The Best 2024 Fashion Trends To Kick Off The New Year In Style

For the fashion-inclined, the new year brings with it the same old question: What can I add to my closet to navigate the months ahead in style? If you’re ready for this kind of wardrobe refresh, we’ve got an array of answers for you plucked straight from the spring/summer ‘24 runways. Consider this roundup to be your glimpse into which 2024 trends are about to dominate clothing racks, cyber carts, and social media feeds alike so you can shop accordingly. 

We should begin by highlighting that the resounding message woven into the SS24 collections was that it’s time to prepare for the boldest Hollywood styles to infiltrate the mainstream. Much like how the naked dress became ubiquitous far beyond the red carpet, the current celeb-adored trend of forgoing pants is making its way into everyday attire, too. But don’t fret if you’re not quite ready to take on the new year in an ensemble that screams Look Ma, no pants! Many of 2023’s hero pieces including maxi skirts, office-core garments, and pretty much anything in the stealth wealth category are coming with us into the new year… but with an extra twist. 

All of that and more below, including shoppable styles that are available now so you don’t need to wait for the ball to drop to get started on your 2024 look. 

While a handful of designers (Miu Miu, Loewe) have been flirting with the no-pants look in recent seasons — one that has since been embraced with enthusiasm by the Jenners/Biebers/Hadids of the style world — the SS24 shows have made it official: The take-off-your-pants trend is about to, well, totally take off. It’s easier to point out the designers who didn’t send majorly exposed legs down their runways than to name those that did, which range from Marni to Schiaparelli to Dries Van Noten to LaQuan Smith. The coolest way to dress up your bottom half in 2024, it seems, will be by not dressing it up at all and opting instead for short shorts and exposed undies with sheer or colourful tights underneath. 

While florals are decidedly not groundbreaking according to Hollywood lore, the same can’t be said of floral fabrics. Designers are ditching blossomy motifs for something far more dramatic when it comes to flowers, like the extra-large embroidery cut-outs at Valentino, multidimensional floral breast pieces at Loewe, knitted rosettes at Alexander McQueen, and actual pink roses stuffed inside sheer garments at Simone Rocha. However, you parade around your petals this year, make sure they’re not limited to a flat pattern. 

Considering Valentino has become the unofficial arbiter of the It colour since its prescient endorsement of hot pink back in 2022, we turned to Pierpaolo Piccioli’s runway once again to get a feel for which shade the fashion house is favouring for the new year. Our findings were as stark as the colour itself: white. We’re not talking about the ivory, greyed-out, eggshell whites that are associated with winter. This is the Meghan Markle-approved Husband-shirt, can’t-wear-it-after-Labor-Day levels of bright, unquestionable white. Other designers are also backing the hue in the form of flowy gowns and blouses (Victoria Beckham, Chloé, Courrèges), sharp blazers (Brandon Maxwell), and denim (Sergio Hudson). Meanwhile, Maisie Wilen and LaPointe are applying it to footwear.

After utilitarian style reigned supreme as one of the top trends in 2023, the ongoing quiet luxury movement — in which ultra-minimalist styles and muted color palettes form the foundation of an expensive-looking aesthetic — is borrowing one of its star garments. The durable, one-and-done jumpsuit is getting the high-fashion treatment by the likes of Hermès, Saint Laurent, Carolina Herrera, and Isabel Marant. Expect to see this pared-back piece making stealth leaps in luxury throughout the year ahead. 

While décollétes were on display at Dior, Altuzarra, and more, the rising popularity of strapless dresses has not signalled the end of straps. The fastening fabric removed from shoulders this season seems to have been repurposed elsewhere, most notably around the ankles. Flats and Mary Janes with straps were shown at Salvatore Ferragamo, Collina Strada, Molly Goddard, and Burberry, while Miu Miu and Fendi added anklets to their sandals and pumps. Other ankle activity across runways featured higher-rising socks at Proenza Schouler and The Row.  

If you were a fan of office-core attire this fall, get ready for a summer-friendly take on the trend: the short suit. Blazers worn with matching tailored shorts at Chanel, Maison Margiela, Givenchy, Coperni, and Staud are giving this professional(ish) look a convincing stamp of approval for 2024. The short suit’s bossy yet fun aesthetic sets the tone for wearers who mean business without taking themselves too seriously. And while we don’t suggest rocking up in the aforementioned pantless trend to your next Monday morning meeting, we do predict shorts will be big for office suiting — albeit in more of a Bermuda variety.

If the abundance of preppy polos and rugby shirts by the biggest players in the game (think Louis Vuitton, Gucci, The Row, and Miu Miu to name a few) tells us anything, it’s that higher education is also high fashion. From windbreakers and hoodies at Dion Lee to tracksuits at Coperni, you’ll knock your 2024 style out of the park as long as you’re dressing like you’ve got an athletic scholarship beneath that popped collar. Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to borrow from the boys on this one.

The next iteration of 2023’s mega maxi skirt trend has arrived, and while longer hems are still very much in, we’re noticing a lot more volume when it comes to bottoms that land below the knee. Instead of slinky fits or Y2K-inspired denim fabrics, fuller skirts — a Molly Goddard signature — and ball gown silhouettes will be all the rage according to designers like Bottega Veneta and Staud. Batsheva even used an old-school hoop technique to accentuate its “cheerleader full-circle skirt” look.