A fashion forecaster's Big Predictions for 2024
@style.analytics looks into her crystal ball
Roll up, roll up, what do you reckon we’ll be wearing in 2024? Will fashion go completely surreal, à la #weirdgirl and lobotomycore? Will we see normcore return? Will we finally start celebrating personal style again (something I’ve been waiting to happen ever since the whole ‘core’ thing began)? Will the trend cycle collapse completely?!
Data analyst and trend forecaster Molly Rooyaakers, aka Instagram’s much loved @style.analytics, might just have some answers for us. Whether it’s breaking down sentiment around the controversial return of fur coats, or weeding out the most searched for items of the moment, she’s busy crunching the data.
After seeing her recent video analysing fashion’s current state of burnout, we couldn’t help wonder: how will this impact the clothes we’re wearing and the trends we’re coveting for the coming months? What will this spell for fashion in the long term? We had to ask Molly for the full download. Read on for all the 🔮juice🔮…
Before we get into the fortune telling, where are trends at right now?
It’s no secret that mainstream trends have plateaued: The bright colours, patterns, and y2k silhouettes that defined fashion from 2019 to 2022 have faded entirely, replaced this year by an influx of ‘quiet luxury’ ensembles, elevated basics, clean girls, #corpcore and 90s minimalism, all in neutral colour palettes. It's official: we’ve reached fashion burnout.
The superfast trend cycle that emerged on TikTok from 2019 has left us all tired and terrified of microtrends (not to mention frazzled by the constant streams of content being served to us). We might see something new or interesting online, but the thought that it may be out-of-style or overdone in a matter of months (or even weeks) makes us reluctant to invest. I am currently having these feelings about the Miu Miu slingbacks and this red bomber jacket from The Room Antwerp. Have I ever seen them in person? No. But does it already feel “over” when every influencer on your feed is wearing it? Yes.
Our collective solution? Finding comfort and safety in mundane pieces, colours, and aesthetics. At the time of writing, mainstream fashion is gravitating towards outfits that are classics, pieces that are basics, and aesthetics like quiet luxury, corpcore, old money, and 90s minimalism. All of which have seen >50% growth in 2023 when we look at their view counts on TikTok.
This isn’t the first time we’ve been here - remember the normcore days of 2014? Today we’re in a similar situation, post-period of extravagant dressing (i.e., the glam capitalism era of 2014 to 2018, the TikTok microtrends of 2019-2022) and facing inflation and economic insecurity. We’ve fallen into a new version of normcore, controversially titled #recessioncore or nouveau normcore for 2023.
Capsule wardrobe content is surging on TikTok right now (up 108% in views worldwide in the past 12 months, with a total 1B views across 59k posts). It presents the idea that you need only 15 pieces to make a timeless wardrobe (although, they all tend to unironically contain 2023 trends and silhouettes).
There is a catch of course. These styles are only really framed to us as being unlikely to be out of style in 2 months. They’re not totally anti-fashion, they’re just more easy-to-wear, flattering and versatile than other more challenging trends. And less of an assault to the senses too.
Sure, it might tempt some of us to purchase new, perfect pieces for a capsule wardrobe. But there’s hope that it will, too, encourage greater appreciation for our clothes and a cut-down of our fashion consumption in the short term.
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So, where are trends going next?
There are a couple of directions this aesthetic shift could take in 2024, a number of which could be analysed through the lens of the theory of Abjection. In the realm of fashion, this might manifest as a deliberate rejection of the pristine and clean girl-adjacent trends, and instead embracing darker and more chaotic interpretations of mainstream fashion.
1a. Minimalism meets messy: This is what we have seen pop up online in recent times, but pushed even further: a grungier take on minimalist fashion.
Grey, brown, and black updated basics and corporate pieces, deconstructed knits and 90s grunge references, callbacks to the messiness of late-2000s indie sleaze, creating a dishevelled thrown-together look that is topped off with smudgy eyeliner and fresh-out-of-bed hair. This look is enabled just as much through beauty and styling as it is through the clothes themsleves, which makes sense in the reccessioncore context.
We’ve already seen this on the runway. The dishevelledness of MiuMiu’s latest collections and overflowing, messy tote bags is the 2023 version of Ashley Olsen’s iconic indie sleaze-era beat-up Birkin bag circa 2010.
This aesthetic differentiates itself from the quiet luxury and clean girl fashion, while still fitting in within the more subtle, cold, and downplayed fashion landscape that we find ourselves in.
1b. Deconstruction and distress: Recently, we've also seen a noticeable shift towards deconstructed takes on more basic pieces, particularly in the realm of knitwear.
This trend emphasises raw, unrefined edges and a sense of incompletion, demonstrating a direct rejection of the pristine quiet luxury cashmere crewnecks. We’ve seen this manifested in recent knitwear releases from brands like Ottolinger and R13, as well as from smaller Berlin-based brands like Paulina Meyle and NA ERUQO.
For 2024, we are likely to see an onslaught of deconstructed knits, unfinished hems, worn-out tees, and most interestingly: the revival of ripped jeans, a style that has been relatively ignored and deemed outdated in recent years.
2a. Pushing into the surreal: The second avenue we’re seeing emerge is all the messiness of the above vibe, but taken a step further, embracing the grotesque and surreal to distinctively set oneself apart from mainstream fashion.
Online trends like uncanny valley makeup, #lobotomycore, and #weirdgirl have surged in popularity this year, embodying aesthetic choices that are inherently not aesthetic but nevertheless captivating in their oddity.
2b. Bodily illusions: We’ve also witnessed a rise in surreal body-altering designs. The first, and most prominent, is the Maison Margiela Tabis, which have reached an all-time high in popularity and searches on Google this year. We know that the shoe is iconic and has a rich history, but let’s be honest, we all thought it was a bit weird when we first saw it. Now, we're witnessing even more innovative takes on body-altering pieces, like Michaela Stark's corsets and AVAVAV's duct tape tops, finger boots, and three-fingered gloves.
These pieces are still dark, still grungy in a way that fits the overarching sentiment in fashion right now, but I can see these body-morphing designs, in all of their over-the-topness, being even more present as we move into 2024.
2c. Body alteration: This trend may also manifest in literal (or mocked) body alteration. #piercings had 13 billion views on TikTok in 2023, an all-time high on the app that is projected to continue increasing for 2024. Previously relegated to people in alt scenes, this trend is likely going to hit a broader audience through low-risk alterations like fake eyebrow and lip piercings, where there are already a number of tutorials created on TikTok in the past few months.
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And what about colour?
I often receive questions like: Why is everything so grey? When are we going to see colour again? And my response is: I am sure there will be a resurgence of more colourful fashion eras in the upcoming years, as the 1980s, the 2010s, glam capitalism and a full-blown indie sleaze revival are all set to dominate.
But currently, and projecting into 2024, all signs suggest that we are deep into our fashion burnout. For now, at least, more subdued styles will be predominant in mainstream fashion, manifesting themselves either as understated, preppy luxury or their more rugged, grungy counterparts. The colour will have to wait.
That’s all for today! What do you think about Molly’s predictions? Are there any other trends you could see us being hit with next year? As always, let us know in the comments below, or catch us over on Instagram.
Until next time!
Words: Molly Rooyaakers
Editor: Letty Cole