Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's Style Is a Lesson in Coordination

Although Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen once played the same character on Full House, the actors-turned-designers have cultivated their own individual aesthetics over the years. They earned their style chops the hard way, becoming front-row fixtures during fashion week, attending the Met Gala, and founding Elizabeth & James, a label named for their siblings, and later their cult-favorite fashion brand and multiple-CFDA Award winner, The Row.

The bulk of the Olsen’s careers were full of sister style moments, from their Full House years to those unforgettable Met Gala appearances which offered a peek into their expansive vintage collections. Nowadays, the sisters rarely step onto a red carpet (in fact, they last did so in 2019) and much prefer to let their work at The Row do the talking. But on the off-chance they are spotted in public, they’ll most certainly set some sort of trend, whether it be sheer Mary Janes or the now-famous “Olsen Tuck.”

Here, look back at Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s style evolution from identical, denim-clad kids to stars of a chic, minimalist, vintage-inflected look.

2023: Out in New York

In 2023, the designers matched in handbags from The Row during a rare off-duty moment.

2019: CFDA Awards

The Olsen’s wore The Row (of course) for their last joint red carpet appearance at the 2019 CFDA Awards. They won the award for Accessory Designer of the Year at the event.

2019: Met Gala

While most wear current-season or custom looks to the Met Gala, the sisters prefer to go the vintage route. In 2019, that meant wearing archival Chanel looks.

2018: WSJ. Magazine Innovator Awards

Ashley, in white with black accessories, was the perfect complement to Mary-Kate who wore a black suit dress and bright red heels.

2018: Met Gala

In 2018, the twins went Boho at the Met Gala—Mary-Kate opted for The Row while Ashley wore vintage Paco Rabanne.

2017: Studio in a School Gala

Ashley donned head-to-toe black as Mary-Kate embraced jewel tones at a 2017 gala.

2017: Met Gala

In 2017, the Olsen’s once again went for vintage fashion at the Met Gala—though these looks were so archival, that their makers were never publicly identified.

2016: CFDA Awards

Mary-Kate and Ashley matched with their sister, Elizabeth Olsen, in black The Row looks at the 2016 CFDA Fashion Awards.

2016: Met Gala

2016’s Met Gala again called for unlabeled vintage outfits.

2014: Met Gala

In 2014, the designers wore vintage dresses from Chanel and Gianfranco Ferré.

2011: Metropolitan Opera Premiere

The sisters epitomized chic at a 2011 event in New York.

2008: Met Gala

They both wore disco-worthy Diane Von Furstenberg looks to the 2008 Met Gala.

2007: CFDA Awards

At the 2007 CFDAs, the twins contrasted one another in chic black and white dresses.

2007: New York Fashion Week

The sisters mixed fur with designer bags at NYFW in 2007.

2006: CFDA Awards

The twins indulged in a rare pop of color at a 2006 event.

2005: amfAR Gala

At the 2005 amfAR Gala in Cannes, the duo wore elegant evening looks.

2003: Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle Premiere

Mary-Kate and Ashley wore some of their boldest looks to the premiere of Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle in 2003.

2002: Vanity Fair Oscar Party

A whole new level of twinning at the 2002 Oscars after parties.

2001: Rush Hour 2 Premiere

Mary-Kate and Ashley agreed on “going out” tops and low-slung office pants for the 2001 premiere of Rush Hour 2.

1999: Anna and the King Premiere

The sisters coordinated in pastels skirts with fringe at a 1999 premiere.

1998: Spice World Premiere

The 1998 Spice World premiere in London called for bold, nylon coats.

1994

The twins already had coordinating style down to a science in 1994.

1993

And in 1993.

1991

It was hard to tell the Olsen’s apart as they attended a Full House event in 1991.