10 top fashion trends that are going to be huge in 2022
For most of us, the last couple of years were spent in old t-shirts, sweatpants and loungewear. But after a long break, it feels like the world is ready to put on some painfully high heels, trendy outfits to go out with their friends again.
So if you too, are on the lookout to buy something new or just get excited about your pre-pandemic wardrobe… we have done the research for you!
We have analyzed all the big Spring 2022 collections, trend reports, celebrity looks and viral social media trends. Here’s our list predicting the hottest fashion trends that will dominate fashion in 2022.
1. Bold colors and monochromes
Monochrome looks are not a new trend by any means. We’ve seen plenty of monochrome celebrity styling in black, white or in varying tones of a single color. The trend has been here since the time of Chanel’s ‘Little Black Dress.’ What has revolutionalized monochrome play is the wide variety of bold and colourful hues that the trend is now available in.
From lemon green and bright yellow to all kinds of pastel shades, we saw bright monochromes at Max Mara, Versace, Chloé, Bottega Veneta, Dior and Loewe, to name a few.
Putting together a monochrome outfit is fairly easy. In fact, every piece in your outfit doesn’t need to be of exactly the same shade. You can experiment with a mix of darker or lighter shades of the same color to elevate the outfit. Modern, effortless, powerful and sophisticated is how we would describe a well-done monochrome look.
2. Gender-neutral fashion
It was designer Yves Saint Laurent who changed women’s fashion forever by creating the women’s tuxedo, also called ‘Le smoking.’ YSL popularized androgynous fashion way before the term was even coined. Now, after 55 years, gender is starting to be viewed more as a social construct by people. Gender fluidity is gaining more acceptance in the mainstream. It even became a theme during S/S ’22 as designers presented gender binary fashion.
On the runway, Louboutin introduced genderless shoes and Valentino promoted gender-neutral handbags. On social media, youth icon Harry Styles was seen posing in a genderfluid lace-trimmed gown for Vogue magazine. On the red carpet, Lil Nas X arrived at the Grammys in a hot pink outfit.
Overall, it seems like high fashion and social media both are in favor of people dressing however they want, gender norms be damned.
3. Sheer clothing
This may not be a trend for the faint-hearted, especially in the cooler months. See-through clothing is all over Instagram and runways. And it will continue to be a major trend well into 2022. Some of the most popular sheer outfits include Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s Dolce & Gabbana gown, Megan Fox’s MTV Video Music Awards dress, Zoë Kravitz’s Saint Laurent look and Kendall Jenner’s Givenchy Meta Gala outfit. These looks have all increased interest in sheer clothing trends even further.
The idea of wearing a ‘Naked Dress’ sounds pretty daunting, but there are a few tricks to get over that. For example, wearing a lacy spaghetti top underneath or over a sheer dress with “strategic” lining inside. Pair sheer tops with fancy bralettes. Wear a sheer dress over a sports bra and boy shorts. The possibilities are endless once you get the hang of it.
4. Cutout dresses
Strategic cutout tops and dresses playing peekaboo with your skin have all the hallmarks of being the rage in 2022. Fashion glossy Vogue even called it a wardrobe essential. The trend came into the spotlight during SS22 fashion month and kept getting sexier with every fashion show.
From David Koma to Givenchy to Valentino to Giambattista Valli, designers across the board definitely had a lot of fun with this one. Subtle and sassy is the look you get with cutout dresses and tops.
5. Oversized suits
Some of us are not quite ready to give up our baggy clothes just yet. Suits are an all-season essential part of both menswear and womenswear, and they’re getting a 2022 upgrade. The SS22 and pre FW22 shows went big on baggy suits that are perfect to wear on all occasions. From the office to dates to a casual night out. They are comfortable, stylish, and can transform from formal to casual with a change of footwear and shirting.
Lanvin, Armani, The Row, Gucci, and Saint Laurent all presented some excellent baggy suits that were the epitome of powerful casual elegance.
6. Modern corsets
Fueled by the craze around Bridgerton, Victorian cosplay, Regencycore and Cottagecore fashion aesthetics, corset fashion has gone viral on social media. It looks like designers have taken notice of this phenomenon.
Brands like Loewe, Prada and Atlein presented their own interpretation of this centuries-old fashion trend during SS22. A versatile trend, corsets can be worn over a T-shirt with combat boots or as a sweetheart neckline top with baggy pants. You can pair it with oversized shirts and dresses along with some chunky Doc Martens. There are plenty of ways to creatively style corsets. And there’s no bigger inspiration guide than current K-pop fashion to see just how fashionable corsets can be.
7. Low-rise everything
Much to the chagrin of millennials or just older adults in gender, waistlines for bottomwear are going down. We’re seeing an ample amount of low-rise pants and skirts on the runway. Even young influencers as well as celebrities like Rihanna and Julia Fox have hopped on the trend. So, it may be time to show off your mid-riff, but you can keep things baggy and relaxed at the bottom.
The low-rise fits in 2022 echo the comfort of loungewear. Just take a look at Dolce & Gabbana’s baggy jeans and Balenciaga’s cargo pants paying homage to the ever-popular ’90 and Y2K fashion aesthetics.
8. Comfortable in capes
Another Victorian-era fashion trend, evening gowns with trailing capes are cool again. Designers used intricate tailoring techniques on contemporary silhouettes to create regal-looking SS ‘22 collections.
Almost as a reminder of our Harry Potter obsession, coats that look like capes are everywhere right now. Designs from Fendi, Mônot, Loewe, Vivienne Westwood, Rodarte are creating some exceptionally beautiful versions, to say the least.
9. Tall, tall boots
Knee-high and thigh-high boots are styles that never really go out of fashion. They’re classics that are not just wardrobe essentials but also were all over the SS ’22 and Resort ‘22 shows.
Some notable tall boots designs we spotted were: Kim Shui’s tall cowboy boots, Fendi by Versace monogram knee-high boots, and Jil Sander’s lovely minimalist pastel pre-fall 2022 boots. What’s more, the knee-high “Slouch Boots” have also seen an increase in recent months and are expected to keep getting more popular this year.
10. Knee-length shorts
Bermuda shorts are something you would expect to wear on a beachy-casual day, but SS22 has made Bermuda shorts ultra-chic! Everyone from Armani, Casablanca, Fendi, Paul Smith, Hermès to Dior presented loose-fit Bermuda shorts at their menswear show. They proved the potential for shorts to go from casual to chic for any occasion.
With the right layering and footwear, the new Bermuda shorts are far from basic. And this style isn’t just for men. A popular Bermuda shorts’ trend for women is pairing them with a blazer and thigh-high boots for the perfect gender-fluid beach-formal hybrid look.
In conclusion…
From the resurgence of 16th-century corset fashion to the Y2K-inspired low-rise and sheer looks, to the post-Covid genderless and baggy suiting and the ever-favorite tall boots fashion, it seems like 2022 is going to be an exciting and highly individualistic year for fashion.
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Text by Zarin Akhtar. Image credits as mentioned or courtesy of the brands.
