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The biggest fashion trends of 2022 had us dressing (and feeling) like it's 2000 all over again. This year, we have been in a Y2K haze (hello, low-rise pants!), but there's no confusion as to which trends took the spotlight — from corsets to the range of “cores” and passing over cut-outs… You name it. We have been there, worn that, and it's all back.
As we inch closer to wrapping up the 2022 chapter in our lives, Teen Vogue reflects on the most notable fashion trends of the year — way beyond Y2K. Buckle up, we're going down (sartorial) memory lane!
1. Balletcore
Assemblé. Tulle, hair bows, flats, and shades of pink. Meet the 2022 trend that is the perfect matrimony of movement and femininity – balletcore. Designers such as Simone Rocha, Molly Goddard, and Miu Miu have been repping the balletcore aesthetic on runways season after season. In 2022, however, the balletcore resurgence moved beyond the runways and took the mainstream stage.
From stage to street, trendsetter Bella Hadid rocked balletcore this summer with a vintage Chanel dress, beige leg warmers, and baby blue ballet flats. But, even beyond celebs, fashion historian Rachel Weingarten confirmed earlier this year that the trend "never really left" due to its versatility. “Balletcore is coy in its own way. It can be super professional for the office or worn as a sexy or playful look depending on your intention.”
2. Barbiecore
According to Lyst's Year in Fashion report, this year's hot pink obsession led to a 416% increase in searches for all things pink. The barbiecore aesthetic thrived and even arguably inspired the 2023 Pantone Color of the Year. Blame it on Valentino's monochrome pink campaign or Kylie Jenner wearing a floor-length, fuzzy hot pink Balenciaga dress to the SS23 show in Paris.
Also, we can't forget that Lil Nas X collaborated with Coach to create a bespoke, bedazzled barbiecore football uniform to wear during his first world tour. Barbiecore is officially here to stay. With the latest Casetify x Barbie collab featuring pretty-in-pink accessories and charms with the iconic Barbie font, you can even deck your phone out in the trend. Pink here, there, and everywhere.
3. Corsets
Of course, this year, we are bringing sexy back via corsets. Taking a spot in the top trends of 2022, we saw corsets everywhere and in all forms – satin, sparkly, and strapless. If you think back to the most iconic fashion events of the year, there was always a corset present. Billie Eilish stole the red carpet at the Met Gala in her upcycled Gucci satin corset gown, and so did Gigi Hadid in her bold, burgundy Versace corset catsuit.
Off the red carpet and onto street style, Bella Hadid, Lyst's "power dresser of the year," caused the searches for corsets to rise by 70% this year. Adding Y2K to the corset's coveted Victorian charm, Bella wore a white jean corset with pink ribbons on one occasion and a light wash denim corset with a denim micro mini on another. And because we all know a trend isn't really trending unless it's viral on TikTok, #corsettok is a thing and, at the time of writing, had over 71 million views.
4. Cut-outs
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It is true what they say: sometimes less is more, and the cut-out trend is perfect proof. Cut-outs have been a mainstay in fashion for a while and, of course, have permeated into the celeb mainstream. In 2019, Kim Kardashian wore a daring 1998 Thierry Mugler couture cut-out dress, and Kendall Jenner almost broke the internet last year in her risqué cut-out Mônot dress at her best friend's wedding.
This year, the trend was back in action, with multiple iterations making headlines. A little exposure can go a long way, whether on the side, in the back, or even around the abs — the possibilities are endless. For proof, even knitwear is getting its cut-out moment – take Off-White™'s SS23 show featuring knitwear pieces with cut-outs all over to reveal the garments (or not) beneath. It doesn't stop there either: we can't forget about Maddy Perez's iconic AKNA dress on Euphoria and how queen Lizzo was even spotted making a case for leggings with butt cut-outs earlier this fall. Making a case for negative space! Cheeky.
5. Goth
Back to black, corsets, leather, and lace, the goth trend reemerged this year in all its glam gloom. Lyst reported that searches for Rick Owens grew by 200% in 2022, and he is notorious for his goth aesthetic. At the time of writing, #gothcore has over 23 million views on TikTok. Even beyond designers and social media, one of this year's hottest Netflix series Wednesday is on trend with the "goth-girl" aesthetic via the main character, Wednesday Addams, played by Jenna Ortega. Wednesday's dramatic and moody ensembles typically consist of monochrome collared blouses, lacey tights, and platform loafers. Off the screen, Jenna Ortega has also been delivering goth glam at all her recent press events — namely, a black lace Dion Lee dress for Jimmy Kimmel Live! and her now-iconic, black satin Versace maxi slip gown at the Wednesday premiere. Honorable mention, of course, goes to KRAVIS.
6. Low-rise
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Of course, amid a Y2K resurgence, we took the plunge in 2022 with low-rise pants. This trend is not for the faint-hearted. Notorious for bringing back micro miniskirts, Miu Miu also brought back low-rise pants to the runway this year. Blumarine also reintroduced low-rise pants to the catwalk in its SS22 show through pinks and greens. Celebs welcomed the revival this year, too. Gigi Hadid wore super low-rise pants with a custom swimsuit top, and Iris Law opted for low-rise khaki pants that were ruched in the center, among many other low-rise styles. How low can we go?
7. Neon Green
To no one's surprise, neon green has become a trending color this year. Partially responsible for the barbiecore trend, Valentino also incorporated neon green in both 2022 couture shows. If that isn't convincing enough, Beyoncé wore a neon green David Koma dress during her epic Oscars performance earlier this year. To back her, she even had an entire neon-clad orchestra and dancers. Glow and flow! To name just two other bright green style celeb sightings: Dua Lipa opened her world tour in Miami in a neon green Balenciaga catsuit, and BLACKPINK member Rosé wore a faux fur neon green Balenciaga coat in the "Shut Down" music video. And, of course, we can't forget about thee representatives of the color: NCT. Eat your greens and wear them, too!
8. Oversized Suits
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This trend has been around for decades but made a big (literally) comeback in 2022. Some brands that featured oversized suits throughout their collections this year include the classic and sophisticated Burberry and the smart casual and cosmopolitan Boss. The trend also got prime airtime when Justin Bieber showed up at the Grammy Awards in an extra-large Balenciaga gray two-piece suit. Similarly, Kid Cudi proved he's too cool for school at the Vanity Fair Oscar's after-party in an oversized, slouchy brown Louis Vuitton suit. Later in the year, Dua Lipa embraced the trend with a number from The Attico at Variety's Hitmakers Brunch in L.A., where she picked up the Hitmakers of the Year award. This trend is suitable for all events and boasts major main character energy.
9. Skirt-over-pants
This trend has a complicated past, and there is much controversy among fashion critics about its popularity in the yesteryears. Despite all that, the skirt-over-pants trend officially came back in 2022. Euphoria style icon Alexa Demie put her own spin on the nostalgic trend at the Balenciaga FW22 show earlier this year when she paired her oversized, off-the-shoulder black shirt with a leather skirt over cargo pants. (A not-so-beloved take on the trend came from Katie Holmes at the 2022 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Awards — can't please them all!).
10. Sheer (and lace!)
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Some say the sheer trend is this year's most risqué trend, but we think it is sheer bliss. Previously only serving as cover-ups to summertime swimwear, the barely-there sheer trend not only draped the runways this year but also became a staple way to add a little drama to any look. Perhaps most notably, the Florence Pugh wore two of the year's hottest trends (barbiecore and sheer) simultaneously via her unforgettable, sheer hot pink Valentino dress in Rome this summer. Speaking of sheer and Valentino, brand ambassador Zendaya wore a head-to-toe sheer Valentino bodysuit featuring the V logo to the brand's Paris show this fall. The sheer trend often overlapped with lace, with celebs like Bella Hadid and Olivia Rodrigo embracing the best of both worlds.
11. Shiny
All that glitters is not gold. This shiny trend includes sequins, glitter, and metallic. The 2022 catwalks were lit with shine — David Koma, Prada, No. 21, and more. All the stars shined brighter too this year — Megan Fox in her shiny pink co-ord, Rihanna in her metallic halter top and silver low-rise maxi skirt, and Harry Styles in his sequin-embellished bodysuit. Pop princess Olivia Rodrigo gave us shine-meets-Y2K on the red carpet at the Met Gala through her violet floor-length Versace glam gown. Why limit the glitz and glam to just the festive season when we can dress to party year-round?
12. Unbuttoned Pants
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Unbuttoned and unbothered seems like a fitting combo for the year. To the serial offenders that unbutton their pants when the food coma settles in, this one's for you. With the rise of low-rise pants, Gen-Z took it a step further with the unbuttoned pants trend. Millie Bobby Brown wore an unbuttoned pair of classic blue jeans earlier this year. And, arguably, there is even a variation of the unbuttoned pants trend: the waist-folded-down. This went viral on TikTok with Dickies 874 pants — with a bit of help from BLACKPINK's Jennie, who styled her own pair in this fashion on the dance practice video for “Pink Venom.”
13. Vintage
History Fashion repeats itself. Because most trends find a way to remerge, everything vintage never actually goes out of style. Given the sociopolitical climate, as well as the industry's push to become more sustainable, vintage shopping has increasingly become a norm. The RealReal's Luxury Consignment Report confirmed the rise in vintage resale this year, highlighting the most sought-after luxury brands according to Gen-Z. Spoiler alert: among the most coveted luxury vintage brands are Gucci, Chanel, Vivienne Westwood, and more.
Stylists and celebs also visited fashion archives this year to reawaken vintage pieces that deserve to be re-worn and reborn. No doubt that Law Roach and Zendaya are the dynamic duo of red-carpet moments in this realm. Just this year, they blessed us with three iconic vintage looks. First, Zendaya looked timeless in a black and white Valentino from SS1992 for the Euphoria season two premiere, followed by old Hollywood glam in her 1956 Balmain Couture gown at the NAACP Image Awards. Last but certainly not least, Zendaya wore a vintage black and green Bob Mackie gown from FW1998 to Time's 100 Gala. Addison Rae is also another celeb that favored vintage looks during 2022.
With 2022's biggest fashion trends going back to the Y2K route, anything can happen in 2023. Maybe we'll gravitate towards pop-punk or maybe even "indie sleaze"? The indie years roughly fell between 2004 and 2012, aka. next in line after the currently re-trending Y2K feats, so it would make sense. Indie sleaze not only celebrates the unfinished look but is the epitome of effortless and undone: skinny leather pants, graphic tees, loafers, and even skinny ties. While the trend has been brewing for a comeback for some time and was set to come back this year, 2023 could be its year. Buckle up, folks.
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