There was Brat Summer, there was quiet luxury, there was the collective obsession with looking like you own a horse despite never having set foot in a stable.
Now fashion has settled on something much more attainable. Ralph-maxxing.
If you’ve spent more than five minutes on TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen it.
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Crisp collars, faded chinos, baseball caps, rugby jumpers, vintage Polo Ralph Lauren layered over pieces that look like they came from your dad’s wardrobe, if your dad happened to spend the nineties sailing around Cape Cod.
The latest piece to earn internet approval is the humble Ralph Lauren blouson jacket, thanks to two celebrities who managed to style the exact same classic in completely different ways.
Colman Domingo wore his in rich forest green, fitted perfectly and polished enough to make tailoring look exciting again.
Then, only days later, Dua Lipa stepped out wearing hers oversized in bright red, looking like the coolest girl you aspire to be who found it buried in the best vintage shop in New York.
Different energy, same jacket, same message: Ralph Lauren isn’t coming back; it never actually left.
Instead, it has become fashion’s favourite cheat code. Slip on a vintage Polo jacket and suddenly your entire outfit looks cooler, preppier, chicer.
Jeans become elevated, a white T-shirt looks expensive. Boots somehow feel cooler.
It’s the sartorial equivalent of adding parsley to season a meal. Not essential, but you’ll definitely notice when it’s there.
The good news is you don’t need Dua Lipa’s stylist on speed dial.
THE ICONIC has a Vintage 90s Polo Ralph Lauren jacket through Vintage by The Real Deal Pre Loved for $199.95, and unlike buying new, this one already comes with the thing fashion people spend years chasing.
Character.
Yes, there are a couple of small marks on the fabric. Yes, it’s pre-loved. That’s precisely the point.
Vintage Ralph Lauren has become the fashion equivalent of finding the perfect worn-in Levi’s.
Nobody wants it looking fresh out of the plastic anymore. The slight fading, softened cotton and evidence that someone else loved it first are exactly what make it interesting.
Even better, this isn’t one of thousands sitting in a warehouse waiting to be shipped. It’s a one-off.
Once somebody buys it, that’s it.
The jacket fits like a men’s XL, making it ideal for recreating Dua’s deliberately oversized silhouette, although if you’re after Colman Domingo’s cleaner approach, simply wear it closer to your own size and let the proportions do the work.
Behind the listing is Australian vintage retailer The Real Deal, which has been sourcing premium vintage pieces since 2016. Every item is individually selected, authenticated and collected from across five continents before landing in its Sydney flagship or online, giving shoppers access to pieces that feel discovered rather than mass-produced.
Of course, if you’re someone who likes the look but insists on buying new, David Jones has you covered there too.
The Polo Ralph Lauren Oversized Cotton Windbreaker, available at David Jones for $599, offers the same relaxed Americana aesthetic with a fresh finish, complete with the signature embroidered Pony logo and an oversized fit that feels perfectly in step with today’s styling.
Still, there is something infinitely cooler about knowing your jacket has already had a life before yours.
Fashion is funny like that. People spend years chasing the next big trend only for everyone to eventually realise the answer was sitting in a vintage rack all along.
This season’s biggest flex isn’t buying the newest Ralph Lauren jacket.
It’s finding the oldest one and making it new again, thanks, Dua.
