Olive isn’t trending in the loud, look-at-me sense. It’s seeping—into wardrobes, homes, manicures and glasses—quietly, confidently, without asking for approval. It signals taste that doesn’t need explaining. In a landscape oversaturated with dopamine colour and TikTok theatrics, olive feels like a collective exhale. This isn’t about a shade. It’s about discernment. Style director Louise Hilsz shares her thoughts.
Fashion: The Confident Neutral
Olive has stepped into the role beige once held—only sharper, more assured, and infinitely more interesting.
It has the grounding quality of a neutral, but with depth. On skin, it reads intentional. In tailoring, it looks expensive. In silk, it feels sensual without softness. It’s the colour of women who dress for themselves, not the algorithm.
You’ll see it in:
Slouchy twinsets
Bias-cut dresses with bare shoulders
Cute accessories
Utility references refined through cut, not hardware
Sovere Dex Pant Soft Khaki, $190. Anna Quan Lexi dress, $625. Minerva Gilda earrings, $193. Tommy Hilfiger Double Breasted Belted Trench Coat, $669.
Olive doesn’t chase trends. It edits them.
Interiors: Calm, Collected, Considered
White-on-white had its moment. Olive is what comes after.
In interiors, olive delivers warmth without nostalgia and depth without drama. It grounds a space while still allowing light to move. Paired with natural textures—stone, timber, linen—it feels lived-in rather than styled.
Think:
Olive-toned cabinetry that replaces grey
Bathrooms that feel restorative, not sterile
Table settings that look European by default
Bold painted rooms with tonal layered plush fabrics
Drinks: Bitter Is Back
The olive’s resurgence in drinks culture mirrors a broader shift: away from sweetness, toward crisp, savoury.
Dirty martinis, savoury infusions, olive oil–washed spirits—this is drinking as ritual, not performance. The olive garnish is no longer decorative; it’s declarative.
It says:
You understand flavour
You’re not here for sugar
You prefer nuance over novelty
The Olive Lady Olives Stuffed Green, $6. Losada Plain Manzanilla Olives, $15. Iliada Green Whole Olives 370g - Gold Line , $7. Sandhurst Olives Green Sicilian, $6
“My favourite place to enjoy a filthy Martini with three olives is at Gilt Brasserie on Chancery St, in Auckland’s CBD. The secret to this moorish cocktail is half gin, half vodka - and a side of fries.”
Style director Louise Hilsz enjoying a Martini at Gilt Brasserie
An olive in the glass is the adult choice—and proudly so.
Nails: Literally Olive
This isn’t olive adjacent. It’s olive as object.
Across nail salons and social feeds, the trend has moved beyond olive tones into olive imagery—tiny hand-painted olives, micro branches, oil droplets, skewers and martini cues. It’s playful, yes, but still controlled. Think less novelty, more of a knowing wink.
The appeal lies in the contradiction:
Whimsical, but not childish
Decorative, but still minimalist
Literal, yet editorial
OPI Nail Lacquer Suzi in The First Lady of Nails, $22. Manucurist Green Nail Polish in Khaki, $44. Revlon Ultra HD Snap! Nail Enamel Commander in Chief, $16. J Hannah Nail Polish in Eames, $38.
On a sheer base or milky neutral, the olive becomes a detail rather than a statement—proof that fashion’s current obsession isn’t maximalism, but precision.
Discover how to embrace this trend.