Pinterest has just come out with their predictions on what fashions will be trending in 2024, and they’ve historically had an 80% accuracy rate. Some of them may come as no surprise, whereas others are a little hard to wrap your head around. There’s only one question that remains: will you follow the trends of the time?
Pinterest has a section on its platform where it releases what it thinks is going to be trending for the new year based on an analysis of popular search terms. They predict all kinds of trends, from home decoration to traveling to weddings and, in our case, fashion.
Summary of contents
“Make it Big”
This trend is all about huge statement pieces (literally). Popular search terms on Pinterest were “Big Bun” and “Big Braid Hairstyles”, “Sculptural Jewelry”, and “Chunky Hoops.”
In addition, other major ticket items are extra-large scrunchies and sunglasses. The scrunchie trend is going to be bigger and better than ever. Pinterest’s “Shop the Trend” section takes you to a major collection of scrunchies that are just as large as the wearer’s head. Over-sized sunglasses are the same deal, so big that they’re sure to keep a major portion of your face out of the sun- really bringing a whole new meaning to the concept of glasses that protect you from the sun. Count me in!
This trend is also really reminiscent of the 80s when everything in fashion was made bigger. Scrunchies were also a really big thing in the 80s. All the girls now have also brought back wearing them in their hair rather than on their wrists. Big sculptural jewelry has also become popular on and off throughout the years. That being said, everyone for 2024 is going big more in the accessories department than through their outfits, making it a more modern twist.
“Hot Metals”
A little play on words, cool-toned silver metals and chromes are what’s going to be “hot”. Popular search terms on Pinterest were “Metal Corsets”, “Silver Nail Art”, and “Layered Silver Necklaces”.
Other items include silver chrome shoes, purses, jackets, dresses, and what we’re all thinking: jewelry. These jewelry pieces are, of course, large sculptural statement pieces, combining two trends into one. Other than jewelry, this trend is a major departure from your classic neutrals and colors, as they’re meant to really attract attention.
This trend has seemingly skyrocketed in 2023, especially among celebs. Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour may come to mind, with her silver chrome outfits and shiny disco theme. Other celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Keke Palmer, Cardi B, and Lizzo have been embracing the trend, as well as designers like Alexander McQueen, Alexandre Vauthier, and Acne, who also embraced the trend by including metallic foil fabrics from gowns to tops to coats. Fall 2023 runways like Stine Goya in Copenhagen and Theory have featured silver chrome accessories in their show.
“Bow Stacking”
Bows are going to be all the rage! Popular search terms on Pinterest were “Bow Necklace”, “Heels with Bows”, and “Bow Outfit”.
Everyone is going to get super creative with the placement of bows on their clothes. Bows on shirts, dresses, skirts, coats, and even bows on socks! I’m a big believer that bows make everything better, so count me in! This trend is also easy to follow because you can find clothing with bows in almost any clothing store.
This bow trend is part of a reoccurring theme in fashion for decades, where clothes resemble what you’d wear in girlhood. It’s come back with a bang now thanks to trends like ballet core, as well as the rage of the Barbie move, which has led everyone to go back to the young and girly clothes of their youth.
Designers have also taken up the bow trend, like Simone Rocha, who featured long ribbon accessories. Another designer is Sandy Liang, who made bows the signature feature of her brand. Celebrities have also taken up the look, like Olivia Rodrigo, who wore a bow corset and matching opera gloves to her Driving Home 2 U premiere, and Sydney Sweeny, who wore large black bows in her hair and on her Miu Miu dress at the 2023 Met Gala.
“Western Gothic”
Think of this trend as classic cowboy wear, but all in the color black. People have also called it a clash between a cowboy and a New York aesthetic. Popular search terms on Pinterest were “Vintage Americana” and “Western Gothic”.
The most noteworthy items that make up this trend are black cowboy hats, black cowboy boots, black fringe, and studded western designs. Other items also include dark-washed denim, thick belts, and black lace. Cowboy boots have already been a huge trend for a while now, but a new kind of cowboy aesthetic has come to town.
The goth style has been around for a while, many times getting a bad rap as anyone who wears all black every day gets the label as being “emo” or “goth”. There’s also the stereotype that people who wear black all the time must always be sad. This trend has now been combined with Western style, which arguably spins the goth stereotypes on its head. The combination of Western and the color black now gives off Western with an edge instead of the more negative association. The future of black is turning in the right direction.
“Eclectic Grandpa”
Think of this trend as retro eclectic streetwear. It brings to mind what your grandpa would say was hip back in the day. Popular search terms on Pinterest were “Customized Denim Jacket”, “Eclectic Clothing Style”, “Grandpa Core”, “Retro Streetwear”, and “Grandpa Style”.
We’re keeping with the vintage theme with this trend but with much more color, pattern, and variation. In fact, you can’t get any more vintage than this! Checkered and striped patterns, varsity jackets, schoolgirl dresses, pleated skirts, embroidered decals, etc. Unique and custom are the name of the game, hence the odd name.
Vintage has been a popular trend in 2022 and even more so in 2023, as buying second-hand clothes has become a much more accessible and affordable way to update your wardrobe. The 2023 Met Gala theme, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, has definitely helped to reinforce the booming vintage trend. Looking back to the past will continue into 2024’s Met Gala theme, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, which will exhibit 400 years of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute’s fashion items.
“Jazz Revival”
Speaking of retro, jazz is also making a big comeback with jazz-inspired outfits and more. Popular search terms on Pinterest were “Jazz Aesthetic Clothing”, “Jazz Bar Outfit”, “Jazz Funk”, and “Jazz Club Outfit”.
Jazz is going to come back and be better than ever. Everyone is going to embrace not only jazz music but the overall aesthetic of jazz as a whole. Moreover, that signature burgundy color and velvet are going to be the rage. Outfits inspired by the dim lighting and sultry feeling of a jazz club are also going to be popping.
Jazz influenced fashion when it was popular in the 1920s, with iconic flapper dresses and long strings of pearls. Dresses also became much more loosely fitted to allow women to be able to dance to the music. Even the classic bob style that was popular because it made it easier to dance will make a comeback.
“Tropic Like It’s Hot”
This trend is all about the tropical aesthetic, and it is proof that everyone feels the need for a vacation. A popular search term for clothing was “Coconut Aesthetic”.
Tropical clothes are coming back to bring a little more sunshine into everyone’s lives. Tropical tropes such as flowery prints, mesh bags, and flowy sundresses make up this fashion trend. Furthermore, everyone in 2024 is going to manifest that vacation feel into their daily lives.
Tropical fashion is inspired by tropical regions fashion like the Caribbean. The style first became popular in the early 20th century when icons like Coco Chanel and Paul Poiret introduced tropical themes and fabrics into their designs. Since then, vibrant colors and exotic prints are what coin tropical fashion. The trend now continues to evolve from that original concept.
“Be Jelly”
Similar to the tropical trend and arguably one of the most outlandish fashion trends on Pinterest for 2024, this trend is centered around the jellyfish. Popular search terms on Pinterest were “Jellyfish Haircut”, “Jellyfish Hat”, “Jellyfish Umbrella”, and “Blue Jellyfish”.
You may be wondering, what is a jellyfish haircut? A jellyfish haircut is a classic bob but with long strands of hair underneath. The name comes from the silhouette of the haircut, which looks like a jellyfish. If you want to learn more about this viral haircut trend, check out the article “Everything You Need To Know About The ‘Jellyfish Hair’ Trend”. Clothing for this trend is going to either have tendrils that resemble jellyfish tentacles coming off of them, balloon-like ribbons, or an overall balloon-like quality to them that references the head of a jellyfish.
Surprisingly enough, jellyfish-inspired clothing has been done before. Valentino used the jellyfish as inspiration for their Fall 2010 collection. Not only that, but the fabric on his dresses cascaded down like tendrils, which is the same way more recent designs are using jellyfish as inspiration. Designers like Valentino and Pierpaolo Piccioli also created couture jellyfish hats for their collections. These hats are massive, bright-colored fuzzy hats that are shaped like the head of a jellyfish.
“Give a Scrap”
This trend centers around sustainability and affordability. It’s a trend where you use all leftover material, leave nothing to throw out, and save money by making clothes yourself. Hence, clothes are going to have patchwork and unique combinations of fabric. A popular search term on Pinterest related to fashion was “Zero Waste Sewing Patterns”.
This trend is one of my favorites because there are so many different combinations of fabric that make each article of clothing unique. What’s equally important, more people in 2024 are going to make their own clothing using whatever fabric they have, which gives complete creativity to the person making and wearing their clothes. In addition, companies are going along with this trend by selling up-cycled clothes to reduce waste and help the environment.
The exact data on how much negative impact the fashion industry has on the environment is unknown, but it’s considerably large. That’s because the outsourcing of clothing creation for companies increases the carbon footprint of brands. The pressure on brands to drop new products also leads to overproduction. Fast fashion brands also use fossil fuel-based synthetic materials, which require a lot of energy to produce and leave a sizable number of byproducts.
“Making a Racket”
Badminton will be the raging sport in 2024, according to Pinterest. Popular search terms on Pinterest were “Badminton Bag”, “Badminton Shoes”, “Badminton Outfit”, and “Playing Badminton Aesthetic”.
The majority of this fashion trend is made up of clothes traditionally worn for tennis and golf but repurposed for badminton. Badminton, however, doesn’t have the type of intense aerobic exercise that tennis has, nor the concentration required for golf. Instead, Gen Z wants a sport that allows them to have a light game that lets them have some fun with their friends.
Badminton is projected to overtake the popularity of pickleball, which had a shocking growth in popularity in recent years. This may come as a surprise, but badminton is actually considered one of the most popular sports in the world. Regardless, athletic wear, in general has gained much more popularity ever since 2020 with the massive shift in people choosing to exercise at home rather than at the gym.
“Blue Beauty”
This makeup trend is all about the blue/ aquamarine look, particularly focusing on the eyes. Popular search terms on Pinterest were “Blue Eyeshadow Aesthetic”, “Light Blue Prom Makeup”, “Fun Blue Nails”, “Aqua Makeup Look”, and “Blue Quince Makeup”.
This makeup look is actually a throwback to the 60s. The trend includes both blue eyeshadow and blue eyeliner looks, with the eyeliner keeping with the current trend of graphic liner looks. This trend shows the gradual distancing from the natural glam or “no makeup makeup” trend that has dominated the beauty industry after the full gam make of the 2010s. All shades of blue are included in this trend, but the best part is that blue pops on all skin tones and eye colors!
The first prototype of Barbie was the first icon to rock the blue eyeshadow look. Even though the blue eye makeup look has made a heavy resurgence, it has never really disappeared. In the 70s, the Drag Queen Divine favored blue eyeshadow. New Romantics, an eccentric fashion movement in the 80s, also favored it. In the 90s, supermodels like Kate Moss wore it, and more recently, Lizzo wore blue eyeshadow to the VMAs in 2019. In addition, internet sensation Jeffery Star created an entire makeup collection centered around blue cosmetics, which made millions of dollars in revenue.
Final Thoughts
According to Pinterest, 2024 has three common themes: retro, creativity, and statement pieces. For more information on retro style, visit 7 Brands That Reimage Iconic ’70s Fashion. Even though everyone’s style is unique, I hope you either get inspired by these trends or at least understand why everyone’s dressing a certain way.
