2025's Fashion Trend Predictions From A Self-Proclaimed Former Youth Detective

The trends and reasons behind them are, in fact, not locked (we already have the keys)

I have a hunch.

I have a hunch that this year is going to be very, very interesting. For many, many reasons, but one of which is fashion trends. In 2024, the biggest fashion trend was actually no trend at all. That’s obviously not true, because there were so many trends at a very rapid pace that were always be reported on. What is true is that people seem over it, therefore the most sought after trend was that they are just… over.

If you’re a regular reader, or follower of me on other platforms, you know I don’t despise fashion trends. In fact, I love them! I love trend forecasting, I love the analysis, and I love to see a good shift. But it’s been a clusterfuck, and it’s been one for a while. The clusterfuck is not the trends, it’s what is perceived as a trend. Think the term “micro trends”, or “core”, or “aesthetic”. Those really, truly are not the same as a “fashion trend”. But tbh, what is the difference anymore when they are so overlapped and intertwined? I’m sure it’s hard with someone telling you “stop following mircotrends!” and they are wearing everything that is trending and you’re like “wait what, which ones are micro and which ones are not help help wtf” yeah, it’s been an interesting year!

We have taken fashion trends and make them “micro” aka really quick, kind of niche but not at all, and they fucking blast off on Tiktok and Instagram, and then people don’t like them anymore and tell you to stop doing it. Since Tumblr we have been shaped by aesthetics, which heavily play into the concept of micro trends and, in my opinion + probably other’s opinions, the overconsumption and rapid movement of incoming “trends”.

But these aren’t truly trends. This is how I analyze my thoughts and findings now: Cultural shifts (or Vibe Shifts) that are found within clothing or styling, that provide a significant change from the norm (or past trends) rooted in ideas and thoughts beyond the clothing. The trends are abstract and not “one fits all”, while there can be certain labeled items involved, above all they are ideas and patterns that will hold feelings the incoming feelings of the participants.

So I guess, instead of the dreaded fashion trend prediction list, we will go through a shift prediction list that is rooted in much more than just clothing. But of course, there is clothing involved <3.

Not Posting Your Outfits in the Form of Gatekeeping Your Style From Becoming a Trend

People are concerned with their niche personal style becoming a micro trend or an aesthetic. It would be fun for a second trending everywhere, but after a few months (or less) your personal style you spent time curating and learning would be consumed to a timestamp. People would wonder “why is she still wearing xyz in the xyz way?” and you will either hold true to your personal style and fade while the next look is coming into play, or you’ll become victim to rebranding - and fall into a micro trend trap to stay relevant and showcase you are more than just that aesthetic… I mean, more than your personal style? Eh, this is complicated.

I predict in 2025 that this fear of becoming part of a short-lasting micro trend will have less people posing daily, or even weekly, ootds or fit checks. While yes, this does lose one’s sense of “creditability” or ability to gain new followers, it does preserve something for themselves. I think we want a little preservation and a little mystery, but it might be in the form of gatekeeping images even. These outfit posts won’t be completely wiped from viewing, but maybe in the form of less often photos/videos, on a personal blog, or on a forum of outfit sharing communities - i.e. it takes more than scrolling to get there.

(Clue: Yes, this does reek of individualism and an “you vs them” mentality. I don’t think gatekeeping is bad, in fact I think it might be helpful for consumption and tbh just slowing the fuck down in general. Outfit inspiration is beyond accessible at this point, but when there is so much it becomes uninspired. This might be a shift back to try to seek less inspiration for more quality reasons, but one that is steeped in a members-only type club.)

Gatekeeping personal style: Think less links in bio more no explanations, less often outfit videos/photos, more art and outings posting, more personal blogs and layers of access to a person, more paid-to-see content that is not X rated, cultural reset from expecting all the details, private social medias but not for friends for certain fans, and small clips/images not focusing on the outfit.

Metallic Party Dresses, Because We Want to People to Party More

National loneliness and isolation is something written about a lot since COVID. We will be feeling the effects of COVID culturally and financially for years to come, and I would say for anyone who lived through that, for the rest of their life. Maybe the truth is America should party more and make focusing on social events and outings more important in 2025? But at the same time we are seeing places require masks again? Which one will it be? Community aid in the form of a mask? Or more party dresses being sold?

(Clue: It’s not the masks. Not for most. Unfortunately, on both the right and left, people are craving social interaction that was paused due to COVID and can still feel effects from that time. I have friends who still mask inside every public space, even in people’s houses, and don’t dine in at restaurants. I also know people who don’t blink an eye when someone says they have COVID. I am honestly surprised how long our (extremely short) “lockdown” was. I ate for the first time inside a restaurant in the summer of 2021 since the outbreak and I felt insane. It takes time to feel safe again. Also, many are still not safe and many were not given the proper chance to due to our administration’s ill planning and choices.)

Party Girl mid-2020s edition: flashy and shiny metallics, strapless mini-dresses, ootd on the balcony with the skyline behind you, champagne towers not on nye but on Tuesday, massive sheet cakes, more roses than wildflowers, less cozy girl mocktails, very high heels, very short shorts with black sheer tights and a belt, no mask in sight, expensive meals people don’t eat, white table cloths, and formal invites by mail.

Military Jackets and Everything Annoying Indie Boys Used to Wear

Something about these coats feel “authority”… ooohhh duh it’s because they are military wear inspired! And doesn’t that fit the room right now. Rebranding military wear as revolutionary can definitely be done, but that’s not what I mean here. I mean in the most apolitical way, or right-leaning, because that’s the shift. Indie boys, hipster guys whatever we want to call it, were leaders in this right-leaning or apolitical stance in the 2000s into early 2010s. We’re gonna be inspired by them, kinda gross right? Or is it not that deep?

(Clue: you can never read too hard into fashion. Also, these guys were all secretly conservative, or not even secretly lol.)

Think: flashy military inspired glam coats, cropped military inspired jackets as dinner looks, dark and rich fabrics, skinny jeans and the tighter the better, brass buttons, pointy boots, witch style hats (possibly, still workshopping this one), grown out roots, not washing your hair, glitter, “everything messy but the coat”,

Vampires, Deep Red Matte Lips, and Fear of the Unknown

We love a good vampire romance and I think we are due for one. Sure we had Nosferatu (of which don’t say anything, I have not seen it yet! I love the silent film so I am excited as hell to see this soon) but there will be more I predict. The Twilight series defined a lot of the last era of vampires, but just like zombie themed media, but we due for more. While the subject and concept of vampires is one rooted in fear of the unknown and isolationism, I feel like it fits our current times to the freaking T. Underneath our fears of the “other”, we have suppressed desires and dreams that we are afraid to explore (My undergrad is in English Lit, so no citation needed lol). We are afraid of the future and the past and losing ideas that we have built in our heads to be true. Could not think of a better time for vampires to come back in media.

(Clue: I foresee more traditional vampire lore and media coming back, along with traditional gothic wear. Even gothic literature becoming much more mainstream. People love a good ghost story, even better if it’s sexy.)

Vampire Club: Think deep blue red matte lipstick, reading gothic fiction, corsets, lace on everything, long hair and maybe straightened, under the ground bars and dance parties, not labeling yourself as political but as a reader or something else along those lines, less news from your phone, more coffee at the coffee shop, old films as a hobby, and full-length skirts and dresses.

Blair vs Serena: Minimalist mid-2000’s Boho & Classic Prep Elitism

(Clue: Neither style is less elite than the other, one is upfront and the other uses “free spirit” to hide it. I didn’t write a description because I think we are all familiar with these characters!)

Minimalist Boho: Think more chunky belts that don’t need to be there, sheer white tees, layered chunky necklaces, bohemian vests with gold and deep reds, sheer thin scarves, flared jeans, Hunter rain boots, platform chunky sandals, designer logos in small places, and hair feathers.

Classic Prep and Elitism: Think “high society”, tweed, riding boots, something with a horse, headbands, gems and jewels, bedazzled, bright colored tights, plaid mini-skirts, sharp and clean flats, quilted cross-body bags, expensive to-go beverages, statement logos on purses, and delicate branded necklaces.

The Weirdest Thing You Can Find

As everyone tries to “out - outfit” each other, I think in 2025 we will see a lot of weird prints. Not even just prints, just anything odd or unique. And not just unique, one-of-a-kind. Something that you cannot buy from a fast fashion website that creates it the next week after you went viral. A strange misprint of a shirt, an oddly patterned zebra print with paint stains on the top, a hand screen-printed hoodie with safety pins connecting the hood - pieces that AI wouldn’t know how to describe. We are done with robots, we are done with unethically produced mass bought clothing, and we are done things being taken for capital. This could also be termed as “anti-fashion”. This will be for the people who are interested in showing a political side to their clothing through the form of non-duplication or diy.

(Clue: Ugly fashion is not a new concept, nor will this be the last time this cycles. It promotes individualism and rebellion at the same time.)

Anything Weird: Think the ugliest rag you have ever seen, patches on everything, safety pins holding together pieces of fabric, more unwanted clothing up cycled, patchwork denim and bags, every kind of animal print, mix and match, not explaining outfits on purpose, and physical media as part of the outfit.

People Hating Fashion in the Form of Flannel, Minimalism, and 80s Punk Inspired Looks

The idea of hating fashion is yes a trend within itself, but I love it. It brings forth the idea that your clothing is the least interesting thing about you (which I also love to say about myself, because it’s true!) and rolls in many punk ideals into mainstream - i.e. underconsumption, anti-capitalist values, return to focus on new music and art styles, and progressive mutual aid practices. With the new administration and the conservatism rising in the United States, we are sure to see a rise in this culture and way of dressing. This hasn’t gone anywhere of course, but it will become more mainstream (or anti-mainstream, but you know what I mean). I’ve even been thinking of dying my hair an unnatural color because so many are leaving that behind, because yes I am still an edgy punk teen at heart <3.

(Clue: Subcultures still hold meaning today, even though they are mixed in with aesthetics and cores and trends. You truly have to talk to people to find out their values, do not just judge on the clothing they are wearing - it could just be another aesthetic to them, or they might truly not be invested in showcasing their alignment to a subculture through their clothes.)

Hater-core: Think flannels tied around the waist, teased hair, less clothing you say you have, more clothing than you actually say you got rid of, studded everything including headbands, bright-colored eyeshadow and eyeliner, ripped tights, unnatural hair colors that you do yourself and are not perfect, combat boots, clothing with lots of holes that you put there not that happened naturally, tight jeans, no jewelry besides maybe one piece, ugly boring shirt from the thrift store, and grown out bleached hair.

Keeping with 2024, “Personal Style and Trends are Over”

The idea of “personal style” is a trend within itself online, a marketing tool, and just another way people are told they need help doing something that requires zero help at all. Everyone has personal style. You don’t need help finding it. You could ask for help “elevating it” or even “changing it”, but it cannot be found - it’s literally you. Not everyone is going to have reporter worthy personal style, just like not everyone has reporter worthy French Toast. But we all can make French Toast right? It might not be the most exciting or the most interesting, but we all can do it. There’s an importance to the language used always, because we are being sold just about everything rn.

These trending conversations will continue on into the 2025 year, going back and forth with the age old game of “stop following trends” and “how to grow your personal style”. They are trending because of the constant aesthetics, people feel overwhelmed and also underwhelmed with the amount of reporting of moments being done.

(Clue: The truth is, you will never develop a more interesting personal style by watching these videos or reading these articles. People, regular people not celebrities (most often they have a personal stylist who is behind the scenes of the icon, but not all), develop this over time and with lived experience. You must live, period. And it will never be through following every fashion trend. You need to find yourself first and embrace it. Omg I’m sounding like a self-help novel. Moving on.)

Personal Style as a Marketing Tool: Think “buy my series on how to develop your personal style”, constant layering videos, more of the same, less bold colors, capsule wardrobes, beige and white walls, “stop buying dupes, buy the original for $500 or you suck”, anti-Amazon but still gets everything but clothes delivered weekly from them, rise of personal shoppers for the rich, fashion shows without designers just stylists, trend reporting but with a disclaimer of how trends are evil, and pretending to not read fashion trend predictions for 2025.