Setting the scene for 2024

NIKI CHARALAMBOUS looks into a crystal ball to see the fashion trends of the upcoming season

As we head into 2024, this is an excellent time to assess your current wardrobe and determine what is out of date, what can be reinvented, and what can be added to the mix. The resurrection of 1990s and early 2000s trends, such as bows, preppy designs, quiet luxury, grandpa chic, jazz revival, and sustainability, will dominate the coming year.

The post-pandemic approach, which continued to prioritise comfort over all else, continued in 2023. Statement shoes, friendship bracelets, Chanel’s skinny cat-eye sunglasses, giant DJ headphones, wearing underwear as outerwear, denim skirts – with a nostalgia for the indie era – took over the street, while celebrity culture remained, from Lionel Messi’s non-Barbie pink Miami jersey and Britney Spears’ memoir The Woman in Me to Addison Rae’s most iconic fashion moment in 2023.

Although 2024 trends will continue to prioritise comfort, they will, however, be more sophisticated than in recent years.

The fringe forecast for 2024 predicts ultra-fine strands of micro-fringe accenting hemlines and drawing attention to essential components of outerwear, dresses and separates. The micro-fringe’s size and refinement will make it more subversive than previous, thicker variants.

The comeback of 1990s and early 2000s trends will continue into 2024, including low-rise jeans, maxi skirts and cargo pants. Silver jewellery, as opposed to gold, will also make a reappearance, a tone prevalent in the 1990s. While cargo pants may not be for everyone, stylists agree that they will be easy to dress up or down.

Bows are already fashionable, with brands incorporating them into everything from outerwear to shoes.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the bow was utilised as a status symbol, and they were a popular fashion accessory through the 20th century. Princess Diana was an enthusiast of a pussy bow top or a bow tie, and Madonna wore bows as part of her stage costumes. The pleated theme returned to fashion prominence a decade later, due to Chanel’s classic Fall/Winter 1995 show, which used satin black bows as hair accessories. Since then, the bow has appeared frequently on the runways.

Although the bow’s recent revival has sparked excitement among Gen-Zs, those from previous generations consider them as a symbol of nostalgia and a yearning for youth.

According to fashion experts, there is also a direct pushback on overly casual styles. Refined lines and prep and polish elements, such as expansive suiting in striking colours and the return of the polo shirt, indicate a desire for this classic style.

Quiet luxury, which adds to the polished preppy aesthetic, is all about wearing goods that appear and feel incredibly costly but aren’t outrageously so. Consider fine tailoring and high-quality materials above flashy branding.

Retro streetwear, chic cardigans, and customised clothing dubbed ‘grandpa chic’ will also be trendy in 2024. Blazers, pants, chunky sweaters and cardigans, sweater vests, vintage jackets, and trench coats are among the pieces influenced by menswear. The idea is to use textured, heavy fabrics such as wool, tweed, corduroy, and leather for these outfits.

A slouchy oversized bag can accommodate everything you need for work, including your laptop, and provide you with something to snuggle up to. Whether slung over the shoulder or tucked under an arm, the most popular bags of 2024 are a far cry from the small purses of previous seasons. There are dozens of ways to wear this trend, from Bottega’s gunmetal twist on a woven market basket to Valentino’s more conventionally structured mega-tote.

Vintage jazz styles are receiving a lot of attention, and it goes beyond funk playlists with jazz-inspired clothing. Consider glittery wide leg trousers paired with a trendy crop top and oversize blazer, bell-sleeve sweaters, blinged out corsets, silky floor-length slip dresses and unrestrained fringe.

Finally, in an era when climate change is a pressing issue, fashion brands are stepping up their game to reduce their environmental impact. One major shift we’re seeing is a move towards eco-friendly fabrics. Although the styles for sustainable fashion trends vary, they will undoubtedly make use of organic cotton, which is grown without harmful chemicals, making it a much more sustainable choice, as well as recycled materials that not only reduce waste but also give new life to old items.

2024 will see an explosion of fashion creativity. There is much to look forward to; a fascinating mix of highly specific styles as well as broader industry themes.