Cover From soft knits to layered skirts, these film and TV characters show how poetcore turns quiet dressing into style worth noticing (Photo: Chris Baker/Netflix)
From soft knits to layered skirts, these film and TV characters show how poetcore turns quiet dressing into style worth noticing (Photo: Chris Baker/Netflix)
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From Zoë Kravitz to Sofia Carson, these on-screen characters bring poetcore’s literary-inspired wardrobe to life
Micro-trends come and go in a fashion landscape dominated by social media moments, but some aesthetics continue to hold space. Poetcore is one of them—a style that supposedly reflects an intellectual and artistic kind of life. The aesthetic is characterised by soft sweaters draped over skirts, scarves that look like they’ve been worn for years and coats that are more functional—some might even say drab. Can it get performative? Sure. But on the flip side, it can also encourage the intellectual lifestyle it springs from. Poetcore is not about logos or statement pieces, but about layering, texture and the sense that every garment tells a story. On screen, certain film and TV characters embody this quietly expressive approach, showing how poetcore can feel both considered and effortless in several different ways.
Read more: Zoë Kravitz‘s best style moments prove less is always more
The beat poet: Zoë Kravitz in ‘High Fidelity’
Above In ‘High Fidelity’, Zoë Kravitz layers oversized knits and vintage tees with relaxed jeans, bringing effortless poetcore to the streets (Photo: Phillip Caruso/Hulu)
In ‘High Fidelity’, Zoë Kravitz layers oversized knits and vintage tees with relaxed jeans, bringing effortless poetcore to the streets (Photo: Phillip Caruso/Hulu)
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In the High Fidelity adaptation, Zoë Kravitz’s wardrobe is characterised by casual, music‑inspired pieces that sit comfortably between streetwear and vintage‑leaning staples. Her looks often include layered knitwear, oversized jackets, relaxed trousers and modest accessories, evoking a lived‑in sensibility that aligns with poetcore’s preference for clothes that feel personal and textured rather than sharply tailored or purely trend driven.
The pragmatic romantic: Saoirse Ronan in ‘Little Women’
Above Saoirse Ronan’s Jo March blends wool skirts, cotton blouses and lace-up boots for a practical, story-driven poetcore look (Photo: Little Women/IMDb)
Saoirse Ronan’s Jo March blends wool skirts, cotton blouses and lace-up boots for a practical, story-driven poetcore look (Photo: Little Women/IMDb)
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The costumes in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women were designed by Jacqueline Durran and grounded in Victorian period dress, yet they have been noted for their expressive character logic. Saoirse Ronan’s Jo wears practical, somewhat utilitarian garments, including woollen skirts, plain cotton dresses and a military‑style jacket that reflects the character’s interior life and actions. Though rooted in historical design, the mood resonates with poetcore’s interest in clothing that feels narratively woven into a life.
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The moody Victorian: Hailee Steinfeld in ‘Dickinson’
Above Hailee Steinfeld’s puffed sleeves, layered skirts and soft neutrals channel Emily Dickinson’s poetcore aesthetic (Photo: Dickinson/IMDb)
Hailee Steinfeld’s puffed sleeves, layered skirts and soft neutrals channel Emily Dickinson’s poetcore aesthetic (Photo: Dickinson/IMDb)
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The Apple TV+ series Dickinson plays with 19th‑century silhouettes and modern sensibilities, often juxtaposing traditional period shapes with contemporary attitude. Hailee Steinfeld’s portrayal places emphasis on voluminous sleeves, high‑neck blouses and layered textures that feel emotive and expressive. The show’s wardrobe bridges character and costume, offering visual cues that mirror poetcore’s blend of literary reference and wearable form without strict adherence to period accuracy.
The wartime artist: Sienna Miller in ‘The Edge of Love’
Above In ‘Edge of Love’, Sienna Miller wears wool coats, cashmere jumpers and A-line skirts in muted tones, a cosy take on poetcore (Photo: The Edge of Love/IMDb)
In ‘Edge of Love’, Sienna Miller wears wool coats, cashmere jumpers and A-line skirts in muted tones, a cosy take on poetcore (Photo: The Edge of Love/IMDb)
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In The Edge of Love, Sienna Miller’s costuming is rooted in 1940s attire, with pared‑back tailoring, woollen coats, knit jumpers and muted tones that reflect wartime austerity. The clothes have a natural weight and texture, conveying a sense of environment and circumstance. While not poetcore in a literal sense, the film’s wardrobe shares an affinity with the trend’s appreciation for understated colour palettes, tactile materials and garments that carry context as much as shape.
The preppy minimalist: Sofia Carson in ‘My Oxford Year’
Above From soft knits to layered skirts, these film and TV characters show how poetcore turns quiet dressing into style worth noticing (Photo: Chris Baker/Netflix)
From soft knits to layered skirts, these film and TV characters show how poetcore turns quiet dressing into style worth noticing (Photo: Chris Baker/Netflix)
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My Oxford Year places Sofia Carson in a university setting where her wardrobe incorporates classic collegiate elements such as blazers, layering pieces and soft knitwear. The occasional satchel or scarf reinforces a narrative of study and exploration. Such elements map clearly onto poetcore’s foundations—the literary aesthetic, the interplay of heritage pieces with modern dressing and a general sense of reflective living through clothes.
Across these film and television examples, there is a consistent thread: clothing that gestures toward interiority and narrative, favouring texture and nuance over spectacle. Poetcore is not about specific items as much as how they are combined and worn to suggest a life informed by literature, thought and quiet presence.
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Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
