Although a sense of style isn’t necessary, it certainly helps. The fashion choices we make can influence how others perceive us. Minimalistic and elegant clothes emphasize our professionalism, while colorful, bold pieces can hint at creativity and confidence.
So, if you want to tell the world who you are through what you wear, it’s important to know what’s in style. But how do you keep up with the abundance of fleeting fashion trends? This article will provide you with five tips on how to be the first to notice the latest styles. Read on to find out how to follow the trends of today in an easy way.
Fashion trends, what are they?
When something new in terms of style—a silhouette, color, or item—becomes popular, it’s called a fashion trend. However, by definition, a “fashion trend” can cover everything from clothing and shoes to accessories and hairstyles.
Under the umbrella of a fashion trend, you will find micro- and macrotrends. Microtrends are niche styles that go out of fashion in a short period of time—from a few months to a year or two. Macrotrends can last several years or even decades and change as a result of socioeconomic factors, cultural influences, environmental changes, and technological progress.
Fashion trends are cyclical and surface because of celebrities, fashion influencers, brands, and current events. At the same time, print publications, social media, and online platforms such as Depositphotos help spread these trends.
How to spot the latest fashion designs and trends
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Keep an eye on street style
Nothing reflects current trends better than people on the streets, especially in big cities like New York, Berlin, Stockholm, or Tokyo. But if you live in a place where people prefer to wear more casual or traditional clothes, there’s a solution. You can follow street fashion on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Some attention-worthy YouTube channels are Street Style Stockholm, Dev Moore (New York & Tokyo styles), and Robin James (London). On Instagram, check out Watching New York (@watchingnewyork), Londoners in London (@londonersinlondon_), Tokyo Mode Snap (@tokyomode_snap), Parisiens In Paris (@parisiensinparis), and Street Virality (@streetvirality).
To watch street fashion on TikTok, subscribe to The Style Archivist (@thestylearchivist) or search for hashtags like #streetfashion or #streetstyle. The platform’s algorithms will quickly curate content based on your interests, just like Pinterest does if you’re looking for street-style inspiration.
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Read fashion blogs
If you often wonder how trends start, what influences fashion, and what clothes to wear next season, you should check out popular fashion blogs. We are talking about the best of the best: VOGUE, Glamour, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, L’Officiel, Cosmopolitan, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Elle.
For example, Glamour recently wrote about 14 Fall & Winter Fashion Trends to wear this season and beyond. Best of all, they included links to not only high-end designer pieces, but also affordable fashion items. Thus, you can mix and match items from your closet with a $10 skirt from Walmart, a $30 cardigan from Amazon, and $60 ballerina flats from Quince.
The printed versions of these magazines are also great resources for fashion inspiration, especially if you want to use fashion model illustrations for your vision board. Clothing cutouts are also great for mixing and matching to create stylish looks on paper.
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Look for trend reports from professionals
If you’re looking for quality trend forecasting with in-depth analysis and expert opinions, professional fashion reports are the go-to sources. Of course, you have to pay more than just a subscription to get them. However, the investment is worth it if you are serious about staying on top of trends.
WSGN is the world’s leading trend forecaster, with resources to gather consumer insights, expert opinions, and scientific data to base their predictions on. WSGN are the ones who have the inside scoop on what will be hot in the fashion world in the future. That’s why many large brands, designers, and fashion houses rely on their forecasts when planning collections.
As one would expect, premium trend forecasting services aren’t for everyone. Thus, fashion enthusiasts can also hunt for smaller trend reports from people related to fashion, e.g., personal stylists. Many of them try to monetize their knowledge by creating seasonal or annual trend guides. Use this opportunity to get quality, structured data on upcoming fashion trends without breaking the bank.
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Follow the trends you see on social media
Roughly 64% of the world’s population are social media users, spending more than two hours a day online. Chances are, you are part of that statistic and already follow some bloggers and influencers. So, why not follow some fashion accounts for trend updates and styling tips?
Here are a few ways to learn about new fashion trends on social media. First, you can subscribe to fashion influencers, bloggers, designers, and professional stylists. Second, you can follow the big brands to see what’s in style, from trendy clothes to popular colors of the season. Last, you can explore the popular fashion hashtags we’ve listed below.
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Subscribe to fashion design hashtags
To future-proof your fashion trend intake, you can subscribe to fashion-forward hashtags. This option is available on both Instagram and TikTok. This way, you won’t be limited to content only from one blogger. Instead, you’ll have many different styles to draw inspiration from.
Check out these hashtags to gain insight into the latest styles and fashion trends:
- #ootd
- #fashiontrends
- #streetstyle
- #streetfashion
- #fashionista
- #styleinspo
- #stylegoals
- #outfitgoals
- #styleinspiration
- #wardrobegoals
- #vintagefashion
- #luxuryfashion
- #runwaylooks
Hot trends of 2025
To give you an idea of what the coming year will bring, here are some fashion trends we think will be big in 2025:
- Animal print, florals, stripes, and plaids
- Opulent dressing
- High-volume miniskirts
- Asymmetry in style
- Fringe details
- Sheer fabrics
- Boudoir dressing
- Sporty clothes
- Masculine archetypes
Summing up
Following trends doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and this guide is here to help. With the right tools and a curious mindset, you can effortlessly discover the latest fashion design trends. All to let your wardrobe express who you are and what you stand for.
