Somehow, through some sort of magic or something, we are more than halfway through 2022. As fall and winter are right around the corner, we’re taking some time to reflect on the surprising styles and trends that have defined this year so far.
2022 has, in many ways, been a return to form.
People are feeling more willing to take fashion risks, as the events that we’ve missed out on for the last few years, from award shows to birthday parties, are now feasible again.
From materials to items to styles, keep reading to see what 2022 will be remembered for.
2022: In a Few Words
The modern fashion world changes every second.
An industry that used to be decided by the elite designers in Paris is now (mostly) in the hands of the people. Trends go viral overnight on apps like TikTok and Instagram, and designers (cough, like us) are able to produce their own lines on their own terms, working directly with customers.
To that end, if we could wrap up these seven items with a big bow, we’d do it with the term “individuality.” Personal style came back in a big way this year, and while certain items were everywhere, the emphasis seemed to be on making them your own.
7 Items That Defined This Year
From surprising textures to the return of functionality to the Y2K comeback, these are the items that we’ll be placing in our 2022 style scrapbook.
1. Terrycloth
First up is a material. Terrycloth was huge this year, with top to bottom terrycloth ensembles seen even in the early days of 2022.
Vogue calls this a continuation of the Y2K resurgence. Remember those terrycloth sweatsuits of the early aughts? Yeah, they came back and did so chic-ly and with a touch of knowing playfulness.
How do we really know terrycloth made it big this year? Because it appeared on the Brandon Blackwood docket, of course. We produced a few bags in terrycloth, including the Kuei Bag, in powder blue and baby pink. So nostalgic, so fun.
2. Cut Outs
In that same vein, this next key item (which is more of a design choice) calls back to the early 2000s.
Cutouts play a major part in the festival season style trends of this year, with interesting cuts and skin-bearing details playing peekaboo with the public eye. This came to life at the same time as the all-knit everything trend, so we saw lots of crocheted cutouts, with open knit shirts and knit bikinis coming together.
As we move into the fall and winter seasons, it looks like the cut-out trend is coming for leather wear, and we honestly couldn’t be more excited.
3. Platform Heels
Barbiecore, Y2K, and the revival of ABBA music merged together and led to some incredible platform shoes hitting the stage this year.
We saw so many of our favorite celebs and style influencers rocking wide platform heels of staggering heights. Some of our fave looks included outfits where the heels were exactly matching the dress or were a variation on the same color for some interesting contrast.
4. Return of the Low-Rise
While some may still swear by high-waisted jeans, you cannot deny that baggy, low-rise denim returned this year.
Seen in off-duty model paparazzi shots and street style looks as early as January, low rise jeans and jorts made their grand return, usually paired with a white tank or t-shirt. Slouchy jeans offer the perfect opportunity for surprise in an outfit. When worn with a classic, chic heel and a designer bag, they can be transformed from slacker wear to effortless high fashion.
As usual, an outfit usually comes together with the details.
5. The Big Bag
You could not scroll for more than a few minutes last year without encountering a mini bag. The ultra-ultra miniature style was massive, and when all of us were dressing to go to the living room, that made sense.
But this year, as a new normal life took hold, we heard from a lot of fans that they needed a functional bag again. Something that could carry more stuff, not just a debit card and a dream.
The return of the big bag or “hobo bag” marked a significant change in public life. We’re going out again, and we need something that can handle that. It’s no wonder we saw so many people reaching for a Mandeville Tote this year or even the ultra-wide Market Tote.
6. Suitcore
While many of us are still working from home, it seems that nostalgia for the old days of office wear took hold this year. But we’re not talking about the hoodie, jeans, and flip-flops that defined the 2000s.
No, for this trend, we looked back to the eighties and nineties as trousers, pinstripes, and sharp-shouldered blazers went viral. As the weather cools, we expect this trend to grow. Vogue even nominated suit vests as the biggest trend of the 2022 fall season.
The waistcoat is 2022’s version of the 2021 corset. Pick one up so that you don’t fall behind.
7. Scene-Stealing Purses
The word on most fashion editors' lips this year was color. Suddenly, the streets seemed stacked with rich, fully saturated colors, the likes of which we haven’t seen in years.
Leading these outfits were bright and attention-grabbing purses. Whether the girls opted for a fun pattern like purple cow print or a bold monochrome color like kelly green, the statement purse was huge in 2022.
We saw it with our own eyes with how quickly our Kendrick Trunks flew off the (online) shelves in bright colors. Not only did we notice the shade change, but we also saw that people were adapting how they wore their purses.
The Kendrick Trunk looks so cute across the body, but we’re also so pleased to see so many people carrying it simply from the top handle. A purse, held as a purse, is like the cherry on top of an outfit. It says: this is a delicate piece of designer handiwork, and therefore it will not be leaving my hands.
How Do You Define Your 2022 Look?
When you look back on your outfits in photos from 2022 years from now, what will you see?
Engaging in a trend is how you engage in the fashion industry. It’s how you explore your personal style and express yourself with new and surprising materials. It’s how you take risks.
Personal style is an equation between experimentation, expression, and functionality. Brandon said it best in a convo with Complex. “I feel like my aesthetic has always surrounded modernity, but with functionality.”
Pick clothes and items that do their job, and remember that making you feel fabulous is their most important one. Fashion should make you feel something — happy, adventurous, sexy, industrious — sometimes all at once. When you put together an outfit that speaks to you, you step out with confidence that is truly unshakable.
Believe It or Not, Terry Cloth Has Become Fashion’s Favorite Textile | Vogue
We’re Nominating the Suit Vest as Fall’s Must-Have Item | Vogue
Festival Fashion Guide 2022 - What To Wear To Festivals This Year | Elle