The latest fashion trend on TikTok is dressing like the Ralph Lauren Polo Bear. But why are they dressing this way, and what's the history behind this iconic animal mascot?

Lifestyle and fashion TikToker Lindy Goodson's now-viral video – captioned "my best outfit in.... possibly years I fear" – first kicked off the current trend, though influencers like Elliot Duprey had previously championed dressing like the bear.

"This lil dude is wearing a really freakin' cute outfit," she said in the post. "Look at the layering here! I want to dress like him!"

Lindy goes on to emulate the bear's style with items from her own closet, and the results are impressive!

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"I'm not messing around when I say the Polo Bears might be the key to inspiration and testing out new things that I have needed," Lindy added.

After her first Polo Bear video, the hashtag #dressinglikepolobear took off – and it's no wonder why.

A resurgence in the popularity of the luxe preppy-chic look, dubbed Ralphcore by some, has been super trendy and shows no signs of stopping! If New York Fashion Week is any indication, 2023's quiet luxury trend is set to transition into corporate luxury for fall and winter.

"The bear itself is so adorable, which makes it eye-catching. Also, he serves as a sort of neutral model for the outfits," Lindy told Town & Country. "When I put a Polo Bear on screen, people are able to imagine themselves in a similar outfit made up of their own pieces."

She continued, "The Polo Bear doesn't showcase a specific body type or look, just the outfit on an animal – making them universally inspiring."

The teddy bear as we know it originates from a story about President Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt sparing the life of a bear while on a hunt because his companions had tied it to a tree, a tale which aimed to show the honor of the politician.

New York merchant Richard Steiff decided to name a bear plush toy after the incident, and so the teddy bear was born!

The toy exploded in popularity, and some decades later, Jerry Lauren – fashion designer Ralph Lauren's brother – reportedly became "a passionate collector of Steiff bears."

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Jerry, who worked at his brother's company, estimated his collection to be about 30 to 40. He was so devoted to the bears that he supposedly kept six on his bed!

His love of these bears was well-known among the company, and in 1990, Jerry's colleagues gifted him a Steiff teddy bear for his birthday. But this wasn't just any Steiff bear! The Ralph Lauren team dressed the bear in finery inspired by their brand identity, including a "blue oxford shirt, tartan tie, [and] cable-knit sweater."

They had so much fun with the bear styling that they ended up presenting a Western-inspired Steiff bear to Ralph as well.

Styling and gifting these bears became an annual tradition between the brothers, and it didn't take long for the beloved Polo Bear to seep its way into the merchandise!

What do you think of the Ralph Lauren Polo Bear fashion trend?