The Only Spring 2018 Trends to Care About
We’d say spring is finally here, but due to the fluctuating weather forecasts these days, we honestly aren’t quite sure. Although the weather might be saying otherwise, fashion has been tempting us with the coming of spring for six months now, and it’s finally acceptable to give in. Back in September, designers sent out spring collections filled with colors, accessories, and even a few throwbacks that we knew would be worth the gruesome wait for this seasonal shift. And now, here we are, carts filled with pastels, dad sneakers, feathers, and suits, ready to emerge trend-first into warmer days.
Ahead, we’ve compiled the spring 2018 trends we think you’ll love the most. In other words, these are the only spring trends worth knowing. Here you’ll find everything you need to navigate this season in style, including shoes, eveningwear, and more. To make you feel like you were sitting front row at every show, we divided the best spring trends into lump-sum categories so you too can experience the showstopping moments, the pleasant surprises, and the details that made all the difference. Look, shop, and enjoy the trendy ride.
It wouldn’t be spring without a designated color palette, and this year, the hues are both bold and light. First up, pastels, and we're sure you’re well aware that this color trend has already won spring 2018. While lavender is currently in the lead, muted blues, pinks, and mints are following closely behind. Pink and red as a dynamic duo took over the street style set a few seasons ago, but they are officially back as a runway trend to try. No matter the fabric, style, or shade, it’s now been proven that when pink and red are together, they can do no wrong. Last but not least, yellow dresses. Yellow anything will make you look extremely forward this spring, but yellow dresses were the most prominent pieces in the bold colorway this season.
Crystals and ruching and fringe, oh my! There are fewer things we love more than an unexpected detail, and this spring, the selection is looking mighty fine. Crystals dripped down the runways adorning straps, sunglasses, jewelry, and more while fringe swept the floors at shows like Monse, Calvin Klein, and Loewe, leaving us wondering where the trend has been for all these years. My personal favorite daring new detail is ruching. This simple yet striking manipulation of fabrics creates texture, joy, and movement all at once. What more could you ask for from a spring trend?
The new cherries on top of everyone's looks this spring? Belt bags, dad sneakers, and sunglasses that look like they have just arrived from outer space. We would applaud you if you wore all three of these new accessory trends at once, but don't worry, it definitely isn’t required. As far as styling goes, this spring, we’re loving a good belt bag–over-a-dress moment, dad sneakers with pastel suits, and space sunnies with just about any of the trends you're seeing here. The good thing about these add-ons is that they are so unique by nature, they kind of just go with everything, and that’s what we love about them.
The showstoppers are the trends people can’t stop talking about, but the pleasant surprises are the micro-trends you whisper about to your best friend, wondering if they too have noticed the same thing. Bras, windbreakers, and glam nightlife looks were the trends we couldn’t stop chatting about, and they are the styles we honestly can’t wait to get our hands on. So maybe bras as tops aren't the most practical trend, but that’s what we love about them. Going-out looks that feel reinvigorated? Sign us up. And windbreakers? Don’t even get us started. If you ask us, they are the bomber jackets of 2018, and you can’t convince us otherwise.
There are trends, and then there are moments, and the spring runways sent out more than enough to satisfy our cravings for the next best thing. The three showstopping moments we’d hate for you to miss include feathers, plastic, and sheer. Feather moments were fairytale-like at best, adorning everything from dresses to jackets. Plastics followed closely behind as brands like Chanel, Tibi, and Off-White wrapped or topped unexpected items in the material, instantly creating a trend worth noting. Last but not least was an army of sheer looks draping the body as delicately as a veil. Don’t ask us to choose a favorite, because we can’t.
New trends were never meant to replace your basics—they were meant to enhance them. But every once in a while, a little basics renovation is in order, and this spring, your closet is going to thank you for what you’ve done with the place. Shorts, suits, and trench coats received makeovers, if you will, that took the staple pieces to new heights. While the bones of each of these basics remained intact, fresh details, forward styling, and new colorways turned once-blasé go-tos into something noteworthy.
Lauren Eggertsen is currently the editorial director of Who What Wear and has worked at the company for over eight years, where she started as an associate editor and has since worked her way up. Lauren has over 10 years of experience in the fashion editorial space, starting her career with internships at Marc Jacobs, Marie Claire, and The Zoe Report, where she was later hired as their editorial assistant. Lauren has worked in the Los Angeles and New York Who What Wear offices but currently calls L.A. home. It is here where she leads and manages Who What Wear's fashion team and oversees all day-to-day editorial content and large tentpole moments. This includes all of the runway, trend, and shopping-driven content that ultimately helps to build a strong brand reputation within the industry. Lauren's role also includes helping to set the fashion direction for all original photo shoots and often styles many of the celebrity cover shoots, including big names like Kaia Gerber, Normani, and Kristen Stewart.
She has also attended multiple fashion weeks, including New York, London, Milan, and Paris, where her personal style has been featured on sites such as Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, and Elle. She prides herself on discovering and supporting small brands and on her knack for a good vintage shopping find. When she isn't working, she enjoys researching and dining at reputable restaurants around both her neighborhood and the globe.