The surprising Chandler Bing fashion trend taking over Instagram

chandler bing knit vest
(Image credit: 2012 NBCUniversal, Inc.)

Someone once said, 'la mode est un éternel recommencement' (fashion is a never-ending renewal) and they weren't wrong. Wait long enough and a trend you might have thought outdated and a little bit embarrassing will make a big comeback.

Enter the knitted vest, or the sweater best as long-standing fan Chandler Bing would call it. The Friends character was always mocked for his maroon knitted tops, usually thrown over a baggy shirt, but we're betting he'd be having the last laugh now.

The 90s fashion trend has had somewhat of a renewal, and you'll be hard-pressed to scroll through your Instagram feed without seeing at least a couple of influencers sporting one.

It's easy to see the appeal, as it's the perfect item for the transitional weather. Cool girls have been wearing it with nothing underneath, or layering it over shirts with oversized collars, à la Miu Miu.

Wear yours now with leather bermuda shorts and ankle boots, and later over a silk shirt and with cashmere wide leg trousers for the ultimate working from home attire.

Ready to take on the trend? Scroll down for some styling ideas from fashion editors and influencers, as well as some great high street and designer knit vests to buy now.

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Shop now: ADELE TANK Sleevless Rib Tank (pictured above) for £75 from ALIGNE

Shop now: Indigo Knitted Waistcoat for €79.95 from anna + nina

Shop now: V-NECK CASHMERE VEST for £99 from COS

Shop now: CABLE-KNIT VEST for £25.99 from ZARA

Shop now: GANNI Striped cable-knit cotton-blend turtleneck tank for £205 from Net-A-Porter

Shop now: MIU MIU Crystal-embellished wool tank for £760 from Net-A-Porter

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.