Back in May 10, Marie Claire's editors observed a rise in the trend for sheer knee-high socks There's something delightfully confusing about adding knee socks to the look," Chloe King, editor and street style star, told us at the time. Just a month later, Kaia Gerber used Valentino's mini-dress to reaffirm the quirky styling potential of knee-high socks.

After just hitting the Los Angeles sidewalk with all the red clothes and Balenciaga City bags, Kaia Gerber par 11 of the next generation of Hollywood Reporters on May 20 in a fun juxtaposition-filled outfit. She paired the mini dress with a stardust-like semi-sheer cape from Valentino's Resort 2025 collection. Both pieces were absolutely dripping with intricate gold and silver beads, plus the model's unexpected socks and a white lining along the coordinated hem.

Oh, knee socks. These were part of Kaia Gerber's statement, a movement that rocked from the original styling of Valentino creative Director Alessandro Michele and proved just why Gerber is a modern fashion genius. Instead of flesh-colored pantyhose set with traditional tights or sky high heels, she opted for a semi-sheer, lavender sling back knee-high socks with a lace pattern to wear under the kitten's heels.She can also be worn by her, she can be worn on her knees. Set against the all-out luxury of Gerber's golden mini dresses, they gave a look and feel like a book for a woman who doubles as a host of part-time literary salons. And in a practical sense, they added some warmth and coverage without a full tight commitment. The overall effect was a little Bohemian, a little geek chic and very worthy of all our holiday party mood boards.

Kaia Gerber has recently leaned on vintage inspiration in her red carpet style. Earlier this fall, she attended the LACMA gala wearing a pistachio green Gucci gown with chevron sequins and a feather-trimmed hem. The look could have been drawn from Cher's personal archive of 70s gala gowns. A few weeks before that, she channeled Audrey Hepburn in vintage Givenchy Couture for the Academy Museum gala. Her Valentino cape, mini, and knee socks are another variation on her throwback theme.

Anytime Kaia Gerber branches out of her classic black ballet flat and small black dress is a cause for fashion celebration. She wears vintage couture well with straight off-the-runway pieces. The look of last night's holiday party came with an unusual bonus: it's a style that we can all try away from the red carpet, sorry while tracking the knee-high socks I bought last fall.