Fashion weeks all over the world have been in full swing this month. We have New York, Paris and Milan all giving us their best ideas as to what the next big trend is. The precedents that are set by Gucci, Prada, Fendi and other prestigious brands affect how people shop for the rest of the year.
Fashion magazines are trying their hardest to predict what styles from the runways will be making their way to the average person’s closet. One article on Refinery29 depicts 21(!) trends that they think will make it big from New York Fashion Week. Some of my personal favorites are polka dots, bows, the return of the ‘80s and wallpaper florals.
But perhaps the biggest trend to come from the runway that is already in fast fashion retailers is the resurgence of animal print – especially leopard. Brands like Tom Ford have somehow managed to make this tacky print seem lux.
At first, I thought that the furry jackets and printed pants were atrocious. But soon enough, I’ve started to really vibe with the trend. I still have one question though.
What made animal print come back in style?
Thankfully, I put on my detective hat and have come up with the answer. And the answer is… *drum roll, please*…
The return of Jersey Shore!
Surely everyone remembers Snooki, JWoww and Sammi decked head to toe in animal print garb on their way to Karma. At the time, we all thought that was terribly gaudy, but since then opinions have changed. Not just about animal print, about the entire show. When it first aired I remember not being allowed to watch it if my parents were home because it was “trash TV”. Now, the show has a tinge of nostalgia that everyone loves.
As we all gear up to watch the long awaited return of everyone’s favorite guidos and guidettes, it’s only natural that we pull out our old leopard print clothes. Did Tom Ford and others bring back animal print because they knew that Jersey Shore was coming back? Probably not. But it makes you wonder if they were subconsciously persuaded to bring it back by the powers of GTL.