By Liv Barry
Elm Staff Writer
With how quickly trends fall in and out of fashion, it can be difficult to pin down what new pieces are going to become the fashion staples of the incoming year, but the Internet has made trend tracking easier and more accessible than ever before.
By paying attention to fashion influencers on social media and studying the runway looks of the upcoming season, the average Internet user can now predict and track trends like a professional.
After going through Vogue’s Spring ’22 Ready-to-Wear Collection and keeping a close eye on some of my favorite fashion influencers, here are some predictions for the trends to come in 2022.
Balance of Masculine and Feminine Styles
The late 2010s and early 20s saw the popularity of androgynous fashion that rejected the idea of gendered clothing entirely.
With Spring ’22, runways were full of looks that balanced traditionally feminine and masculine clothing to make a unique, separate look that, similar to the androgynous style, rejects gender roles by upending expectations, but also celebrates traditionally masculine and feminine silhouettes.
Fashion houses like Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen featured structured, masculine blazers styled over flowing skirts and dresses on their Spring ’22 Ready-to-Wear runways.
Inspired by the 2000s fashion resurgence that was seen throughout the 20s thus far, skirts and dresses styled over pants have gained popularity in street style, with multiple skirt-over-pants looks being featured in Vogue’s “Spring ’22 Street Style” article.
Also in the vein of Y2K fashion, ties worn over feminine outfits are quickly gaining popularity on social media. First popularized in the 2000s on alternative rock star Avril Lavigne, the tie has seen a resurgence on TikTok fashion influencers, who style ties with casual, feminine outfits to create a contrast.
Punk
Avril Lavigne’s name can’t be dropped in a fashion article without mentioning the revival of the punk look. While the 2022 “punk” is a far cry from its hardcore 80s and 2000s predecessors, punk influences on current fashion can be spotted on runways and on social media.
Monochrome black outfits were staples of Spring ’22 fashion show attendees, and were also seen frequently on Alexander McQueen’s Spring ’22 runway. Plaid and gingham patterns were also worn frequently by the Spring ’22 audience.
1960s Mod
Plaid and gingham are not solely seen in the punk style, and are also common patterns of 1960s mod fashion. Characterized by bright colors, crazy patterns, and structured silhouettes, 1960s mod fashion has influenced many of the trends already on this list.
Mod fashion already experienced a comeback in the mid-to-late 2000s and early 2010s with “twee” fashion, a whimsical style that draws inspiration from many previous fashion movements, from 1960s mod to Japanese Harajuku fashion.
Recently, twee has regained popularity on TikTok, where many users who wish to reject the trend cycle have found a home in the timeless twee style. Because twee style draws from so many existing sources, it’s easy to throw together outfits right from your closet, making the style cheap and sustainable.
Overall 2010s comeback
With the comeback of twee, 2022 will see the beginnings of a complete 2010s fashion resurgence. While trends tend to move in 20-year cycles, social media expedited the trend cycle, and we are seeing trends fall out of and come back into fashion faster than ever before.
Trends that dominated the boho look of the early-to-mid 2010s like fur, fringe, and leather boots have all been spotted on the Spring ’22 runway. For the past year, fur-trimmed jackets we’re a fashion staple, with the House of Sunny fur-trimmed cardigan and Saks Potts fur-trim coat going viral on TikTok and amassing countless fast fashion dupes.
After Gucci featured fur-trim jackets in its Spring ’22 runway, fur has fully established itself as a trend that is here to stay past its trend cycle. The resurgence of fur coats seems inspired by those seen in early 2010s alternative fashion, as popularized by fashion designer Alexa Chung and indie singer Lana Del Rey.
Knee-high boots, previously seen in the early 2010s with the preppy riding boot popularized on the CW television show ““Gossip Girl”,” were spotted both on and off the Spring ’22 runway. Vogue’s “Spring ’22 Street Style” article showcases many fashion show attendees rocking different iterations of the knee-high boot.
As fashion trends develop and step into the limelight it is interesting to see remnants of trends past.
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Featured Photo Caption: Twee draws on vintage inspired aspects in order to create a timeless, quirky look. Zooey Deschanel’s character Jess on New Girl is often seen dressed in twee-inspired outfits. Other twee inspiration can be seen in Wes Anderson’s films.