Hailey Bieber Explains Why She Rocked That "Nepo Baby" Tee

From whale-tail cutout dresses to balletcore athleisure, Hailey Bieber is no stranger to bold fashion ‘fits. At first glance, the model’s latest off-duty look might not seem like much. But take a closer look, and you’ll notice her crop top emblazoned with a buzzy phrase.

On Friday, January 6, Hailey was spotted out and about in Los Angeles sporting a white baby tee that read “Nepo Baby.” She paired the top with straight low-rise jeans, black loafers, a studded belt, and her signature Prada shoulder bag.

Hailey’s look served as an entry in the “nepo baby,” or “nepotism baby,” discourse, a cheeky term for a child or close relative of a famous or well-connected adult in their chosen industry — most famously, film and television. In December 2022, New York Magazine published a viral cover story about Hollywood’s nepo babies, breaking down the famous connections in the industry from Maude Apatow (daughter of filmmaker Judd Apatow) to Maya Hawke (daughter of actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman).

ICYMI, Hailey is the daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin (brother of Alec Baldwin), and obvi, the wife of Justin Bieber. In a May 2023 interview with The Sunday Times, she opened up about why she decided to wear the statement tee back in January. “When you’re out and about and people are stopping your dad or uncle and asking for pictures, you start to understand why,” Hailey said. “That was me being, like, ‘I’m very aware of the situation [and] I’m going to wear it loud and proud because you are already labeling me as such and it’s true.’”

At the time, Hailey didn’t wear the top for too long, later changing into a basic white cropped tee under an oversized black leather blazer, but no matter what, we’ll be cataloging this ensemble under “most iconic Hailey Bieber looks of all time.”

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