Getting ahead of a trend can be the epitome of trailblazing in the fashion world, but really, it’s about knowing which trends will suit you and which trends will last longer than others.
In the current climate, investing in key pieces which stand the test of time is what’s de la mode. Trends can feel ephemeral but they always come back around. This is what fashion does; it recycles, it pulls apart something and it can create something new, with a hint of nostalgia.
A trend of the past is a trend of the future, so the real question is, what trends are we seeing again in 2023?
While we mere mortals seek inspiration from others, street style, Instagram model culture and catwalk predictions can guide us on our path to looking great and choosing key items wisely.
Read on for our breakdown for the 9 top fashion trends for 2023.
Explore the Top 9 Fashion Trends for 2023
Bikey aesthetic
Leather has been a best friend of outfit-elevation since the 90s. It provides us with a touch of grunge, practicality and something that can perform like a shield.
Taken from Getty Image | Ron Galella
Though robust in nature, there’s a certain refinement to a leather jacket. It became the thing to wear to accentuate the femininity of an outfit. Paired with jeans and white t-shirt, or an elegant slip dress, the leather jacket made its mark on male and female fashion. Many of us have a classic leather jacket in our closets for when the time comes for it to be brought out and add that extra something to your look.
Oversized leather jackets have always been something championed, but today we’re seeing the biker-girl aesthetic being brought to new heights. While leather has always been a functional, weatherproof and fall-proof material, biker jackets bring the aesthetic to a new level.
Chloe and Dion Lee both brought the house down with a structured biker jacket on the runway. It’s an effortlessly cool look, providing an androgynous edge.
Photo by Pascal Le Segretain taken from VanityFair.com
Incorporating a blend of colors into a firm material like leather, it’s about investing in a unique but timeless piece.
Utility Chic
Along with our search for practical clothing, cargo pants had us in a chokehold for much of 2022.
Burberry Spring 2023 taken from WWD.com
Expect to see all cargo everything: jackets, skirts and vests. But this time, this utilitarian vibe will evolve to something more distinguished. With the typical neutral hues we’ve seen with cargo pants, we’ll see some more defining features which simply embolden its sense of ‘usefulness’ such as lots of pockets, more straps and more drawstrings.
Bold colors will add a twist to the militarian fashion. We can look to bright colors within the trend, proving that functional pieces can always be revived.
Versace taken from WhoWhatWear.comV
Sportswear
Athleisure has been a long-time favorite, which is why it will definitely be featured in the closets and runways of many this year.
And it doesn’t matter which is the sport du jour. Be it Pilates, running or boxing, it seems that every vein of the sports ether has an outfit that we want to wear on and off the treadmill.
Sheer and Body-Baring
When we think of the sheer trend, we think of lace; we think of light, malleable and effervescent material cascading down the body.
It’s almost an ethereal look but with its modern day twist, it’s more versatile than ever.
Stars are pairing sheer items of clothing with structured jackets, bold accessories like thick bangles and thigh-high boots. With a slip underneath, or high-waisted briefs and a bralette, this trend can suit many.
Mini Dresses
Short skirts came back with a bang last year. That MiuMiu skirt that would have your grandmother clutching her pearls and questioning whether we were all wearing belts rocked the fashion-sphere. But it became almost commonplace.
It was all over Instagram, and it lost its luster. Something iconic became the been-there-done-that. But the pleasure of wearing something short didn’t lose its sparkle.
Though the midi and maxi-dress length has always been a flatterer, this year, we’re ready to bare our legs. You can expect to see mini dresses making a statement all over your For You page.
There seems to be a certain confidence that’s pushing through the fashion world - it's becoming limitless in its accessibility for any body shape or type to wear whatever we want to wear. There aren’t strict regulations, maintaining the parameters for who can wear what. It also doesn’t seem to be a particular weather type that the mini length suits. Add a pair of tights, and this style of dress is nothing but versatile.
Fringing
Having a Western-moment is about letting your hair down, as well as little lines of fabric from your arms.
There’s something about a fringed jacket that adds a flair, a movement that tickles the peripheral vision in a way that’s a delight. It’s about emboldening a structured piece, and creating a sense of delicacy.
When we think of fringing now, we aren’t solely brought back to the Western’s our father would watch, telling us: “now THIS is a classic.” And despite concurring that fringing really is classic, father, it’s been revamped and reworked to be something quite unique.
Proenza Schouler and Chloé have used color and expressive lines of fabric on skirts and tops. And fringe dresses, in varying degrees of tendril-intensity have been worn by celebrities such as Anne Hathaway.
Thebe Magugu merino wool, fringed dress taken from BergdorfGoodman.com
Styling a simple neutral dress with fringing is easy to revitalize your outfit. Pair with your favorite sneakers and it’s a wearable ensemble with a touch of intrigue.
Whether you want to go more subtle or bold with fringing, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Bold Colors
We’ve all paid homage to the Pantone colors at one point in our lives. Seeing the array of colors, the tones, the presentation and the inevitable playground that fashion designers can have can be almost overwhelming.
That’s why we bow our heads to the fact that the Pantone Color Institute predicts the hot colors for 2023 for us. Viva Magenta is confirmed to be the defining color of 2023 but while many of us might not feel like stepping to the Magentaverse (their word, not ours), there are four other options to choose from.
Skylight, Macchiato, Beetroot Purple and Classic Green provide a palette to play with. Now is the time to introduce color back into your wardrobe.
Animal Print
When it comes to print, some of us steer clear of the animal-variety. There’s a real talent to producing items, especially with leopard print, that don’t come across as trashy. Sorry, Fran Drescher.
But, like a leopard, animal print has been lurking in the fashion shadows the entire time. It’s never really gone anywhere because it can be so flattering. When done right.
Taken from Getty Images
It’s not just Lil Kim’s animal print bikini our minds go to when we think of this almost permanent trend. Think back to the time of Jackie Kennedy and Edie Sedgwick’s pillbox hat. It can be elegant and alluring. If you don’t flinch at the mention of animal print, it’s one to add to your collection this year.
Mermaid-Core
If you thought we’d eventually stop adding ‘core’ onto the end of trends, you were wrong. In walks a new look, with a similar vein of femininity as its cousins: ballet-core and Barbie-core.
When we think of mermaids, we think of something shimmering, something metallic and unreachable. The unknown but the known.
We’ve envisioned these long, almost scintillating tails and, in this new trend prediction for 2023, we will be trying to increase the sparkle and the metallic to our outfits.
Kate Moss at Diet Coke’s 40th anniversary party | Getty Images
Looks that invite the idea of fish scales, or mermaid scales, will be a trend to watch.
The Final Say with HushHush
The thing to take away from the above is that whether it’s a micro-trend or a macro-trend, invest in quality and versatility.
With anything, it’s about personalising it to suit you. We’re moving rapidly away from constriction in the fashion world. Opening up a trend and playing within the realms of it is what we’ll be seeing a lot of in 2023.
At HushHush, we have a collection of pieces that will stay with you throughout the seasons. Try a trend today, and have it in your wardrobe for the future.
