The 10 Improbable Fashion and Beauty Trends Kim Kardashian Actually Made Popular

You may have been skeptical of these looks the first time you saw Kim Kardashian model them - but through creativity, passion, and sheer force of will, the KUWTK star and her equally trendsetting sisters managed to make these truly out-there trends happen
By Emily Kirkpatrick
September 22, 2017 03:14 PM

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LAMPSHADING

Amy Sussman/WWD/REX/Shutterstock

The Kardashians were the first to eschew an entire clothing category, preferring to pair their tops with no bottoms at all.

Get the Look! Asos Tuxedo Dress, $60; asos.com

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OUTSIDE CORSETS

BG001/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Kim reinvigorated this turn of the century trend, adding these waist-cinchers on top of every look from LBDs to XXL tees.

Get the Look! Pixie Market Ivory Corset, $78; pixiemarket.com

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CLEAR PLASTIC BOOTS

Frank Lewis/startraks

Clearly (pun very intended) Kanye West that knows if anyone can convince us a pair of foggy, thigh-high plastic shoes are worth their price in sweat, it's his fashion plate of a wife.

Get the Look! Missguided Nude Clear Over the Knee Heeled Boots, $92; missguidedus.com

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TEENY, TINY BAGS

AKM-GSI

Kim has never shied away from a bag so small it can just barely fit her Lumee case and a KKW Beauty contour stick, especially when that bag is made by Hermès.

Get the Look! Furla Candy Sugar Mini Cross Body Bag, $178; shopbop.com

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ALL SHEER EVERYTHING

AKM-GSI

It should come as no surprise that a woman who published an art book filled with her own nudes is also a trailblazer for barely-clothed celeb dressing in every day life.

Get the Look! Forever 21 Contemporary Sheer Mesh Dress, $14.90; forever21.com

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CHER HAIR

Everyone from Demi Lovato to Nicki Minaj has been rocking these waist-length strands, but Kim was the first to borrow this difficult hairstyle from her own personal permanent fashion icon, Cher.

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LATEX CLOTHING

Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Latex clothing was once exclusively the domain of sex shops and fetish gear, but the style has now fully infiltrated the mainstream. As Chrissy Metz proved at the MTV Movie & TV Awards but Kim has known forever, the high-shine material can be surprisingly wearable.

Get the Look! Nasty Gal The Vinyl Countdown Ruffle Dress, $40; nastygal.com

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CONTOURING

Kim Kardashian/SnapChat

Contouring has been around for ages, but it took Kim's famous face to make this trade secret a household practice. In fact, at this point, her name is so synonymous with the beauty trick, she's launched an entire makeup brand centered around the technique.

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BLACK TIE ATHLEISURE

While tracksuits existed long before the KarJenners caught hold of this particular sartorial zeitgeist, Kim introduced its current high-low iteration, regularly pairing her Adidas trackpants with Yeezy lace-up booties.

Get the Look! Kappa Track Jacket, $100 and Kappa Track Pants, $90; nordstrom.com

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SECOND-SKIN BERMUDA SHORTS

Josiah Kamau/BuzzFoto via Getty

And while the sisters certainly didn't invent the Bermuda short, they did transform them from a preppy staple into a curve-hugging must-have thanks in no small part to Khloé's denim line, Good American.

Get the Look! Good American Bermuda Shorts, $145; goodamerican.com

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