5 Times Zendaya Nailed Trends While Staying True To Her Edgy Style

"My style is pretty fearless, definitely unique but still classic," Zendaya told Harper's Bazaar in 2015. And we totally agree. Over the years, Zendaya has shown us how to be brave with fashion. Not only does she put her own stamp on existing trends to assimilate them with her edgy style, but she's been known to start a few too.

That's even more impressive considering the star and her stylist, Law Roach, lean towards vintage pieces. "We've been [pulling vintage] since Zendaya and I began working together, for 13 years now," he told Vogue in February 2024. "At first, it came out of necessity because back when we started, nobody would lend her clothes." Of course, that's all changed. Zendaya's sky-rocketing career has seen her work with the biggest designers in fashion, tour the world, and grow up before her eyes, evolving her style every step of the way (in sky-high heels, of course). But no matter where she is or what she's wearing, Zendaya always finds a way to make a trend feel authentic.

The pantless trend was huge in 2024, and Zendaya was arguably one of the fad's early pioneers. While out in New York City in April 2024, the star ditched the pants and wore a short, double-breasted vintage Ralph Lauren suit jacket dress with a white collared shirt and tie. The look was particularly striking, because it was nothing like what other celebs donning the trend were wearing, which typically consisted of pairing a basic top with barely-there bottoms.

In Z's case, we were getting proof that this edgy trend could be made sophisticated. To complete the look, she wore her hair in a slick ponytail (extra edginess points!) and created a juxtaposition between menswear and womenswear via her feminine white pointed toe heels. Not only did she have the bravery to try something different, the super tailored, sharp aesthetic stayed true to that classic elegance we know and love.

We've also got to give props for Zendaya's subtle nod to the polka dot dress trend, which was also hot at the time, via the spotted scarf in her pocket. She made a statement by taking the traditional womenswear print and downsizing it to become a small part of her arguably more impactful menswear-inspired look. Girl power!

You may remember boho chic being a massive trend in the 2000s, thanks to starlets like the Olsen twins and Sienna Miller. The flowy, '70s-inspired trend made somewhat of a comeback in 2024.

That March, Zendaya did boho her own way at the Green Carpet Fashion Awards in a beige fringed gown. The Roberto Cavalli number had all the classic qualities of the aesthetic with its floaty silhouette and earth-toned color. But, unlike more traditional bohemian looks, which consist of lots of light linen, this gown seemed to borrow from summer 2023's fringe fashion trend. It featured a bold, deep plunging neckline, with an edgy corset style lace-up at the bottom — not something you see on your average boho look. It also incorporated animal print fabric and matching embellishments across the neckline, which made it unique yet chic. Best of all, the ensemble gave us one of Zendaya's most gorgeous hair looks, with her natural curls falling behind her back.

Zendaya didn't invent tenniscore, but it sure felt like she did when she was promoting her 2024 film "Challengers." The star taught us exactly how to dress the tenniscore way, wearing multiple outfits encompassing the sport-inspired look. One of our favorites has to be the custom Loewe mini-dress she sported in Rome for the April 2024 premiere. The sparkly garment was clearly influenced by the sport's classic white outfits, featuring a pleated skirt and a black stripe across her waist and down the front v-neck.

But this outfit was way more Zendaya than court-wear. For one, it featured a plunging V neckline, a brave style Zendaya regularly sports. But the playful accessories were also very characteristic of the star's penchant for paying tribute to her roles through fashion (see: The "Spiderman" dress as another example.) In this case, white heels adorned with vibrant green tennis balls, paying tribute to her "Challengers" character "Tashi Duncan" who is a tennis star.

The actor's also a fan of a little sparkle — she's donned shiny outfits on a number of occasions – and that was very evident here as this entire gown was covered in flat silver sequins. There aren't many people that could pull this off without it looking like a costume, but because Zendaya knows how to do unique and edgy like a pro, it was totally effortless.

Another look from Zendaya's "Challengers" promotional appearance, this time serving coquette core. By the end of 2023, coquette had been popular for several months, and it remained strong into spring 2024 when Zendaya wore it in April. For those unfamiliar with the aesthetic, it's all about delicate colors, silhouettes, and accessories, making use of white, light pinks, lace, and bows (yep, that's why were all wearing bows on our nails!)

For the occasion, Zendaya wore a custom sequin Thom Browne number to the London premiere of the movie. The whimsical number was a gorgeous ivory with a Peter Pan collar that added to Her hair was pulled back in a white silky hair bow that matched one on the waist of her dress. But this is Zendaya. To ensure it assimilated with her iconic style, the dress was backless and lowcut under the arms to bring the edge. It also featured a daring thigh-high slit, which is a common feature of many Zendaya looks we've come to know and love (Hello 2019 Emmy's dress). The stunner resisted the temptation to do understated coquette makeup, instead going bolder with a glowing, bronzy look and deep red lip.

One of Zendaya's most famous roles is MJ in the "Spider-Man" movies. The nickname is, of course, short for Mary Janes, so it only made sense that Zendaya would want to get in on the Mary Jane revival trend. The strapped shoe started to gain popularity in fall 2023, but Zendaya kept it alive in August 2024. While out in Paris, the actor sported a flat white pair with a green midi skirt and white halter top. A look that was so Zendaya.

We already know she's a fan of edgy white shoes. She wore them when the did the no pants trend, with her tenniscore dress, and during an April 2024 appearance on "Good Morning America," to name a few. So wearing white felt authentic here. But that wasn't the only thing that made this look still true to Zendaya's style. Her polarizing layered skirt could have been hit or miss, but she had the fearlessness to use it to break up the white of her shoes and top – and she totally pulled it off. As always.