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Trend Forecasting: Where Fashion is Headed This Winter

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at JMU chapter.

Taste and style are subjective, but data and sales don’t lie. Fashion trends for this winter have been starting to reveal themselves, so here are a few of my predictions for what styles might boom in popularity over the next few months. I’ll also provide a few examples of each for assistance in your own styling!

Last semester, I wrote an article (linked below) forecasting the trends for the summer ahead. Overall, there was a wide spectrum, with “country” at one end and “country-club” at the other. This gave us a wide range of Western and preppy looks throughout the season. For this season, that country-club mom has birthed and raised a spoiled-pink-Pilates-princess-city-girl, while the country-girl has found a more modern and refined vibe.

๐Ÿ‘ข Related: Spring Semester Is Coming to an End: Here Are the Fashion Trends We’re Bringing into Summer
Cowhide

Cheetah has been a massive trend over the past year, with zebra and other prints occasionally making headlines as well. But, what neutral-colored print is next for fashion? The streets are saying cowhide. Think of a much more expensive, chic, and modern version of the 2020-21 cow print phase.

sugarplum colors

The bright and sweet colors that were trending this summer like pistachio, peach, and lemon are set to take on a more wintry, feminine, and dreamlike state, dipping into the pinks and purples of the sugarplum fairy. The coquette and ballet aesthetics have definitely influenced these colors of the season, and here’s some ways to style them.

  • Speaking of ballets, a swan moment in this outfit!
Dark, rigid denim

Taking quite the turn from the sweet colors above, denim is headed down the opposite path. Instead of your light-wash baggy jeans, opt for a darker bootcut look or a structured jean jacket.

lace and sheer everything

I feel like we’ve all seen this one coming for a while, but after seeing so much of it during fashion week this fall, I can confirm it is on the rise in a big way. Sheer tops and dresses with opaque undergarments are so back, and lace detailing will be everywhere. I thought this trend was cute and edgy from its birth in the late 2010s through its death around 2020, and am excited to see how it’s different this time around!

Butterfly fairy garden

Aside from common fabrics and colors, one theme seemed to be clear during fashion week this fall: the return of butterfly and garden motifs. I know what you’re thinking โ€” “Butterflies and flowers right before spring? How original…” (a not-so-subtle The Devil Wears Prada reference!) But if you look through these collections, you’ll see what I mean. And, color me a fortune teller, because my graduation dress for this May that I bought last year is covered in 3D butterflies just in time for this trend to rise again.

  • Subtle ode to the trend on jeans
brand revival: ralph lauren

Every year, it seems like a different brand rises from the ashes and claims new popularity among the younger generations; Coach comes to mind as a recent example of this. While Victoria’s Secret has attempted to become this brand (and, in my opinion, failed) with their revamped annual fashion show, I think the real winner this time around is Ralph Lauren. With all the focus on comfy, quiet-luxury clothes, I think this brand is the perfect fit.

Carly is a biology major, pre-pa minor. She loves writing about fashion, music, and anything else pop culture. Outside of HC she enjoys swimming, reading, and sports.