Dakota Fanning doesn't want her personal style to have eras. Whether she's twinning with sister, Elle, in minimalist The Row bags, or mixing flip-flops and a Bottega Veneta purse for a casual stroll in L.A., the actor tends to stick to classic wardrobe staples. That's intentional. "I've always thought you want to look back on a photograph of yourself and not be able to pick the time that it was from," she tells me.
The timeless pieces she relies on most are jeans and T-shirts, naturally. "I think they are two staple items that every woman is always searching for the perfect one, at least I am," she says. "And I find [jeans and a T-shirt] a go-to most of the time for me."
As of today, Fanning's ideal pair is one she designed. The Ripley star teamed up with Madewell to create a capsule collection celebrating the age-old appeal of a jeans-and-tee outfit. The Dakota for Madewell collection consists of straight-leg jeans and a crewneck T-shirt, all of which she designed to be the "perfect" staples for any style preference.
In campaign images shot by photographer Dan Martensen, Fanning poses in the Madewell basics styled with nothing more than pieces from her own jewelry box, trendy sunglasses, a suede jacket (also from Madewell), or the occasional pair of ballet flats. It's a campaign that feels effortlessly cool and casual, and to Fanning, like her most authentic self.
"It didn't feel like a kind of costume that I was putting on in the photos," she says of the campaign looks. "I felt very 'me' and kind of lived in, but put-together at the same time—kind of that timeless, classic, can-come-from-any era [look], which I think is usually what I'm going for."
While Fanning herself prefers a more relaxed-fitting tee, she says The Dakota Perfect Crewneck comes in a multitude of sizes (from XX-Small to XX-Large) to achieve whatever look you're going for. It also comes in three colorways—white, blue-striped, and red-striped—for plentiful styling options.
Meanwhile, The Dakota Longline Straight Jean features a custom "not-too-dark, not-too-light" wash and a '90s straight-leg, mid-rise fit. "Again, size-wise, you can do different things," she adds. "You can wear them tight. You can wear them looser."
Fanning says there are "so many possibilities" when it comes to styling her jeans and tees, but she'll pass on participating in fall's denim trends. "I think that skinny jeans might be a thing of the past for me," she says, giggling.
Fall's suede trend is at the top of her stylist list. The star specifically points to Madewell's fringe suede jacket that she wore in the campaign, along with other classic autumnal pieces—just as soon as the weather in Los Angeles permits. "I am dying to put on jeans and a sweater and, like, a heavy coat," she laughs.
Until then, Fanning is happy knowing that her co-designed jeans and T-shirt can serve as the base for so many outfits, even transitional looks.
"The search for the perfect pair of jeans is always everlasting," she admits. But at least with her Madewell collection, finding the perfect jeans (and the T-shirt to complement them) is so much easier.
