2016 has by no means been a dull year, and a lot has happened, both good and bad. All this goes the same within the fashion world, and it’s definitely safe to say this year and its trends have made a name for themselves.
One of my favorite parts of this year’s fashion is how relatively affordable it was compared to years past. Many popular items this year- vintage t-shirts, distressed jeans, oversized jackets- can, and mostly are, bought at thrift stores! The vintage, slightly grungy look has come back in full swing, with celebrities such as Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid serving as major sources of inspiration. Rather than being dressed up and put together, the look of being a lot more casual and relaxed has risen to popularity through these fashion innovators, which any college student would gladly be in support of.
The casual vibe is very prevalent within footwear as well. Sneakers have continued the ascent to the top of the footwear industry, while Birkenstocks continue to be all the rage as well. A new trend within shoes that has emerged this year (much to my personal disliking) has been slides- often with some sort of fur or texture along the strap. These have gained acclaim through Rhianna’s frequent outfits styling the pieces, and are being produced by more and more companies with more and more variety of colors, patterns, and price.
As for designer fashion, the name of the game has been celebrities. Many celebrities such as Kanye West, Zendaya, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and Ivanka Trump have debuted their first fashion collections within this year, and have received great feedback from the lines. Because celebrities like these are already looked up to as fashion icons, their lines (and dupes of them) have become very popular, and are predicted to for the upcoming year as well- Bella Hadid has already announced the debut of her collection, and more celebrities are expected to follow. Designer and retailer partnerships have started to become more prevalent this year as well, with many more collaborations popping up at popular stores like H&M. These partnerships are reinventing the fashion industry, as they provide designer looks to average consumers with an average budget. This is definitely as trend I hope to continue to grow.
This has been a year for makeup as well! While the clothing styles have been more simple this year, makeup has been very daring- bold brows, dark lip, and highlight that is almost blinding are just a few of the trends in makeup this year. Many celebrities have released their own makeup lines as well this year (need I mention the Kylie Lip Kit?), and the industry is going nowhere but up.
So what’s next for 2017? The annual Fashion weeks in London, New York, and Paris have promised exciting lines for the future, with Christopher Kane’s Croc collection, sportswear and street style influences, and the revolution of Burberry being big stories. Pantone also announced its next color of the year Greenery, which promises to have exciting combinations and swatches to go along with it. I am excited to see what these, as well as the influence of the people, do to take us into a new year for fashion, and am eagerly awaiting the new trends to try out for the new year.
