Photo Credit: YURI MANEI via www.pexels.com
The fashion industry is changing in a big way. Consumers are cutting back on their spending and brands are responding by producing fewer collections per year. Some designers are even limiting their lines to only a few looks, whereas others are exploring more unusual design approaches. But minimalism isn’t the only trend for this year. From taking inspiration from the 60’s fashion to reinventing nostalgia, below are some of the trends we can expect over the next few months in 2022.
Miniskirts
The waves of hipsterdom that brought us skinny jeans and oversized clothing are still in full swing, so expect your next trend to be something that’s a little more approachable.
The biggest fashion trend we can expect this year is minimalism — fitting clothes or accessories to your physique rather than to make you look like an entirely different person. So, whoever said miniskirts were on their way out was terribly mistaken.
Miniskirts are definitely one of those things that cling to our memories for a good reason: They looked awesome when we were young, but as we grew into our bodies, they got less and less attractive. But these days, people are embracing their bodies and their curves more fully, so miniskirts are gaining back their lost popularity.
Whether it is in more casual settings, at music festivals or on college campuses, miniskirts will be all the rage in 2022.
Oversized jackets
Fashion trends are always changing. But the ones that seem to make an impact on consumers tend to be the ones that those consumers will want to emulate. Oversized jackets, for example, have been trending in fashion circles for a couple of years now. With the rise of hip-hop and the world moving towards street style, you are likely to see a lot of oversized jackets this year.
The best part? Oversized jackets are seasonless and with good reason: They are comfortable and flattering — and, most importantly, versatile. You can wear them in the fall or spring; indoors or outdoors; at home or out. They are the perfect layering piece for warm weather and the perfect outerwear for cooler days.
Sequin clothing
The sequin craze is everywhere — from dresses to purses to shoes. They were a huge part of the 60’s fashion. So, watching them make a comeback has tapped into everyone’s nostalgia and warmed up their hearts.
Sequin clothing is not just confined to the fashion industry alone; these accessories are also used by several other industries to make their products more vibrant and attractive. And it is not just sequins, either: metallic trim, fringed, sheer and sheer pop-pleather all look fantastic regardless of your body type. Thus, it comes as no surprise that they will be ruling 2022.
Y2K fashion
Y2K stands for “year 2000” – the year that many computer systems predicted to have a few bugs in their software. While computers have largely been fixed, the Y2K fashion trend was one of the most popular among millennials in the early 2000s, and wouldn’t you believe that it has continued to influence trends today.
For starters, you will see more experimentation with silhouettes, fabrics and colours. There will also be an increase in the use of mixed materials.
We are living in an era of plus-size fashion and companies are finally starting to cater to larger sizes. So, expect brands to pay a lot more attention to fit and proportion when it comes to Y2K styles.
We are also likely to see fabrics that are made out of genetically modified crops hit the runway. We’re already seeing biodegradable materials hitting the runway, which means that someday we could be sporting clothes made out of hemp – the most zero-waste crop known to mankind – on a large scale, as well. Fingers crossed!
Corsets
This is a style that has been around for hundreds of years, but it is still popular today. Corsets can be used to achieve the perfect hourglass figure. It isn’t an accessory; it is actually the foundation of your look. And while they typically come in black, 2022 is expecting to witness a few fun colours popping up, too — like pastels or metallic golds!
The corset provides support for the upper torso and the lower back, resulting in a more sculpted and conventionally feminine appearance. It is also the cheapest and most non-invasive way to give the illusion of a fuller upper and lower body.
But that’s just one reason why we might see more corsets this year. Some other reasons could be the love for goth and Victorian fashion or the Netflix hit Bridgerton. Whatever be the case, we are surely excited for this one!
Knitwear
Knitwear has continued to be a go-to for designers today, particularly tees and cardigans with merino wool or cashmere, which don’t wrinkle easily.
Not only designers. Ask any fashion enthusiast around you what they are looking forward to in 2022 and they will most certainly mention knitwear. All thanks to the “layering” trend that has been making a place for itself over the past few years.
Having said that, knitwear is still relatively new as a trend with only a handful of major players — including Uniqlo and Marks & Spencer — having even a modest presence in the market. Fortunately, an ever-increasing number of retailers are now adding knits to their collections; in fact, Zara and H&M have already begun experimenting with it, so watch out for them this year.
Dopamine dressing
Dopamine is linked to productivity and motivation, so you can expect to see a lot of people wearing outfits that make them feel motivated — bold Fuschia pants with neon bra tops, for example — in order to amp up their confidence. It also tends to encourage risk-taking behaviour because something about the colour scheme makes the wearer feel rewarded by putting themselves out there.
The dopamine dressing trend is all about vibrant colours and solid pieces. Very few prints or even patterns. The idea is to appeal to the visual sensor and capture the attention of the onlookers at the first glance.