Medieval fashion is on the rise, and big-name celebs like Zendaya, Chappell Roan, and more are loving the look. Read on to learn how to rock the latest trend!

"Medievalcore" has been gathering steam for a while now, with corsets, chainmail, flouncy flowy dresses/skirts, and sculptural armor styles gaining traction.

Note: this style – which has previously also been referred to as "weirdieval" fashion –  isn't strictly limited to the medieval period.

There are also Dark Ages, Renaissance, and fantasy influences. It's more of a "feel it out" kind of thing, and if the vibe seems generally medieval or medieval-adjacent, then do what you want with it. Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey will likely soon bring some ancient Greek and Roman influences blended in as well.

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There have been other styles similar to medievalcore in the last few years – think cottagecore and dark academia – but the new trend has its own unique flavor of the long and iterative legacy.

Every 20 years, fashion loops back around. Well, medieval fashion dominated the 1960s, '80s, and early 2000s. You know what that means... we're due for another renaissance!

The latest incarnation seems inspired less by the psychedelic boho that the '60s preferred or the Y2K's cutesy high-femme vibes.

Rather, the 2020 version seems more interested in the grunge and punk aspects of the aesthetic, perhaps influenced by fantasy video games, the Romantasy book genre, a recession mentality, and the urge for perfectly imperfect human craftsmanship (hardware, leatherwork, lace, textiles, boning) in the too-perfect age of AI.

Social media has been loving medievalcore, and the runways are also all about the trend. This year, Gigi Hadid donned a chain-mail piece as she walked for Ralph Lauren at New York Fashion Week, in a Joan of Arc styling moment.

Also, let's not forget the armor-inspired silhouettes of Louis Vuitton's 2026 cruise collection in France, on a runway flanked by a medieval castle.

Especially prominent has been the feminine urge to dress up like Joan of Arc.

Zendaya and Chappell Roan each nailed the look for the 2018 Met Gala and the 2024 VMAs, respectively.

The Spider-Man star later told British Vogue that the apparently very heavy outfit had been her favorite Met Gala styling.

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Joan, besides being a punk rock icon way before punk rock was even a glimmer in our eyes, plays with the juxtaposition of soft femininity mixed with hardened trailblazer.

This combo has been a perennial favorite in culture, with a notable example being Courtney Love's '90s "kinderwhore" aesthetic and the Riotgrrrl Movement as a whole.

Clean girl sleekness is over – whimsical and adventurous medievalcore is the escapist fantasy we all so desperately need right now.