You’re either going to look really good or really silly, but that’s the duality of fashion isn’t it? Fashion creatives will jump at the opportunity to wear something new even if we’re not sold on the concept. This past winter I wasn’t sure about the resurrection of opera gloves and fluffy faux feathers but they turned out to make me feel ridiculously expensive plus I would continue to see it repeatedly in magazines, Instagram feeds, and TikTok videos. So what are the next trends we’re either going to hate or love?
- Cut-Outs
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Head-to-toe black outfits have always been chic but how are designers going to push the little black outfits to an audience that’s turned to DIY and makeshift looks? The answer is cutouts, and Mugler is the blueprint for this concept. If you saw Kali Uchis in Mugler then you know what I’m talking about. These silhouettes make keyhole-type cutouts that hug the skin and look sexy on any and every body type. My favorite example of this was SZA wearing a butterfly dress to the Billboard Music Awards made by Monot.
- Skeleton Arm Cuffs
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I’m still not entirely sure about it but I will be giving it a try regardless. Raf Simons’ spring/summer runway show was full of models wearing gold, silver, and pastel-colored skeleton cuffs. These cuffs look like the hand of a skeleton is clutched around the model’s upper arms slightly scrunching the fabric it lays on top of. As was the theme of his collection, this type of accessory would be best with edgier looks; but be careful styling it as it can look “Halloween-y” really quickly.
- Sparkles
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I won’t lie, the tomboy in me had to take a breath when I saw this year’s Tom Ford Spring/Summer runway show. It was shimmer, it was glam, it was everything I tried to stay away from growing up. But these head-to-toe sparkly looks won me over as soon as I saw Gigi Hadid walk down the runway with her tailored oversized look. Sparkly fabric will be everywhere, so if you’re into glitter and glam now is your chance to show off!
- Colorful Tights
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The little black skirt and tights combo has had all the influencers on a leash this winter. Some artists on Tik Tok have even begun to make their own cutouts in their tights to create a unique look. But that was winter, Spring/Summer brings a whole new level to this trend and Versace shows us how to do it perfectly. The models walked with vibrant outfits paired with brightly colored tights including the colors plum and yellow. The tights also had cutouts along the side as seen in the past TikTok trends. The tight’s liveliness comes in hand with the extravagance of the sparkle trend and although it scares me a little I’m excited to try it out this season.
Some of these trends aren’t for everyone, I know I won’t be loving every single one *cough cough* sparkles, but it’s fun to learn about them in order to gauge a sense of what designers are looking at for inspiration. Clearly, designers are being led by an edgier youth and a need for extravagance in the midst of a pandemic.