Fashion Trends That Are Going To Take Over 2020

With fashion trends changing so rapidly, it can be hard to keep up. And, of course, you have to consider your personal taste before you fall down the rabbit hole of what's "in." Just because an ensemble makes it on the runway, that doesn't necessarily mean you'll want to wear it. Nevertheless, 2020 promises such a diverse lineup of looks that you're bound to want to embrace at least one of the trends. 

Still, this doesn't mean you'll need to completely reinvent your wardrobe. "Every woman really only needs 20 core items in her closet," Heidi Nazarudin, stylist and founder of The Ambitionista, told Good Housekeeping. From there, you can add in some inexpensive items, Nazarudin advised.

Including some trendy pieces to wear alongside your staples that never go out of style — like that tried and true LBD that can always be dressed up — is a great way to keep your look fresh. So, what trends should you consider adding to your closet? According to fashion experts and runway reports, these are the looks that are going to take over in 2020.

Short suits — specifically Bermuda short suits — are expected to be prevalent in 2020. After reviewing trends from over a hundred fashion shows, Harper's Bazaar noted, "Putting a twist on the classic suit, designers from Bottega Veneta to Chloe to Givenchy embraced the Bermuda short suit for spring. Part nine-to-five, part California cool, meet the next wave of the bike short trend." The outfit isn't just a warm-weather look, though. In addition to being paired with sandals and mules, some short suits were also styled with knee-high boots — meaning this look may even see us through to the fall.

The boxy-style blazers paired with long shorts give off a distinct '90s vibe — like Julia Roberts' red pantsuit in Pretty Woman. In 2015, Bustle noted that "no one should ever wear a pantsuit in shorts again." The publication continued, "This should not have been the outfit Kit De Luca saw Vivian in for the first time since her big shopping spree." But oh, how times have changed. Like mom jeans, a fashion trend that turns many men off, Bermuda short suits have emerged from the '90s and are ready to bewitch us.

Luis Escudero, the creative director and designer of the Rene Ruiz Collection, expects both horizontal and vertical stripes to be popular fashion trends in 2020. When speaking to Insider, he explained that vertical stripes will be especially favored because they "flatter any body type" — especially in photos.

If you're not sure how to incorporate stripes into your current wardrobe, fashion stylist Genevieve Yraola came up with a simple rule of thumb. "Two is the max amount of prints or brights to mismatch, like stripes with florals or lavenders with greys," she explained to Good Housekeeping. "Don't add a third."

Pairing stripes with leopard print is an especially "safe" combination of prints to pair together, The Man Repeller's Leandra Medine told Glamour. It's also entirely possible to mix horizontal and vertical stripes together to create a stunning ensemble. But, when in doubt, follow Yraola's advice: Stick to just two prints at a time.

"Designers paired sequins, metallics and glitter with simple silhouettes, creating understated, yet bold looks that offered effortless ways to do high-shine wear," Women's Wear Daily revealed in its spring 2020 fashion trend report. From slip dresses to pantsuits to gowns, fashion designers demonstrated that high-shine looks can work in a dressed-up or down fashion.

You need not reserve metallics for a special occasion. You can actually incorporate the trend into your everyday wardrobe. Of course, there's a way to do so subtly. "As a rule of thumb," Stitch Fix fashion stylist Jennifer M. explained on the company's site, "metallic hues like gold, rose gold and bronze pair best with warm colors and earth tones while silver, grey and gunmetal metallics look spot on with cooler tones like navy blue." And, yes, you can even pair bright colors with sparkly fabrics, according to the stylist.

Hot pants are coming back, y'all. The short shorts fashion trend first took off in the 1950s — much to the chagrin of conservative dressers. According to CR Fashion Book, a citizen of Fort Worth, Texas wrote a letter to City Council in 1952 in which she stated that short shorts were essentially an abomination. She dubbed the trend both a "disgrace to humanity" and "an advertisement for adultery." Fort Worth even considered banning the garment. Nevertheless, hot pants continued to pop up in fashion throughout the decades — most recently in the early aughts. 

Some two decades later, hot pants are once again having a moment. "Hot pants staged a triumphant comeback on the spring 2020 runways — from itty bitty knit shorts at Hermès and Ferragamo to denim cutoffs at Rag & Bone and spandex at Brandon Maxwell," Harper's Bazaar noted. "For those who'd rather ease into Daisy Duke status, Chanel styled the look with black tights."

In fall 2018, western wear was a huge fashion trend. By the dawn of 2019, however, personal stylist Cassandra Sethi told The List that the trend had lost its momentum. Yet, in just a year's time, the trend has successfully reemerged. Yes, you're going to want to dust off your cowboy boots once again.

Fashion stylist Courtney Sharp confirmed to StyleCaster that western wear as a whole is returning. "Especially cowboy boots," she noted. "I think we're going to see that a lot more, especially in the summer." In the warm months of 2020, Sharp recommends pairing cowboy boots with either a simple or flirty dress.

And, with western wear returning, you can even experiment with neckerchiefs. "They're bold, bright, and eye catching, too, but feel a little more special," Lauren Edelstein, style director at Shopbop, told Good Housekeeping. "And bonus points if you pick a vintage one!"

"So many designers showed peplum tops on the runways, from Alexander McQueen to The Row," stylist Leslie Christen told Fashion Trends Daily back in 2012. The style dominated the early 2010s before apparently going into hibernation. But guess what's back! The fashion trend started to reemerge in 2018, but has picked up even more steam since.

Luis Escudero, creative director and designer of the Rene Ruiz Collection, told Insider that he expects peplum to a be a huge fashion trend in 2020. He explained to the publication that the unique cut can "flatter the lower abdominal area and hide any imperfections." Escudero expects the peplum style to be prevalent in everything from tops to evening gowns. 

Harper's Bazaar also noticed the prevalence of peplum at 2020 fashion shows. "Peplum skirts are making a comeback," the publication confirmed. No matter how you wear the trend in 2020, you can be sure it'll be on point.

Celebrity stylist Emily Sanchez told Insider that leather is going to be virtually everywhere in 2020. Not only are we going to be seeing leather shirts, dresses, and coats, but we'll also see lots of colorful dyed leather. We're talking burnt orange to bright red to baby blue. 

Although you may think of leather as cold-weather apparel, Harper's Bazaar revealed that "spring leather" was a top fashion trend at the spring 2020 runway shows. "The material was spotted on spring 2020 runways from New York to Paris in just about every form — from colorful jackets at Coach 1941 and Bottega Veneta to skirts and pants at Marni and Alexander McQueen," the publication noted. 

Although it's one thing to see bright leather on the runway, it's another to picture yourself wearing it. However, the fashion magazine said the every woman can slay by donning a bright leather skirt and jacket combo. 

The puffed-sleeve fashion trend isn't exactly new, but it is expected to have an exceptionally popular year in 2020. Celebrity stylist Emily Sanchez told Insider, "[The trend] has been growing for the past few seasons but seems to continue to have interesting iterations on the runway." Puffed sleeves will also know no bounds. According to the stylist, some styles will be more structured and architectural, while others will be more delicate and flowing.

Whichever iteration of the puffed-sleeve trend you try, there's a pretty good chance you'll love the way it looks. Celeb stylist Nicole Chavez explained to USA Today that such sleeves "give a very feminine form." Renowned stylist Erin Walsh added, "It's just kind of flattering on most women. It makes you look more proportional and thinner." She continued, saying, "Volume in the arms kind of helps the rest of the story out, I think it's a good hack in fact." We'll just have to add that suggestion to our list of clothing hacks that flatter all figures.

It's time to take that macrame hanging off your wall and fashion it into an ensemble. Okay, okay, maybe don't do that. Still, you should consider trying the crochet fashion trend in 2020. Samantha Brown, a celebrity stylist based in New York City, told Insider that she expects the "late-1960s trend" of crocheted clothing to be popular once again. 

The trend may sound intimidating at first but, don't worry, today's crochet trend doesn't look anything like your grandmother's vintage doilies. Fashionista reported that a variety of designers debuted crocheted outfits on the spring 2020 runway. From Kate Spade New York and Stella McCartney's dresses to Giambattista Valli and Altuzarra's crop tops, you're bound to find a crocheted item to rock in 2020. Or, if you're especially crafty, you may even be able to create your very own look for the new year.

Forget subtle florals for spring. Women's Wear Daily's spring 2020 fashion trend report revealed that bright, bold floral patterns couldn't be missed on the runway. The publication noted that Marc Jacobs debuted both ruffly florals and metallic ones while Prabal Gurung mixed florals together to create "ornately decorated bouquets."

Wearing such a bold trend like this one can pull you out of your comfort zone and make you wonder if you're doing it right. Thankfully, fashion designer Salwa Owens provided some easy rules on her site to help us out. According to the expert, "less is more." Meaning, you'll want to let your florals do all the talking. Keep your accessories "to a minimum," Owens advised. As a rule of thumb, Owens said you'll also want to "choose florals with flowers that are no larger than your hand span; think anything between [three to five inches] per flower." Anything larger may be unflattering. Owens also advised not wearing oversized clothing in bold florals. Unless, of course, "you're an Olsen twin or a Tarot card reader from the '90s," she joked.

Neon was an underlying theme of the spring 2020 runways, Harper's Bazaar reported. From lime green to Barbie pink to blaze orange, designers like Christopher John Rogers and Tom Ford debuted lots of bright, solid neons, making vibrant hues a major fashion trend for 2020. 

That's great and all, but adding some neon to your wardrobe is not exactly for the faint of heart. However, your neons don't have to be as bright as the runway creations. Celebrity stylist Erica Cloud acknowledged to Who What Wear that "fluorescent green is a little bit scary." Nevertheless, she said, "I suggest just leaning right into it and getting a little monochromatic and tonal." She further told the publication, "I think about [color] a lot because I think it actually loans to confidence. People are scared of it until they put it on." 

The next time you see a neon blouse or skirt hanging on the rack, resist the urge to walk away and bring it to the fitting room instead. You may just find that wearing neon isn't as terrifying as it originally seemed.

Prepare to see a lot of blasts from the pasts when it comes to 2020 fashion trends. The camp collar, sometimes called the Cuban collar, first saw popularity in the states during the 1950s when Cuban immigrants would often wear them to work. Soon the style became synonymous with suburban dads of the '50s and '60s. Recent years have seen a resurgence of the camp collar in men's fashion, but women going to start adopting them as well.

Vogue proclaimed, "The shirt can telegraph sensitivity (Bode's vintage lace style), sensuality (Casablanca's louche silk ones), and even hard-core grooviness (Dries Van Noten's undulating Verner Panton prints). Its shape is adjacent to a Hawaiian shirt, promising escapism and joy, but can also be quite tailored or serious when worn under a suit." Double Rainbouu cofounder Mikey Nolan noted, "I think the trend for patterned camp collar shirts will stick around. They're a cult classic, and they're associated with good times. People like and need good times!"

Along with many other resurfaced retro trends, the disco collar is making a return to fashion. "Modernized on coats, jackets, and button-downs at Lanvin, Ferragamo, JW Anderson, and beyond, the look is often shown with contrasting colors to make it really stand out," Harper's Bazaar wrote of the 2020 fashion trend. Yes, we're talking about the same kind of collar as John Travolta's in 1977's Saturday Night Fever... just don't start doing some of the creepy things Travolta's done.

If that two-toned look is just a bit too bold for you, we get it. Luckily, there's a way to pull off the severe, pointed collar without it being quite so, uh, "Disco Inferno." The publication recommended Jacquemus' Le Manteau Arles belted cotton coat, which is more relaxed than a traditional trench coat. The label recommends styling the neutral coat with other neutral shades for "an understated look." Disco ball not included.

"A white shirt is absolutely crucial for every woman's wardrobe," designer Misha Nonoo told NBC's Today. "I believe there truly is nothing more universal than a simple white collared button-down shirt." It's true that a classic button-down is one of the most versatile garments a person can own. However, white shirts generally need another article of clothing to give it some oomph. That's not the case with 2020 white button-downs, though. 

Women's Wear Daily's spring 2020 fashion trend report revealed that designers "took the basic up a notch with cropping, ruching, pattern mixing and adding embellishments." By shortening the hem and adding feather trim, designers like Pyer Moss and Marina Moscone proved that the traditional wardrobe staple is capable of transforming into something fun and anything but basic.

Even if you already have a white button-down shirt in rotation, you may find the updated take on the classic to be a worthwhile addition to your wardrobe.

Jewelry may be easy to overlook when you think about building an outfit, but that shouldn't be the case. Courtney Hammonds, a stylist and the program coordinator for The Art Institute of Atlanta's Fashion Marketing & Management and Fashion Design programs, told Reader's Digest that one should "always add at least one statement piece" to an ensemble, especially since accessorizing will be a big 2020 fashion trend. "It'll make your outfit go from good to knockout," the expert continued. She's not wrong.

In 2020 especially, you're going to want to pay more than the usual attention to larger jewelry. "Hoops are here to stay, and 2020 will offer them in all shapes and sizes," celebrity stylist Samantha Brown confirmed to Insider. "From big and bold to twisted and tiny, all variations will be fair game next year." Additionally, Brown explained that "sculptural jewelry like collar necklaces and bangles" will be a big deal in 2020. Just be sure to avoid certain accessory mistakes that'll make you look older.

What will 2020 entail? Feathers, feathers, and more feathers, apparently. Feathered dresses, tops, and pants hit the spring 2020 runways and it won't be long before they fly into your closets — we're sorry, we just couldn't help ourselves. Harper's Bazaar revealed that big designers — from Burberry to Valentino — embraced the feathery fashion trend. But, of course, you don't necessarily have to buy designer to rock some feathers. Still, wearing feathers in everyday life may not seem all that realistic or practical.

However, there are ways to pull off the style without looking like, you know, Sesame Street's Big Bird. If you choose to wear a dress lined with feather trim, a sweater with ruffled black feather sleeves, or a fun feather handbag, you'll undoubtedly look stunning. In fact, there are dozens of other subtle ways to try the trend on for size. Unless, of course, you're too chicken. Okay, we'll see ourselves out now.

Soon enough everyone is going to be getting their Cruella de Vil on. Polka dots splattered the runways of Michael Kors, Kate Spade, and more for their summer 2020 collections. The Los Angeles Times noted that the patterns helped stoke a sense of "positivity and optimism."

Fall 2019 already saw the spots popping up. The Tommy Hilfiger and Zendaya collaboration featured plenty of black and white polka dots on the '70s-inspired fashions. "My grandmother has a lot of these clothes. Many of the looks were taken directly from her life," Zendaya told Vogue. "I'm looking to the effortless chic of that time period." The clean look of black and white polka dots certainly does invoke that "effortless chic" that Zendaya has showcased. Hilfiger added, "I know the shapes, I know the fabrics, and I know the look so well, but we've modernized it and made it relevant for right now." 

So, polka dots will be coming out of the back of your closets and will make its way back on racks as a fashion trend in 2020.

Considering that mom jeans are back in business, this one shouldn't come as a complete shocker. In the world of high-fashion, the slouchy image of board shorts is almost scandalous. "Unboxing a pair of long floral shorts made at my desk last year I horrified some colleagues," Steff Yotka of Vogue shared. Fall of 2019, though, saw a big revival of the board short on runways for Louis Vuitton, Chloé, Miu Miu, and Chanel. 

Yotka pointed out that the "combination of tomboyish bottoms and such feminine tops hints at one of the main reasons board shorts have been banned from IRL wear," explaining, "They can be tricky to style." However, she's confident it can be done, and the streets of Copenhagen are already seeing success with board shorts. Who said that fashion had to be uncomfortable? If the high fashion world wants to bring breezy shorts back as a fashion trend in 2020, there should be little resistance.

Parents everywhere are going to hate this 2020 fashion trend. No longer are bras hiding underneath tops. Rather they're becoming the tops themselves. According to Vogue, Katie Holmes started the trend with her cashmere bra by Khaite while trying to catch a cab. Now the likes of the Hadid sisters can be seen strutting around with a bra and high-waisted trouser. This could be a natural progression of the previous obsession with corsets — underwear becoming outerwear.

Vogue explained that the allure comes from the idea of a modern woman: "The trend, though nothing at all new in fashion, also speaks to a certain kind of highly empowered woman right now, one who will wear a black lace balconette under a tailored blazer, à la Gigi Hadid, and head to a meeting." The bras themselves seem to be styled less like a traditional supportive underwire and more like a comfy bralette or sports bra.

Lumberjacks and Scots rejoice, plaid is back in. The street styles of Paris and Tokyo, in particular, seemed to take a shine to the material. Fashionista pointed out that the movie Clueless had its 20th anniversary in 2018, resulting in many of the 2018 runways being "Cher Horowitz-approved." And plaid has stuck around and has started to take on a life of its own as a 2020 fashion trend. 

Plaid has been associated with preppy, punk, and grunge styles throughout history, making it a very versatile fabric for any wardrobe. CR Fashion Book was not ignorant to this fact when they noticed the trend. The magazine noted, "Tartan's history tells a story about identity, which seems fitting for modern runway collections." This explains the variety of looks that used plaid during Fashion Week — from chic coats to ponchos. Whatever it is you're trying to say about yourself in 2020, consider using this pattern to say it.

Throwbacks are always going to be in style. So, it should come as no surprise that the '60s and early '70s are taking over runways. Designers are bringing back the psychedelic patterns and free-spirit style of those Woodstock days. Celebrity stylist Samantha Brown told Insider to expect "lapels, double-breasted styles, and flared hemlines," and, of course, bell-bottom pants.

It's no secret that the '80s and '90s have been in the limelight, but the rebellious nature of the '60s might actually feel more relevant than ever. "It's almost beginning to feel as if the history of '60s and early '70s counterculture is replaying itself before our eyes," Sarah Mower of Vogue Runway pointed out. "Since the election of Trump in 2016, the radical impulses of angry 'wokeness' have started to metabolize, among some, into a search for inner peace and spiritual enlightenment."

It's going to be a jungle out there in 2020. Safari fashion trends made some headway in 2019 and will continue in 2020. Sarah Wasilak of PopSugar noted that "it's a look that's up to your own interpretation." Wasilak explained, "You might plan to take the sporty route, in khaki-colored cargo shorts and sport sandals, and I could go for sharply tailored separates in shades of green, tan, or rust. You can also take the safari trend a bit more literally, topping a utility jumpsuit with a leopard-lined bucket hat." 

While the bulky safari jacket, with all its pockets, certainly has its utilitarian uses, safari style can be controversial. It harkens back to the late 19th century when colonialist attitudes were in full swing, as noted by The Wall Street Journal. It'll be interesting to see how modern interpretations of the trend will reconcile its difficult past with the socially conscious present.

As evidenced by all the neon and leather, 2020 is all about being vibrant and loud as far as color is concerned. Perhaps that's why tangerine orange seems to be one of the biggest shades on the runway. It's a sunny color to counteract "gloomy headlines," as described by The New York Times.

Tara Gonzalez further emphasized the optimism of the color. She wrote in Glamour, "Tangerine and similar citrus shades are reminiscent of vacation, of travel, of escape. It's also just a really happy hue— which is the attitude we want to bring into 2020." Considering that 2020 is an election year, Americans on both sides are probably going to want to get any escape they can in the political cacophony. Furthermore, the bright and bold aspects of this color are echoed in some of the other 2020 fashion trends. The year 2020 is looking to be a one where you'll want to stand out from the crowd and be seen.

Plenty of floral greenery evoking dense jungles and forests will be printed on clothes in 2020. Notably Jennifer Lopez stomped the runway of Milan Fashion Week in a gorgeous tropical green print dress that echoed her iconic look from the 2000 Grammy Awards 20 years earlier (via CNN).

Fashion Week, in general, seemed to be taking a noticeable interest in sustainability and climate change, perhaps in response to Saint Laurent's controversial summer show. Whether this interest is genuine or just an attempt to capitalize on a hot-button topic remains to be seen. Whitney Bauck of Fashionista wrote that "so many brands" were "focused on minimizing set waste without doing much to address the actual environmental impact of their clothing manufacturing, even though the supply chain usually makes up something like 90% of a brand's footprint." 

Bauck continued, "And the moments when designers looked to nature for 'inspiration' — think Christopher Kane's 'ecosex' or Versace's viral 'jungle print' dress — while totally overlooking the fashion industry's direct impact on nature felt like missed opportunities."