Natalie Lambrelli
Around the turn of each New Year, trend forecasters declare which trends will reign in the upcoming seasons. They base their analyses on careful examinations of the runway shows that each of the major fashion houses put on during the previous year’s Fashion Week.
No doubt, the trend cycle moves at a dizzying pace.
Staying on top of trends is a difficult task; more importantly, it can be detrimental to the environment. With social media allowing constant and instantaneous communication across the globe, trends rise and fall at a rate that makes them more inconsistent and elusive than ever.
Fast fashion dominates the realm of micro-trends. They offer trendiness at a low cost to the consumer, but a large cost to the environment. Leading fast fashion manufacturers, like Zara, produce just under one billion pieces of clothing annually- that’s millions of pieces every day. The vast majority of these pieces are discarded before they are properly utilized, and only a small percentage of the discarded clothing is recycled.
However, not all hope is lost!
What you might not realize is that many of the trends that are forecast year over year reflect changing preferences for colors, patterns, fabrics, and silhouettes which can easily be thrifted.
In 2024, forecasters predict a number of trends in fashion that are timeless and totally thrift-able.
For example:
- Decades: 50s, 80s
- Colors/Patterns: Leopard, Stripes, Navy blue, Sage green, Heather gray, Cobalt blue, Brown, Maroon/Burgundy, Blush pink, Metallics
- Fabrics: Leather, Satin, Sheer materials (Mesh, Netting, Cut-outs), Lace trimming
- Silhouettes:
- Sculptural: Gathered material, Draping, and Ruching
- Elongated: Dropped waists, Peplum
- 50s: A-line dresses, Cinched waists, Skirts
- Mini length skirts and dresses
- High slits