Dark comedy and erotic thriller Saltburn has been a buzzy addition to the zeitgeist in recent months, but it’s not the film’s often-grotesque subject matter alone that’s been so polarizing — the film’s 2000s fashion is equal parts covetable and cringe. Set in 2006 and 2007 at Oxford University and a manor in the English countryside (aka Saltburn), the clothes strike a wacky balance between vintage British runway….and Livestrong bracelets, Juicy Couture tracksuits, unironically popped collars, Abercrombie & Fitch jeans, and lots of sequins.
The film truly transports us to a bygone era — thanks to its indie sleaze style, which blends high-end vintage pieces, affordable (and tacky) accessories, and/or an overall disheveled party-goer look. “In England, the richer and more old money people are, the more in disarray their clothes,” Saltburn writer and director Emerald Fennell explained to GQ.
While style insiders have threatened the return of indie sleaze fashion for years, the film has officially ushered in its return — in fact, the 2024 iteration of the trend is more wearable (and shoppable) than you might imagine. So start rummaging through the back of your closet for your favorite too-long, too-thin scarf, blast “Murder on the Dancefloor,” and scroll on to see our favorite Saltburn indie sleaze styles and learn how you can get the looks yourself.
