With the beginning of March comes the end of Fashion Season. Traditionally all of the major fashion weeks (New York, Milan, Paris and London) are held in February, so consumers have a chance to shop all of the new spring fashion trends. Today, I will review the eleven most prominent trends for spring 2024, and categorize them as a fit or a flop. Ranking will be determined by three criteria: Practicality, Look, and Wow Factor. Now, without further ado, let’s get into it!
Flop: Fringe
Source: Glamour
Fans of Fringe, this is your moment. Yes, dangling strips of fabric are now in. Designers including Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Gucci, Mugler and Tom Ford have all embraced the cowboy chic look with an edgier twist. Micro Fringe, fringe no wider than thread, is the latest manifestation of the Western classic. Unfortunately, micro fringe is still impractical like its macro predecessor, adding nothing to an outfit, and exponentially raising the risk of tearing. Micro fringe exacerbates the problem that the garment looks like it’s unraveling, and it just doesn’t pack an oomph. Fringe is a certified flop as it lacks redeeming qualities.
Fit: Ballet Flats
Source: Dolce Vita
Anyone who’s ever walked in heels for an extended period of time knows just how uncomfortable they are. Unsurprisingly, in the past few years, ballet flats have been making a comeback. Some may associate the shoes with a bland uninspiring look, but recently ballet flats have received a long-awaited glow-up. Sites now offer faux snakeskin, pearl-adorned and open-weave versions. This modern twist on a time-old classic is a fit as it meets all three criteria.
Fit: Crochet
Source: Google
Summer 2023 brought crocheted tops back into the spotlight, and the seventies staple is showing no signs of leaving. I adore this trend for several reasons. First, it looks so tropical and summery, something that makes me quite happy. Second, crocheted tops have gaps between the yarn, which allows the skin to breathe more easily, a very helpful quality during stifling summers. Third, despite the breathability of the garment, it still obscures the ability to see the person’s body underneath. When you walk down the street in a crocheted top, you won’t have to worry about random people staring at your underwear. For all those reasons, crochet tops are a fit!
Flop: Sheer
Source: Google
In recent years, sheer outfits have been on the rise. For my less fashion-savvy friends, sheer garments allow one to see through to whatever the person is or isn’t wearing beneath. Sheer is great for making a statement but isn’t the type of thing one wears daily. Imagine going to Grandma’s house for the holidays wearing a sheer shirt which, rather than giving cheer, gives Grandma the idea of what her favorite grandchild would like topless. This is exactly why sheer isn’t my favorite thing in the world and is rated a flop.
Fit: Lilac
Source: Google
Purple fans unite, this one’s for you! Fashion forecasters predict that pale purple is going to be one of the top colors this year, something I can get behind as purple has always been my favorite color. The pastel tone has always conjured images of flowers in my mind, so it makes total sense that this is the spring color. Since this is just a color, there isn’t much that can be said in the way of practicality or Wow Factor, but it does look quite nice. As a biased purple fan, I declare that lilac clothes are a fit!
Flop: Roses
Source: British Vogue
One trend seen across all four major fashion weeks was roses. Many dresses contained crinkled fabric shaped to look like a rose, and others had roses printed on them. One particularly perplexing dress from Simone Rocha (pictured above) had actual roses sewn in. This dress left me with many questions including: Did they remove the thorns? What happens when the roses wilt? Can one open up the dress and add a new rose? If you sit will you crush the roses? Are they those weird forever rose things that they sell at Costco? Whatever the answers may be, this dress still seems highly impractical, and not too visually appealing. For those reasons, this dress, and others that follow the rose trend are flops.
Fit: Metallics
Source: British Vogue
Hey, Siri, play 24K Magic by Bruno Mars. Yep, you’ve guessed it, metallic outfits are in! This year’s take on metallics includes silver suits, and golden gowns which have the ultimate wow factor. One of my favorite outfits was a dress filled with pleats and tucks which made the model look like an actual goddess as she strutted down the runway. I just love everything about this trend, and I’m so excited to see how celebrities will interpret it at upcoming events such as the Met Gala.
Flop: Craft
Source: British Vogue
I had never heard of craft before writing this article, and I’m assuming that many of you haven’t either. The idea of craft is that it’s supposed to look like an arts and crafts project, with a whimsical nature to it. Craft actually looks like a kindergartener’s art project — the type of thing that a parent croons about for ten minutes before disposing of it in the trash. Craft just looks amateur and ugly, not at all a fit.
Flop: Modern Flapper
Source: Giorgio Armani
Shapeless shift dresses, reminiscent of the 1920’s flapper look are in. I’ve never been a massive fan of shift dresses. I feel that an outfit needs definition, or structure to look nice. There’s nothing about shift dresses that makes me feel interested or inspired; rather, they just exist. If the boring silhouette wasn’t enough, another mainstay of the modern flapper look is fringe. You, dear reader, already know that fringe is a big no-no for me, so I was not too pleased to see the combination of these two trends. For those reasons, the modern flapper look is a flop.
Fit: Power Suits
Source: Google
Power Suits often serve to make a woman look more masculine. Traditional office wear is often black and white, with a plain cut that does little to enhance a woman’s features. Enter the Modern Power Suit. These suits have bold colors and interesting cuts, showing graceful femininity mixed with the power of a leader. I love the confidence that’s exuded by a power suit, showing that a leader can stand out rather than blend in. Women wearing a garment that’s made for them shows that they don’t have to be masculine to be a respected boss. This is a 10/10 trend that I hope to see continue!
Fit: Sky Blue
Source: Google
The other color of spring is sky blue. The pale color reminds me of seeing a clear sky for the first time after a long cloudy winter; springy and happy, it’s quite fitting for the season. Once again, since it’s a color, I can’t say much about it being practical or having a Wow Factor, but I can speak to how it looks: the hue is pretty, and, for that, it’s a fit!
So, here we are, at the end of our review! I hope you enjoyed learning about the season’s trends, and that you’re inspired about the outfits that you’ll be creating! Happy spring, fashionistas!
