outfit 1
Products: Tank Top – Old Navy, Shirt – L.L. Bean, Jeans – Levi’s, Beanie – H&M, Shoes – Aldo, Bracelet – Etsy
As Bella grew up in Arizona, she has a bit of an All-American/Western style to her look and can often be seen wearing things like turquoise jewelry or suede boots.
To copy her look, I chose a maroon tank top, a plaid shirt, and a trusty pair of denim jeans for a low-maintenance combo that’s very Washington state. To keep you from getting chilly in Forks weather, I chose a cute grey beanie to keep your head nice and toasty. Throw this outfit on and you’ll be ready to explore the forest with one of our dashing anti-heroes.
Bella Swan Inspired Outfit 2
Products: Blouse – H&M, Cardigan – Nordstrom Rack, Shoes – Converse, Belt – H&M, Ring – Etsy, Jeans – Old Navy
For my second outfit, I chose pieces to show off Bella’s bohemian side. Her style often veers toward boho-chic, and this outfit reflects that, while still staying true to her low-maintenance mindset.
First, I chose a blue embroidered tunic and paired that with a gray cardigan. I then added dark wash jeans and a classic brown belt. For shoes, I chose Converse chucks in navy blue (Bella wears a similar pair in the films), and to add a touch of femininity, I picked out a delicate turquoise ring.
Overall, this look is tough, yet when you examine the details, it’s also very feminine. This mix of tough and girly gives the outfit character.
Bella’s Hair
Bella’s hair is the stuff dreams are made of. Like Serena from Gossip Girl, she’s one of those girls that doesn’t know how lucky she is to have such a nice head of hair. All she has to do is roll out of bed and her hair is perfect. But don’t despair, you too can replicate Bella’s hair with the help of a trusty 1-inch curling iron.
Here’s how to get Bella’s perfect locks:
- First, find a curling iron with at least a 1-inch barrel
- Separate your hair into sections and then grab a medium section of it and wrap it around the iron (don’t use the clamp).
- Hold the section around the wrapped area for about a minute and then let go. It should be a nice loose curl now.
Continue doing this around the rest of your head (you don’t have to do all of it though, it’s nice to leave a few strands straight – it looks more natural), set your hair with a teeny bit of hairspray, and voila: you will have hair that no man (or vampire or werewolf) will be able to resist.
Bella’s Hair Accessories
Products: Blue Beanie – Lulus, Black Beanie – Madewell, Yellow Plaid Beanie – Uniqlo, White Beanie – H&M, Hairband – H&M
As I mentioned before, Bella’s hair is pretty much perfect. Sometimes when she wears it down, she accessorizes with a thin headband on the crown of her head.
You can try this style out to add a little bit of dainty detail to your look – all you need to do is push your hair back and place the headband in your hair. Also, headbands are fabulous because they’re so cheap. No matter your budget, this is one look you can definitely afford!
Bella also wears the occasional beanie to keep her ears warm during those chilly days relaxing in La Push. I chose an assortment of beanies and berets in different colors to mix things up. They’re great because they add a pop of color to your outfit and also keep your head nice and toasty.
Thoughts?
What do you guys think of Bella’s style? Do you think I translated it well? Did you like this updated guide to her look? Whatever your thoughts, let me know in the comments!
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2009; it was completely updated and revamped in 2018 by Sharon with new photos and information.
Hey, I love this article! I think Bella Swan -not Kristen S.- have her own fashion style. I’ve read the books and it’s true, she is not a “Girly girly girl”. I will not dress like her because I live in a hot island, but some outffits are interesting. Good job!
I’m among those who feel that at its worst Bella’s style in the film is dull and unimaginative. The sporty tops over Ts that don’t coordinate except because they’re in neutral colours don’t show much flair for colour; and there are moments in the film when she wears baggier tops over jeans, like an oversize plaid shirt on top of a crew-neck T, which doesn’t seem to show an eye for flattering her body either; to me those combinations look scruffy. So although sometimes I thought Film Bella did look vaguely pretty, nice in an unremarkable way, simple and unassuming, sometimes it looked like she neither had any desire to look good nor was at all interested in the qualities of clothes; her outfits seem to do little more than cover her up against the cold and wet and not cause her physical discomfort.
Do you think the film’s wardrobe department dress her that way to show her shyness and low self-confidence? Did Bella sometimes dress in this way because she did not want to attract any sort of attention from anyone? Any other people who have read the book, how did you imagine her dressing?
That aside, I loved the two outfits put together here! They take the best of Bella’s style, being unfussy and unpretentious, but have flair for texture and colour and an eye to flattering the body too. They’ve given me some great new ideas for casual dressing, so thanks! 🙂
I feel like you have to remember that in the series of the films Bella was very shy in the beginning and closed off and only keeping to herself. Stuttering, tripping, looking down when speaking, etc,. Then when she became a vampire her clothes became tighter and sexier and she was wearing making, speaking strong, looking strong and beautiful, glowing, talking without stuttering. So I understand what you’re saying but at the same time I feel as though the character development would not be the same if her style was remarkable in her human life. Also another big factor I always have to remind myself is Stephanie is a pretty conservative religious person and writer. So I would say that’s another big factor as to why maybe it was a very conserved Bella and her style wasn’t supposed to be anything sexual, rather dorky and cute and very much effortless and that natural beauty Bella holds! I really loved your comment thought and loved your questioning of the wardrobe and how you viewed it!!
For the idiots that are hating on Bella’s style; Let me tell you that wearing simple clothing that lets your features and your shape take center stage is the most flattering thing anyone can wear. Sure you could wear skanky things like the women in “Charmed” wear. But you won’t look good, and no one will take you seriously. Most guys will think a Bella type look is sexier, and most women will be more comfortable with the look because it isn’t as silly. Cool and effortless is far better then heels, make up and pushed up breasts. I used to laugh every time I tried to watch Charmed because the “ladies” had a tough time running because their tits jiggled so much, and they had so many excesories they could barely move. I happen to dress a lot like that, but I very much enjoyed the post anyway. The first thing I noticed is how much Bellas look has influenced fashion lately. Great post, as usual. Thank you!!!
some people like boring :/ and bland. i don’t wear stuff like alice and rosalie wear. i have more of a style like bella
hi well my name is cheyenne and i no some of u may not care of a 14 year olds opinion but i think that this page was really good.some people may not like bella or the way she dresses but needless to remind u this is how the author pictured her.i personally believe that all the characters r great, and many of u r right about alice and rosalie being funkin beutiful because there funkin beutiful and thats there role and the way the author pictured them.also i dont think anybody should get in an argument about clothes or the characters style….i think that each and everyone of us have our own image of the charachters in our heads and that we have favorites…..in the end i think that the best thing is having a good time with the topic about twilght weather ur watching the movie or reading the books!
I love bella. Shes not afraid to look “plain.” And i also love Alice and Rosalie. They’re not afraid to look “Out there.” My style is a mix of All 3 of them. I dress a bit casual and simple, with a twist of fun style and fancy bracelets and other accessories.
So, even if you don’t like Bella, and you prefer Rosalie and Alice, hey, thats your opinion. But, as a suggestion, try mixing them together! It’s actually kind of fun! 🙂
Heather you are Lisse you are both right! Bella would probably never never never ever wear heels, and those heels were left in unintentionally, like Lisse said, she was meant to wear the blue converse.
I’m glad you guys like the outfits though! I tried to keep them tailored to Bella’s style but at the same time keep it somewhat trendy.
And I agree with everyone about both Alice and Rosalie’s styles, personally they do stand out more fashionwise. I will see if I can write an article on both of them sometime soon!
I love twilight and I like Bella’s clothe choices however I don’t think that she has an adorable style ..it’s just simple and comfy everyone can do that 🙂
I don’t really like Bella’s style, you described it as “effortless” and “low-maintanance” but I just think it’s sloppy and boring. I actually think the clothes you featured in this article were a lot cuter than what Bella actually wears. I saw New Moon with some friends about a month ago and HATED it because I thought it was boring and cheesy. While I thought the movie was dumb, I did have to say that I was completely drooling over Jacob in this last movie whereas in the first movie I was more into Edward so I guess I changed teams 🙂
Personally Bella is not a character I like. but I think her style is really good thing for college students. I mean no to go out or something like that but just for being comfortable but still cute. I like it 😀
Alright, let’s take a step back from the madness that is Twilight and look at what this post is really about-keeping it simple and being warm. Its good to be nice to be nice to people, right? I live in the coldest and rainiest town in the United States. I like style but its just not the right place for me to actually look like most of the posts on this site. I can use this advice to keep it simple and warm and not worry about how I look. Weird thing is that I spend the summers staying for weeks at a time in the desert just north of Arizona on the Utah border, and I find myself bringing a lot of my clothes back and forth. I love how this post broke down the basic look I’m forced to have anyway! Sure, Twilight may be a little lame, but trust me, when its 7am, raining, foggy, and overcast all day, this style will get you to class and back before your toes freeze. And you’ll look cute doing it! I love the clothes and outfits you put together, Kim.
I’ve been reading college fashion for years, wishing it was sunny enough around here to actually wear all the adorable things. I think its fabulous the site is branching out, not just with style BUT ALSO with bloggers.
I love this site and everyone, so let’s keep it supportive everyone!
Think about it, Twilight is a dumb thing to fight over.
And, btw, I’m TEAM GET A LIFE! yay
the blue bella jacket is also in modcloth for $63.99!! http://www.modcloth.com/store/ModCloth/Womens/Outerwear/Jacket+from+Twilight
Kaya, I understand that Kim wanted constructive critism, but I find that Clarissa was being flat out rude by saying that just because of one shotty article she would never visit the site again.
This whole thing is being blown wayyy out of proportion and I agree with Sarah: “Lighten up, it’s just fashion.”
…and I honestly don’t understand why no one complained about the Christmas movie post directly below this because that had NOTHING to do with fashion.
Posting comments allow people to express their opinions, thus all perspectives may be viewed. When it comes to fashion there comes a lot of mixed ratings. It shouldn’t be considered wrong for anyone, including myself, to dislike the recent blog posts on here.
And, what if many readers were to request how to wear fur vests with a neon green sombrero? Would you write a blog post about that? If the writer doesn’t think that this blog post does fashion any justice, then why write about it? It’s like letting your best friend leave the house wearing red cowboy boots with a blue cocktail dress.
Kimberly – I don’t think anyone told you that it was “wrong” to dislike a post, so I’m a little confused as to what you mean. Obviously fashion is subjective which is part of what makes it great. Not sure where you were going with that.
As for not writing a post about every odd request, obviously we don’t and never will do that – we respond to requests we think have merit and that lots of people want. At the same time, just because I am personally not a fan of Twilight, it doesn’t mean I won’t cover the topic for the many thousands of readers who ARE fans. This is NOT my personal blog and therefore my personal opinion is not the important thing. My goal is to cater to a wide variety of college students interested in fashion. Period. This blog is for college students across the globe, and that’s why it covers a variety of topics that may or may not be of interest to everyone.
Like YOU yourself said, “when it comes to fashion, there are a lot of mixed ratings.” Just because I don’t care for Bella’s style doesn’t mean another person doesn’t love it. And while we’re on the subject of mixed reviews, if your “friend” in the red cowboy boots loved her outfit, it would be pretty rude and simple minded of you to tell her not to wear it because it doesn’t fit with what YOU like. Fashion is different for everyone, and it shouldn’t be any other way.
Great post but i dont know if you should be holding your hair in a hot tool for over a couple of seconds.. maybe you didnt mean a hole minute but its really damaging..
just a thought
otherwise i follow your blogg almost every day.. and i live in sweden ;P
Oh, also, to address the commenters who thought this post was irrelevant to CF and wondered why we did it, here’s the deal: this post was requested by TONS of readers. I am personally not a Twilight fan at all and don’t know about or care much for Bella’s style, but I wanted to do this article because so many people wanted to see it.
If you think the site should be covering something else, please email me and request it! I listen to every request and I want to cover things that you guys care about. But no one is a mind reader – we do the best we can but if there’s a specific topic you want to see, let us know! This site is all about the community and all about what you guys want – so be in touch and tell us.
Also, if Bella’s style isn’t your thing (it’s not mine), just scroll on by! We try to make sure there’s something for everyone here, so I’m sure there are other posts that might interest you more. Thanks for understanding!