Jennifer Lopez Elevates Her Basic White Shirt and Jeans With a Timeless Styling Trick

Except her take involves a rare Hermès bag (of course).

jennifer lopez in a sephora wearing a button down shirt and jeans
(Image credit: Backgrid one time use)

If there's one style rule followed by celebrities and normals alike, it's the shoe-purse rule. Any basic outfit can be tied together—or elevated—by purposefully matching one's footwear to one's handbag. Jennifer Lopez is among the principle's greatest proponents, except Lopez elevates the elevated look even more: the purses she coordinates her outfits around are almost always rare Hermès Birkins and Kellys.

On Tuesday, June 11, J. Lo dressed up for a casual Sephora run, wearing a crisp white shirt (a Dior quarter-sleeve button-down) tucked into light wash mid-rise flare jeans. She raised the bar on her simple outfit with a subtle dash of burnt orange, in the form of a Kelly bag fetching up to $35,000 on the resale market and coordinating platform heels.

jennifer lopez shopping at sephora in a white shirt, jeans, and a kelly bag

On Tuesday, J.Lo matched her platform heels to her rare Kelly bag.

(Image credit: Backgrid one time use)

Lopez chose sky-high stiletto platform peep-toe heels from Brian Atwood, made with cheetah print calf hair and bright orange suede along the chunky soles. For her bag, of course, she carried her rare Hermès Kelly Bag du jour, cut from a red-orange crocodile material. She finished the look with auburn-orange aviator sunglasses.

jennifer lopez exiting her car in a white shirt fare jeans and a rare hermes kelly bag

Jennifer Lopez is a big proponent of the shoe-purse rule.

(Image credit: Backgrid one time use)

The matching moment isn't a rare occurrence for Lopez. Back in March, the star paired burgundy-chocolate leather stiletto boots with her burgundy-chocolate croc-embossed Hermès Birkin bag; in May, she traveled with a white Birkin and white sandal heels. She also pulled this trick earlier last year in a head-to-toe caramel look, from her knee-high platform leather boots to her suede jacket and her, you guessed it, big ol' Birkin.

jennifer lopez and ben affleck walking in new york city where Jennifer Lopez matched her purse to her bag.

J.Lo looked matchy-matchy on a recent stroll with Ben Affleck.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

jennifer lopez coordinating her bag and her shoes on a walk in 2023

Jennifer Lopez also matched her taupe Birkin to her taupe heels in 2023.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

As far back as 2020, Lopez was matching black platform hiking boots with her huge black Birkin, and cream sneakers with her cream croc Birkin. As recently as last month, Lopez was matching white AllBirds with a white Birkin. Her take on the shoe-purse rule has range.

jennifer lopez wearing a Birkin bag coordinating with black boots in 2020.

Jennifer Lopez rocking black-on-black-on-Birkin in 2020.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

jennifer lopez wearing a himalayan birkin with matching shoes in 2020

Jennifer Lopez even went monochrome down to the face mask back in 2020.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Lopez's latest look fits squarely into her summer style evolution. She's been pivoting from high-low loud luxury to more laid-back, yet still glamorous, pieces. Over the weekend, J.Lo wore a beige crocheted cover-up as a dress (which matched her beige platform heels and beige clutch, naturally). More recent outfits include a classic white tank with baggy, high-waisted khaki pants and a plaid blazer with extra-wide-leg jeans and a frayed hem.

Shop Jennifer Lopez's basics below. Birkins to try the shoe-purse rule sold separately.

Shop a Matching Moment Inspired by Jennifer Lopez

Julia Gray
Contributor

Julia Gray is a contributing fashion writer at Marie Claire, where she covers runway trends, celebrity style, and shopping. In her six years as a journalist, Julia’s reporting has ranged across style, music, Internet culture, art, retail, tech, and more. In addition to Marie Claire, Julia writes for outlets like the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Ringer, New York Magazine, Pitchfork, Nylon, and Vice, among others. Julia's fashion reporting is led by curiosity. Julia is not only interested in critiquing and covering pop culture, but in understanding what our pop culture says about how we live and modern values. When she’s not writing, Julia hosts a podcast called Girls Room, where she and her co-host revisit shows like Girls and Gossip Girl from the beginning with guests like comedian Cat Cohen and writer Hunter Harris. Girls Room was recently cited in the New York Times.