2025 Fashion Forecast
2025's top 10 fashion trends explained, from the return of skinny jeans to the rise of the Rococo Revival.
Unless you slept through the countdown last night, it’s no surprise to anyone that we’ve landed in 2025. For many, the arrival of the new year was marked not just by fireworks but by a collective anticipation—counting down the seconds, literally and figuratively. The new year brings the inevitable question: What’s next?
When it comes to politics or society, you couldn’t pay me to make predictions. But in fashion? That’s a language I’m happy to translate. In a sea of researchless influencers and vague journalism—”Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.”—I’m here to offer you some guide rails to fashion in 2025.
As a senior at the Fashion Institute of Technology and a fashion journalist, I know the struggle of wading through the endless info overload. So in this trend forecast, I’m relying on credible sources like Pinterest Predicts, WGSN, and actual articles from across the fashion world, alongside my own gut instinct.
2005: The 20-Year Rule
The 20-year cycle is basically the prized pig of fashion history. What was hot in 2005 is bound to resurface in 2025. And let’s be real, last year alone, we saw the resurrection of 2004 trends—hello, capris and dresses over jeans. So, what were we wearing in 2005?
1. Moto Boho
If you’re on the same side of fashiontok as me, I am sure you have seen the writings on the wall: boho fashion is making a comeback. From the moment Sienna Miller threw on a peasant skirt, 2005 became the year of boho chic—a trend that made people believe they could accessorize their way into a Coachella headliner slot.
Fast-forward to 2025, and while those feather hair extensions will (hopefully) stay buried in the past, the grassroots boho is getting a gritty upgrade. Enter Moto Boho: think flowy peasant tops and skirts with crochet, lace, and fringe—but paired with leather motorcyle elements for an edgier vibe, a natural evolution of 2024’s Western Wear. Last year’s Frye moto boots, the reigning it-girl shoe, are finding their footing in this trend, joined by a shift from classic black to rich browns and suedes.
2. Skinny Jeans
Hold the tomatoes. Let me start off by saying, just because something will be trending, does not mean you have to wear it. Skinny jeans is a controversial topic, justifiably. The inverted triangular shape that it gives to anyone who isn’t shaped like a box is an interesting choice to revive from the depths of hell—but, hey, I don’t choose the trends, I just report on them.
In 2005, skinny jeans hit the mainstream, ushering in an era of second-skin denim. From indie rockers to suburban teens, everyone embraced the snug fit, pairing them with ballet flats, oversized belts, and layered tank tops.
Now, as they creep back into fashion in 2025, their resurgence feels like a cultural statement. Amid ongoing debates against body positivity, the return of skinny jeans could signal a pushback against oversized silhouettes—and, perhaps more controversially, the reemergence of a 'thin is in' mentality. But if you’re brave enough to wear them, tuck them into boots and add some dimension up top.
3. ‘60s Mod
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Flash forward 60 years, and 1960s styles are doing their thing again. But this isn’t just a love affair with mod fashion; it’s also a double-dose of nostalgia. In 2005, British indie-pop bands and shows like The O.C. had everyone reaching for short skirts, boxy shapes, Penny Lane jackets, and headbands. Looks like we’re getting another round.
Pinterest Predicts
As the gatekeeper to all of our inspirational boards, who better to tell us the trends than Pinterest? From the tennis craze to bow mania, Pinterest predicted many of the trends that stuck with us throughout 2024. According to Pinterest, this year fantasy will be in fashion.
4. Rococo Revival
Rococo is baroque’s more playful, over-the-top cousin. It was all about excess and luxury—feathers, flowers, and frills—basically the 18th-century equivalent of maximalism. Think ornate, fancy furniture, pastel colors, intricate patterns, and a lot of gold.
In this revival, hyper-femininity in clothing is the focus. Pearls, gloves, and lace will be the crown jewels of accessories. Whether maxi or mini, skirts and dresses will be full of volume, while corsets punctuate our waists.
Instead of seeing this in mainstream fashion, I think the Rococo Revival—and Castlecore, our next topic—will be trending across social media as a form of escapism. In this time of political and economic instability, storytelling within fashion is vital. These fantastical elements of opulence are distracting and inspirational during a time when many of us have very little.
5. Castlecore
I know,—what in the world does that mean? For fashion, Castlecore takes gothic and medieval elements in style. Rich, dark fabrics like velvet and leather for depth and texture. Tunic-style tops over slim pants or flowing skirts with textured layers. Intricate embroidery, cross motifs, and armor-like metal accents like chainmail. Laura Pitcher—one of my favorite journalists and a wonderful trend forecaster—wrote an article on the medieval headdress resurgence this past year.
6. The Fisherman
Ah yes, 2024’s coastal granddaughter aesthetic is now officially employed. The fisherman wears funky sweaters, similar to Pinterest’s eclectic grandpa style last year but with more iterations of the sea. It takes cues from the Americana aesthetic, pulling from the red white and blue color palette and emphasis on jeans and button down shirts. We’ve already seen the influx of sardine illustrations all over social media, adorning phone cases and kitchenware.
Madison Predicts
Here comes my favorite section—my predictions!
7. Long Bags a.k.a. East-West Bags
Ever since I saw Emma Chamberlain’s stylist Jared Ellner’s first collection drop of east-west bags, I couldn’t get those long bags out of my head. We’ve done the small shoulder bags and the big bags; now it’s time for something sleek and streamlined. According to google trends, we’re coming onto a spike of searches for the east-west bag. Vogue’s Alice Cary agreed with my prediction of East-West bags gaining popularity in 2025, citing Alaïa’s Le Teckel bag, Proenza Schouler, and Prada.
8. Ponchos
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Emma Childs' article in Marie Claire on statement capes being a 2025 fashion trend makes a strong case for ponchos following a similar trajectory. It’s clear that the cape trend is pushing towards more functional layering pieces and ponchos are right at home in that realm. Ponchos, especially those made of crocheted or open-knit materials, work beautifully within the 2025 boho style. Whether draped over a flowy dress or worn as a cozy addition to a minimalist outfit, these pieces add texture and dimension.
9. Micro-shorts
The teeny-tiny “microshorts” have been a trend for a majority of 2024 but they won’t be out of fashion in 2025. Especially with Spring and Summer coming up, legs for days will continue to be the craze. Right now, we’re seeing sequined micro-shorts styled over colored tights. Later in 2025, I think we’ll be seeing more leather and suede microshorts.
10. Subversive Romantics
Lastly, a pull from WGSN—thank you FIT for access—drawing inspiration from the 1990s emo and grunge scenes, subversive romantics is focused on DIY individuality, whether it’s through temporary hair dye or customizing your own clothes and accessories.
With a mix of goth, punk, and dark romantic vibes, this trend makes sense with the return of alt-rock to the mainstream. Leather and lace will punctuate oversized silhouettes. Subversive Romantics is the darker neighbor of the Rococo Revival, feminine but edgy, with voluminous skirts, corset-inspired tops, and a heavy dose of black, deep reds, and purples.
Before you buy into any of these trends, I urge you to stop and ask yourself: Do I actually like these? Just because these styles are set to dominate 2025 doesn’t mean they’re automatically worth your money or closet space. When it comes to fashion, staying on trend is a wild goose chase where every time you catch it, the goose slips away.