Before 2021 ends, here’s a roundup of fashion trends that was popular this year. 

2021 was the year when most of us felt liberated to dress however we want. I think everyone can agree that this year was a great year to develop and explore our personal fashion style. Inspirations from many platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest helped us see what we truly want, style-wise. This year we encountered many trends—cottagecore, grandpa chic, Y2K fashion, etc., some have turned out to be a fad but others stood out and made a mark in every consumer’s heart. Below, we rounded up the top fashion trends that made a mark on every fashionista. 

Subversive Basic

The subversive trend is basically your basic tank top’s rebellious sister. This not-so-micro trend was coined by a TikTok creator named Agustina Panzoni. This trend is a futuristic approach to your basic normcore-ish clothes. The same basic building blocks in your closet are turned into something more interesting by adding cut-outs, mesh, and asymmetrical details. “This trend is all about basics that rebel up to the point of losing their utility,” Panzoni explains in a Refinery29 interview. This trend is also a close resemblance to the 90s anti-fashion scene. Think of post-punk Ann Demeulemeester and avant-garde Maison Martin Margiela circa the 1990s. The trend is achieved by utilizing black tights and making it into a top, or by cutting out a shirt and putting it all back together with safety pins. Brands like Ottolinger, Knwls, Rui, and Acne Studios have recently adapted the trend in their recent collections. 

Grandparents Chic: Crochet, Knits, and All Things Vintage

Just like Y2K, vintage-heads (people who are really into vintage pieces) were inspired by the past. This time, however, they were mainly inspired by their grandparents’ sense of fashion. Grandpa chic was everywhere in the form of sweater vests and corduroy pants. Grandma chic on the other hand was manifested in the resurgence of knitting and crocheting that became popular lately in the younger crowd. Brands like Matty Bovan have embraced this trend with quilted crochet ponchos. Hunting for vintage clothing or buying second-hand pieces will likely continue to rise in the next coming years due to the growing environmental concerns posed by consumers. 

Masc? Femme? Does it matter?

The ambiguous dressing will also continue to rise in the next coming years. The lines in gender-based fashion will be more blurred in the future. This year, we had a taste of it through male celebrities wearing more femme clothes, and vice versa. Gen Z’s nowadays are never bashful in expressing their fashion sense independent from their gender and sexual identities. We also saw this trend come about from Prada men’s short shorts and Raf Simons’ oversized oxford shirts. 

Y2K Fashion: The New Nostalgic

This is a no-brainer. The year 2021 is all about the Y2K nostalgia. We’ve talked about the new nostalgia in a separate article but a fashion trend roundup will not be complete without mentioning Y2K fashion. Minimalism is out, and maximalism is finally back, baby! Juicy Couture tracksuits, bubblegum lipglosses, and bedazzled everything is back in mainstream fashion. When dressing for the trend, just always keep Paris Hilton or Baby Phat in mind and the rest will follow. 

Published by HOLR Magazine.