These 30 Items Are Already Defining Summer 2024—Take Note
Spring and summer is full of excitement over new beginnings, warmer weather, and the return of clothes that aren't made to emotionally and physically swaddle you. That is the sun's job. Therefore, in the fashion department, there's simply more fun to be had. But first, you have to figure out which pieces, out of the thousands that drop this time of year, are actually worth buying. Shopping is fun—yes. But it can also be a lot of work if you want to do it right.
Since I'm sure you all have more pressing things to do than examine the entirety of what summer 2024 has to offer on the fashion front, I set my sights on curating a digestible, 30-item list of those pieces that are already defining the season ahead, from viral designer handbags to soon-to-sell-out denim and so much more. Scroll down to acquaint yourself with this time of year's most talked-about and shopped-for items, from $7 to $3350.
I recently tried on this hourglass-shaped blazer at Aritzia for my try-on series, Let's Get a Room, and fell in love with its shape and fit immediately. Little did I know that I wasn't the only one who fell hard and fast for it. Within a few days of finding it, I had spotted it at least five times on my Instagram feed, most notably on model and content creator Amy Julliette Lefévre, who styled it with white sweats and Chanel's viral Mary Jane flats.
I know that a lot of you are still on the fence about the capri-pant renaissance, but I'm here to tell you that the trend is not going anywhere, which means you should really soften to it now and spend this spring coming up with fun ways to style super-cropped leggings and pedal pushers.
By now, I'm sure everyone's well aware of the mesh-flat craze that's happening in and around the fashion space. Even so, when a good new pair enters the arena, there's no shortage of hype and excitement. Thus my prediction that Jeffrey Campbell's La-Danse flats will soon take off.
There are a lot of chic bags available right now, but if you ask me, only a small handful can compete with Saint Laurent's new selection of patent-leather pocketbooks. They are peak elegance, and I simply must own one.
Levi's 501s are always a must, no matter what time of year it is. But with warmer weather comes the desire to ditch the darker washes and opt for something a bit fresher.
This year is most definitely the year of the hat, with swim caps, pillbox styles, and newsboy caps all dominating on the runways for spring and fall. This one from Esenshel is available at Nordstrom, and after trying one on during a recent shopping trip, I'm convinced that I need one of my own.
This under-$50 find hits on so many of spring's top trends, from the billowy silhouette to the sheer material to the balloon sleeves.
If you thought white, A-line skirts were big last spring and summer, just wait. They're already everywhere.
These sunnies perfectly combine 2024's obsession with Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and the Miu Miu–inspired geek-chic trend.
I never ever thought that I'd be advocating for white tights after I was forced to wear them under my plaid, school-uniform jumper, but here I am. After seeing them styled on the Altuzarra runway and in epic Liberowe lookbooks, I'm convinced that white tights are the 2024 alternative to red hosiery, and will have a moment on those cooler summer nights.
There's just something so special about fashion and sculpture coming together, which is exactly what took place when Khaite released this stunning belt, which is currently all over my Instagram feed.
If you fell as head over heels in love with Liberowe's peplum jacket as I did, you'll be happy to hear that the brand has a matching linen mini.
I've always loved the micro miniskirt trend but hated the lack of protection and coverage underneath, so now that Reformation's made a skort alternative in black, white, and more colorways, all of my miniskirt-related problems have officially been solved.
As I'm writing this at my desk, this exact bag is sitting across from me on my co-worker Anna LaPlaca's chair. And she isn't the only person grabbing for this oat-colored shoulder bag on the regular. I spotted it countless times during New York Fashion Week too.
Massimo Dutti's shoe offering in the last year has been top notch, but this sculpture-heeled pair of cage-toe, lace-up sandals just might be the brand's best drop yet. For an even more classic and wearable option, shop them in black.
J.Crew restocks its cashmere regularly, but some of these new summer colors won't be available in all sizes for long.
It took mere days for this red-and-white maillot from Reformation's first official swimwear launch to sell out. Now that it's back, let's just say that I wouldn't hesitate to order one in your size.
Easy tank dresses sell like crazy in the spring and summer, so when I locked eyes with this black, smocked Madewell version in the new-arrivals section at Nordstrom, I immediately envisioned a big, red "SOLD OUT" sign in its future.
Wear these for seven days, and you'll have paid them off entirely. That's fashion math.
Sofia Richie Grainge's collaboration with Solid & Striped is already one of the season's biggest partnerships, with many of the items included in it selling out almost instantly. And given how Richie Grainge's wedding looks went so viral last summer, I'm in shock that this high-neck, ivory option is still available in every size. Get to work, people.
Khaite is doing the mesh fashion trend at the very highest level, whether it takes the form of footwear, or in this case, beautiful bags that will be on the IG feeds of every chic dresser in no time.
Good, vetted denim is hard to come by, so when I start seeing the same elegant, well-fitting pair all over the fashion landscape, my ears perk right up. First of all, with gray being such a trendy color for spring, denim like this pair is an easy way to get into the trend without having to invest heavily in a bag or pair of shoes. I also blindly trust Toteme with my wardrobe, so I do not doubt that these look just as good IRL as they do online (on creators like Sylvie Mus, for one).
This vest from DISSH is truly taking over my Instagram and TikTok feeds. The fit is impeccable, and it goes with everything.
Is there a bag that's more viral right now than Alaïa's Le Teckel? I'd argue not besides maybe The Row's Margaux, but that's in an entirely different handbag category. I was genuinely taken aback that this gorgeous leather option was still available to shop given how sold out the tiny shoulder bag is across the internet, whether you want a classic color like black or white or my favorite, the brown suede option.
You can't complete a springtime wardrobe without adding a pair of linen pants to the mix. They go with everything and consistently look elegant despite their super-casual feel.
Living in New York City, I usually would never wear flip-flops. However, more and more, I've been seeing ways to style them that feel so chic and refined that I'm second-guessing my no-thong-sandals rule. I'll do it for fashion! Specifically, Bally styled them in a look at the brand's latest show that also featured a satin, cropped blazer and straight-leg trousers that was just so effortlessly cool. I have to copy it.
This skirt (which also comes in white as of this week) is perfect in that it ticks off the ever-growing sheer trend without any of the restricting aspects of it that might keep you from wearing your favorite sheer pieces to work or dinner or a family event. It's completely appropriate but still on-trend and extremely refined. Plus, it's gray, and we all know that in 2024, gray is supreme.
The oversize-sunglasses movement isn't taking a water break anytime soon. In fact, it's only getting bigger and stronger as we shift into the warmer weather, when eyewear is even more paramount to a good outfit.
If you let 2023 pass by without adding a pair of hot pants into your wardrobe, don't fret. The teeny-tiny shorts of yesteryear are back for another round, and this time around, the shoppable options are impossible to resist, starting with these brand-new knit shorts from Helsa, Elsa Hosk's lauded ready-to-wear label that's available at Revolve and Fwrd.
This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
Eliza Huber is a New York-based senior fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and the intersection of sports and fashion. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 after almost four years on the fashion team at Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a marketing degree from the University of Iowa. She has since launched two monthly columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled the likes of Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top trends from fashion month, season after season. Eliza lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, running in Central Park, and scouring The RealReal for discounted Prada.
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