Trend cycles are always coming in and out of style and with social media effectively speeding up how fast trends are recycled, it’s a huge year for the fashion industry. 

Covid is partially to blame for how quickly trends are moving in and out of popularity. As everyone flocked to social media platforms during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, a lot of people began sharing their outfits on platforms like TikTok as a way to entertain themselves while stuck at home. For example, crochet began trending as people made clothes, stuffed animals, blankets and more out of yarn. Trends like “indie-kid” and “y2k” boomed in popularity and while the indie-kid aesthetic faded from the spotlight within a year, the ongoing y2k trend is still kicking in the media. If you pay attention to how trends gain popularity again before dying out only to come roaring back again, it’s easy to notice a pattern in what garners public praise and what doesn’t. 

I’ve predicted what I think will be popular in fashion going into this year and now it’s time to rank all the current trends I think will be the most popular.

1. ’70s-’90s revival

Easily my favorite current trend has to be the ’70s-’90s revival that encapsulates microtrends like sheer lace, cowboy boots, bright colors and so much more. As a fun, wide-range aesthetic, the vintage trend allows for everyone to engage with it in their own unique ways while still being under the inspiration umbrella of 70’s-90’s fashion. Spanning from baggy to flare jeans, slinky lace dresses to corduroy shorts, jean jackets to chunky boots, the trend isn’t limited to one specific piece or color or even fabric type and is versatile in a way that makes it pretty timeless.  

2. Mermaidcore 

A more summery, Little-Mermaid-inspired evolution from Fairycore, Mermaidcore is the “H2O: Just Add Water” renewal of my dreams. Full of fun seashell necklaces, pearls, bikini tops and every possible shade of blue imaginable, Mermaidcore is the perfect style to kick off summer with. Things like hair gems, halter tops, and wedge sandals all take inspiration from the Y2K trends going on while incorporating topical elements like Hibiscus flower prints, ocean-blue fabrics, sequins and glitter that mimic the way sun bounces off of sea waves and ruffled trim that give off an I-just-transformed-from-a-mermaid-to-a-human look that I really enjoy and think is super flattering on everyone. 

3. Adidas Samba

The Adidas Samba are like a grown-up version of the pair of basic Adidas I owned back in middle school in the best way possible. Able to be paired with practically anything, the Adidas Samba are a great alternative if you want a less mainstream shoe that’s still versatile and cute. Instead of buying a new pair of Nike Air Force 1’s to replace the beat-up pair you may have had since sixth grade, consider the Adidas Samba instead. Some people even choose to accessorize their shoes to make them more personal by switching out the laces for ribbons. 

4. Racing jackets

While not my favorite, I appreciate the effort to transition from the 2016 bomber jacket trend into a far cooler and more mature jacket. Racing jackets are two trends that have popped up on Pinterest a few times the past couple months and can be both tight-fitting or baggy depending on the style of racing jacket. With interesting colors and designs with different patches and logos, racing jackets always bring a little more attention to an outfit in the best way. However, they tend to be on the more insulating side of tops and it’s hard to match them with a lot of bottoms, so they do fail at being a more versatile item to have in your closet. Still, I wouldn’t be totally surprised if come fall I’m sporting a racing jacket of my own to keep warm but still look good moving into the colder months.

5. Blazers

Business casual is chic when you’re actually involved in working at a business, but if you’re just running to Starbucks for a pink drink and then going window shopping, there’s no reason why you should be donning a shoulder-padded, tailored blazer. It’s not cute to look like you’ve stolen the top half of your father’s designated formal affairs outfit to wear out, it’s awkward and feels like something Tumblr users would’ve loved in 2014 – out of fashion!