Can you feel it? Hannah Montana’s aesthetic aura is in the air. Zebra print, rainbow tie-dye, skinny scarves, little studded leather jackets, tutus, sequins, newsboy caps and colorful tights are the weirdly satisfying finishing touches that feel so right, right now.
There isn’t an ounce of a doubt in my mind that 20 years after her debut, Miley Cyrus’s character Hannah Montana would have loved the fall 2026 runways. Especially Stella McCartney’s crystal studded jeans and “my dad is a rockstar” tank top (hello, Billy Ray Cyrus, who actually starred as Hannah Montana’s real dad in the show). Her style is a visual manifestation and representation of fun with a capital F, through the girl’s gaze.
For generations of us, Hannah Montana represented a niche OG live-for-the-fantasy maximalist who dressed for herself. She accessorized with beautiful reckless abandon, piling on the tiaras, statement necklaces, belts, bangles and chandelier earrings. Her alter ego closet, featured prominently in the show, was a safe space for transformation from girl next door to girl rock star.
More often than not, when I find an iconic vintage accessory, like the Miu Miu spring 2004 sequin bandana necklace I bought this weekend, I think to myself, Hannah Montana would wear this. I thought about it when I bought a 1950s pink ostrich boa from an eBay seller based in Hollywood, and I thought the same when I picked up a late ‘90s fuchsia fur coat from Marni. In fact, some of my favorite runway collections of all time, like Miu Miu spring 2006 and Resort 2011, at heart, feel deeply Hannah Montana-coded. But perhaps most interestingly, in a social media dominant era where we’re all aware of being perceived and private self vs. public self (a topic that even Miuccia Prada touched on for fall)—Hannah Montana’s style duality should be studied.
There is no other pre-teen character in the history of television who both emulated one of Bjork’s most iconic, groundbreaking outfits via the infamous swan dress, while also riffing on real life pop culture icons including Michael Jackson à la her single pink fingerless glove. Multiple costume designers worked on the various seasons of Hannah Montana including Christopher Lawrence, Dahlia Foroutan and Catherine Wagner. You get the best of both worlds.
It’s no wonder the ‘Hannah Montana’ 20th Anniversary Special got 6.3 million views in its first three days. Miley Cyrus also just released her music video for “Younger You,” a tribute to her beloved Hannah Montana days.
If 2025 was Pucci Girl Summer, let this be the year of Hannah Montana Summer.
9 ways to dress like Hannah Montana IRL »»
Wearing your dress the “wrong way”
Hannah Montana’s approach to wearing dresses is one of the most interesting styling lessons one can take from the show. In the early 2000s, wearing dresses over pants wasn’t uncommon. But why not layer it even more? With jeans and a matching denim jacket, or very importantly, a belt. Also: the strapless dress over a t-shirt. Preferably, a vintage Betsey Johnson prom dress with a colorful t-shirt. Bonus points if polka dot or animal print is involved.
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