Jeans are skinny! Now, they're wide! Wear your bra over your shirt! Now, wear it under! No one knows the whiplash of the trend cycle better than we do — and keeping up with it can feel like running a marathon that will never actually end. But, since trying to keep up with every single rise and fall of hemlines or seasonal color palette is enough to make anyone go insane, it's helpful to approach trends in a pick-your-own-adventure way. We do this by placing bets on precisely which trends we think will catch on with the masses and then end up in fast-fashion retailers. What are the fabrics, shapes, and details from the season that will hands-down show up on shelves in a couple months? Those are the adventures, so to speak, that we'd pick if we were planning a closet overhaul.
Click on to see the ones we're betting on, and keep checking back as we update with intel from the upcoming international shows, too.
"Wish You Were Here" Mementos
It may sound like an oxymoron, but things are getting tropical for the the fall/winter season. With motifs like hibiscus flowers, sunsets, and palm trees, why go to the beach when you can just wear one?
No. 21
Trademark
Fausto Puglisi
Prada
Varsity Blues
Missing the days of hugh school hallways filled with letterman jackets? Rather than digging out your actual senior year piece, get on-board this #TBT-inspired trend with a fresh new update on this classic item.
Coach
House of Holland
Dries van Noten
Button-Lined Slits
Remember those snap-on, snap-off track pants from the early 2000s? Well, they're getting a lady-like treatment in the form of midi skirts and culottes that can be worn open or buttoned all the way depending on the amount of leg you're wanting to show off.
Prabal Gurung
Chris Gelinas
Maison Martin Margiela
Fishnet Undershirts
We've seen layering pieces go from basic to sparkly, sheer, and even mesh, but the latest iteration if one that resembles fishnet stockings. Toughen up any dress or jacket with this slightly-sexy, slightly-edgy touch underneath.
Sportmax
Opening Ceremony
Marques'Almeida
Military-Inspired Jackets
Time turned back a century or so with elaborate, ornate takes on military-inspired cropped jackets, often featuring embroidery and a hefty amount of tiny buttons.
Dolce & Gabbana
Burberry
Dsquared2
The Not-So-Constricting Corsets
When it comes to old trends we thought were guaranteed to make a comeback, corsets definitely weren't at the top of our list. But, now that we've seen them on multiple runways across multiple countries, we might just be sold. The good news is that they're not tied to the rib-crushing tightness you'd expect, and instead simply make for an interesting outfit-topper.
Tome
Brock Collection
Prada
Cold-Shoulder Suiting
This season, it's the suit that's getting the off-the-shoulder treatment, and the juxtaposition of a polished, professional piece with such a daring upper-body situation makes for the kind of contrast we love.
Yigal Azrouel
Monse
Beaufille
Plaid On Plaid (On Plaid)
Whether you're mixing different plaids or literally wearing the same one head-to-toe, wearing multiples of this pattern will allow for a high-impact look that's so Clueless...in all the best ways.
Arthur Arbesser
Antonio Marrras
Marni
Suno
Robe Tops
Cut off the bottom half of your bathrobe and you'll be left with one of Fashion Month's most popular top. The style is somewhere between a jacket and a blouse, and usually involves a waist-cinching tie that wraps around the waist.
Dries van Noten
Simon Miller
Brock Collection
Tights As Pants
For some, it's hard enough to accept leggings as pants. But designers are pushing the limits even further, by dressing models in tights, without any other type of bottoms. If you're daring enough to try this look, our only advice is simple: Wear a top that covers (at least most of) your behind.
Prada
Maison Martin Margiela
Zimmermann
The Western-Inspired Skirt Set
From cowboy boots to Wild, Wild West-inspired embroidery, the rodeo has hit the runway, hard. And though we've seen this theme on a variety of pieces, an iteration of a matching set (think skirt and top or skirt and jacket pairings) is all over the place, taking these lady-like staples to new heights with western motifs.
Coach
Jeremy Scott
Fausto Puglisi
Barbie Dresses
They're pink, they're short, they're sparkly, and they're generally not meant for everyday life. We're dubbing them "Barbie dresses," because life in plastic is fantastic, right?
Isa Arfen
Simone Rocha
Ashish
Comforter Coats
No need to leave your bed, just take it with you. Okay, this one's the most literal interpretation, but what we're really saying is that puffer-coats are finally getting their due.
Alexander McQueen
Marques Almeida
Burberry
Osman
Isa Arfen
Face The Strange
Whether or not it's a Bowie tribute (we like to think it is), we saw a weird-in-a-good-way theme of faces on clothing in London, and can totally see fast-fashion hubs following suit.
House of Holland
Paul Smith
J.W. Anderson
Gothic Florals
If you often feel like florals are too girly, now may just be the time to give them a try. With dark color palettes and long hemlines, these are more Morticia Addams, less Little House on the Prairie.
Marc Jacobs
Erdem
Burberry
Preen by Thornton Bregazzi
Peek-a-Boo Panel Skirts
Perhaps the new metallic pleated skirt is this one we've been seeing on the runways, where panels swish to reveal a contrasting fabric or print — like satin, fishnet, or snakeskin — when the wearer walks.
Peter Pilotto
Mulberry
Burberry
Punk Tweed
We're used to seeing tweed come in prim and proper skirt-suits à la Chanel, but this season, designers are giving an edge to it, with bolder silhouettes, damaged details, and angsty styling.
Alexander Wang
Simone Rocha
Erdem
A Subtle Ruffle
Style a ruffle-sleeved blouse under a longer-sleeved top or jacket to bring attention to an unexpected place: your wrists.
Paul Smith
Osman
Roksanda
Temperley London
Sheer Sleeves
Whether worn as an under layer or actually attached to the garment, super-sheer sleeves make an interesting add-on to dressy and casual looks alike. Here, it's less about color (most options come in black or white), and more about volume.
J.W. Anderson
Mother of Pearl
Mulberry
Molly Goddard
Erdem
Statement Ponchos
Unlike other outerwear trends, ponchos have struggled to remain relevant season-after-season. But, thanks to some new textures and details (like thick fur or heavy embroidery), they're finally coming back to life.
Mulberry
Temperley London
Roksanda
Isa Arfen
Stencil Prints
Consider this color-blocking's second cousin. These pieces feature large splashes in abstract shapes, and often have a thick-black outline. It's like D.I.Y. art for your clothes, no?
Paul Smith
Mary Katrantzou
Roksanda
Burberry
Wispy Tulle
Crunchy, stiff tulle is for ballet tutus. This light, thin, and airy version is for some pretty dreamy dresses.
Mary Katrantzou
Molly Goddard
Isa Arfen
Half Shirt, Half Maxi-Dress
These asymmetrical tops double as a dress depending on which way the wearer stands — they're short on one side, with a giant slit that opens up to a longer length on the other side.
À Moi
Creatures Of The Wind
Rosie Assoulin
50 Shades Of Brown
The color brown kind of gets a bad sartorial rap, but now we know that wearing three (or four, or five) shades at once is the key to pulling off the hue. Stick with laid-back, menswear-inspired layers, like loose trousers, cozy crewneck sweaters, and schoolboy blazers. Consider this trend 2016's version of the groutfit.
Ralph Lauren
A Détacher
The Row
Cardigan Dresses
Sweater dresses are getting the cardigan treatment, with ribbed details and a button-up front. These make for a shockingly versatile layering piece — try one half-buttoned or fully buttoned up over pants, or just on its own with a lacy bra peeking out. Bonus points for off-the-shoulder styling.
Tibi
Adam Selman
A Détacher
Cut & Sew
Garments on the runway had a Frankenstein appearance that looked like the designers took a bunch of different pieces in a variety of fabrics and sewed them all together, creating asymmetrical shapes and contemporary-looking ruffles (and sometimes, extra sleeves in weird places).
Thom Browne
Victoria Beckham
DKNY
Suno
Rosie Assoulin
BCBG
Forced Off-The-Shoulders
Many a blouse and sweater were styled to be worn off-the-shoulder even if they weren't designed that way. Turns out, tugging one side of a garment to hug your shoulder and show off your décolletage makes you look instantly cooler.
Baja East
Fenty x Puma by Rihanna
BCBG
Monse
Non-'70s Lacing
Over the last year, you couldn't walk into any fast-fashion store without seeing a lace-up top or dress. The trend's sticking around, but it's a lot less boho this time around. Check out these examples to see what we mean.
Proenza Schouler
Fenty x Puma by Rihanna
Tome
DKNY
Maiyet
DKNY
Clothes With Piercings
Runway looks featured metallic embellishments in the form of jewelry-like piercings. Here, little hoops clasp together the sides of a flowy skirt.
Public School
Herve Leger
Dion Lee
Opening Ceremony
Calvin Klein
Print Clashing
Print mixing's gone to the next level, to print clashing. Anything goes this season, even if they don't technically "match" in the slightest.
J. Crew
Opening Ceremony
Victoria Beckham
Coach
Altuzarra
Phelan
Short Sleeves Over Long Sleeves
Here's another layering tip straight from the runways: Wear shorter sleeves over longer ones. Ideally, the sleeves that show from underneath are voluminous, printed, or brightly colored (or doubled up, in this particular case).
Creatures Of The Wind
Suno
Edun
Karen Walker
Tinsel Town
You might be wearing tinsel (yes, the stuff you put on your Christmas tree) to your office holiday party this year. Dresses and outerwear looked straight from the party-supplies aisle at your local pharmacy, taking festive dressing extremely literally.
Adam Selman
Jeremy Scott
Milly
Contrast Top-Stitching
Stitches aren't necessarily meant to be seen this season, but contrasting thread colors were used on dresses and outerwear (like white stitches on black or navy) — some more subtle and thin, and some more thick and noticeable.
Dion Lee
Creatures Of The Wind
Proenza Schouler
Edun
Nicholas K
Head-To-Toe Velour
You might regret throwing out your Juicy Couture velour sweatsuit come next fall, because a head-to-toe fuzzy look is coming back. Only this time, it's super chic with elevated silhouettes in super-rich colors.
Opening Ceremony
3.1 Phillip Lim
Crumb-Catcher Bra Tops
You know back in the day of the cami when your bra would stick out from the top of your tank? This is one of those unexpected details we started to notice showing up over and over at the shows — a peekaboo bra detail on tops and dresses alike. Here, it's just a colorblocking illusion, and elsewhere, it's an actual crumb-catcher layer of fabric on the top of the blouse or dress.
Victoria Beckham
Creatures Of The Wind
Gypsy Sport
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