If there are two things we're particularly good at over at Who What Wear HQ, it's compiling the new-season trends that you need to know about and putting together curated shopping edits that we know you'll love. So, as we look to the year ahead and consider the best pieces to buy and wear for the next 12 months (and beyond), the first place we look for inspiration is to the runways.
Fashion month might not always provide us with the most practical or wearable pieces (sorry, Loewe), but it does always manage to give us a new take on trends, and in 2022, the key takeaway was nostalgia. As many of the trends showcased were a continuation of those we loved from the previous spring/summer (like luxe leather, masculine tailoring and the '90s redux), it was good news for our wardrobes and wallets, as we are always most interested in the key buys that will stand the test of time. Fashion is cyclical, after all. So, what we can expect from 2023?
Below I've picked out six timeless trends that are easy to incorporate into your wardrobe and will serve you for many years to come. Some are wardrobe staples with a modern update, others are the buzzier trends that resurface every couple of years, but still with the same impact as the very first time. In short, there's something for everyone. So, if you're planning a wardrobe refresh for the new year, don't add anything to your cart until you've seen the six new fashion trends worth investing in now.
1. MINIMALIST TAILORING
There was once a time when suits were considered to be the stuffy formalwear only reserved for the office, but thanks to '80s power dressing, '90s simplicity, and 2010s androgyny, the casual suit is a reinvented classic. Now best worn oversized and slouchy (even with flip flops!), the runways were full of stripped-back, clean looks incorporating blazers, skirts and loose trousers, put together in business/casual layers.
HOW TO WEAR IT
Style Notes: Less is always more when it comes to nailing this effortlessly elegant look. Scale back on accessories and stick to a base of oversized shirts, structured blazers and pleated trousers (we find wide legs the most universally flattering).
SHOP MINIMALIST TAILORING
There's a reason that this Arket blazer comes influencer-, stylist- and Who What Wear editor–approved.
Every wardrobe needs this key layering piece.
The verdict is in, and H&M have the best wide-leg trousers on the high street.
2. MUTED COLOUR BLOCKING
Every season, there is a colour trend that storms the runways, dominates street style and filters down to the high street, and if your eyes have recovered from the neon Piccoli pink that spawned Barbiecore, here's a palette cleanser. Refreshing pastels paired with grounding greens and browns were the unexpected, breakout colour trend of S/S 23. Easy to re-create but with some serious payoff, take notes from Tibi, Dries Van Noten and Deveaux by layering up sweet shades of pink, yellow and sky blue and incorporating one darker tone of sage, teal, burgundy or navy.
HOW TO WEAR IT
Style Notes: A chilly winter and a cool spring are the best time to make the most of layering pieces, so work with colours in a similar palette (think pinks and reds; blues and greens; oranges and browns) and add an unexpected pop in the form of a long coat, leather bag or statement boot.
SHOP COLOUR BLOCKING
Uniqlo is my go-to for wearable basics in just about every colour you could possibly need.
The perfect high-waisted, ankle-cropped fit.
I'm certain you already own a black blazer, so why not add a seasonal colour to your arsenal too?
3. UTILITY
Just when we thought we'd seen the last of the Y2K trends, cargo pants came back onto the scene, and now they're bringing the utility jacket with them. Pockets, khaki, and well, more pockets, are the key details of the safari-meets-workwear look that was shown everywhere from Fendi to Coperni. And if you stocked up on one of last spring/summer's key pieces, the white tank top, it's the perfect accompaniment to the baggy, low-slung cargo trousers. Less '90s Spice Girl and more naughties AllSaints.
HOW TO WEAR IT
Style Notes: Judging by how the street style set has embraced the cargo trouser with gusto, there are chicer ways to wear utility than you might initially expect. If head-to-toe khaki isn't quite your style, try pairing an understated trouser with your favourite knit and dressed up with a heel a la Grece Ghanem. It's the easiest way to nod to the trend without having to compromise your personal style.
SHOP UTILITY PIECES
The fashionable (and understated) way to way cargo.
These come in three different colourways, so there's a pair for every outfit.
A nod to classic utility in one of spring's other biggest trends: fresh green.
4. THE MAXI DRESS
If 2022 was the year of the miniskirt, 2023 presents the antithesis: the ankle-grazing—or even floor-skimming—maxi hem. Always chic and with maximum impact, the maxi is the casual style we wear all summer and the dressy evening piece for party season too, so whether you opt for an everyday jersey dress for a sleek party piece, the longer the hemline the better.
HOW TO WEAR IT
Style Notes: The key to the maxi dress is its versatility, and the same dress can be styled drastically differently from day to night. Wear a simple cotton maxi with chunky loafers and a jacket for lunch, and then swap for mules, drop earrings and a mini baguette for dinner. Dressing doesn't get easier.
SHOP MAXI DRESSES
The only dress I want to wear to just about every event in my social calendar.
Rich velvet in a deep burgundy hue? It's doesn't get more luxurious than this.
The only dress that goes seamlessly from curled up on the sofa to out for dinner.
5. DRESSED-UP DENIM
After the 2022 runways tried to relentlessly convince us that we should be wearing low-slung, supersized, distressed denim, a more wearable trend (thankfully) emerges for 2023. This is denim for after-dark—polished, embellished and accessorised with plenty of sparkle. The key pieces are tailored shirts, straight-leg jeans and even longline dresses. Wear head- to-toe with simple heels and crystal jewellery and enjoy an evening look that champions comfort first.
HOW TO WEAR IT
Style Notes: Look out for denim with details as well as the perfect fit. Feathers, crystals, and leg-lengthening shapes make the most of this look, and when paired with razor-sharp heels, this is a look strong enough to rival the LBD (that's long black dress).
SHOP DRESSY DENIM
Nothing says evening denim quite like this much sparkle.
The perfect cut and deep blue wash for everyday and special wear.
Party season, is that you? This calls for black denim and plenty of feathers.
6. ELEVATED ANIMAL PRINT
Print trends are always divisive, as the more minimally inclined prefer to opt for something a little more subtle, but no one can deny that every year there is guaranteed to be an animal-print trend that crops up just about everywhere, and 2023 is the turn of snake print. Leopard print is timeless, and zebra had a moment last year thanks to a couple of viral pieces, so it seems only fitting that there's a new king of the jungle making its presence felt. From 16Arlington's pastel print to Alaïa's second skin, the snake print is the new one to watch.
HOW TO WEAR IT
Style Notes: As with any print trend, the options are endless. You can, of course, opt for a full look, but the wearable answer is to break it down into pops of print. A snake print bag is the point of interest an all-black look needs, a snake-print boot is an ideal shoe choice for a white tee and blue jeans, and up the cool factor of a simple knit dress by adding a glossy snake-print coat.
SHOP ANIMAL PRINT
Just add a black turtleneck and ankle boots.
Now, these are boots guaranteed to turn heads.
Quite possibly the easiest way to factor animal print into your wardrobe.
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