What are the exact items that will be key to own in 2024? After dissecting the S/S 24 runway collections, we are already making predictions about some of the most important trends that will set the tone for where style is headed. Silhouettes are shifting, the color palette is evolving, and there is an undercurrent of grown-up, elevated style that is impacting everything from outerwear to athleisure. All of these elements are pointing to some essential buys that top the 2024 shopping list.
Some items are an evolution of the biggest trends from 2023. Sheer midi skirts are the latest take on see-through clothing. Tailored short suits with micro hot pants are the new version of the pant-less trend. Burgundy is the new red. Other items, though, feel less expected. Ahead, we’re taking a closer look at the 10 key shopping pieces to invest in for your 2024 wardrobe.
The Capri Pant
The moment capri pants hit the runways at New York Fashion Week at brands including Mirror Palais and Tory Burch, we earmarked the piece as a key buy. As the S/S 24 collections continued, the pant silhouette grew even more prominent with versions everywhere from Ferragamo to Coperni. It's been a while since we've seen cropped capris in such a major way and all signs are pointing to their inevitable comeback.
The Metal-Buckle Belt
Belts have been on the rise and we have already been discussing their big return in 2023. That momentum is only picking up speed as we look to 2024 and the key style to own will be the metal-buckle belt. As the newly-appointed creative director at Tom Ford, Peter Hawking resurrected an iconic sculptural belt from Ford's S/S 96 collection Gucci. At Khaite, too, belts with interlocking brass hands became a talking point of the collection. The specific pieces are no doubt destined to be a cult buys next year but are also setting the tone for the larger accessories trend.
The Sheer Skirt
Sheer has been a focus in the trend space for years now. Most often, we've seen pieces land in the "naked" realm with completely see-through looks that have left little to the imagination. For spring 2024, however, we're seeing a new wave of the trend with sheer skirts. Styled more modestly when paired with oversize knits at Carven and over on top of satin slips at Altuzarra, the piece seems more approachable. I expect to see the trend really take off in structured organza.
The Everyday Duffle Bag
While duffles may initially conjure practical nylon gym totes and big bags intended for long weekend trips, we're seeing them emerge as an important bag shape for 2024. Designers including Khaite and Bally showcased duffle bags with looks ranging from midi dresses to denim outfits that posit everyday wear. The proportions are somewhat smaller than what you would use to pack for a trip, though by no means shrunken. Ready for the next major handbag trend? This is it.
The Heavy Satin Outerwear
Satin is a material we saw again and again for spring—in many iterations. Midi dresses at Carolina Herrera and Tove. Trousers at Rabanna. Lace-trimmed slip dresses at Coperni. Where we really saw the material at play, though? Heavy satin outerwear in the form of jackets and evening coats. The elegant pieces instantly read as elevated and polished, bringing a sense of newness to the outerwear space outside of the tailored wool coats and leather bomber jackets that have been so dominant in recent years.
The Burgundy Piece
2023 was the year of red—easily the biggest color trend that we charted on the runways and the street style scenes. As we look ahead to 2024, we are seeing the color evolve into a rich shade of burgundy. For Sabato De Sarno's debut collection at Gucci, the creative director made Gucci Rosso a color central to both the runway looks and new branding for the fashion house and that is just the tip of the iceberg. At Valentino, Saint Laurent, Hermès, and more, the merlot hue permeated the collections and will be a key color in 2024.
The Work Jacket
Workwear jackets got the Prada stamp of approval at the brand's show in Milan and we're already seeing evidence that the outerwear piece is on the rise. Sales of classic barn jackets and coated canvas work jackets are increasing across Who What Wear and the styles are also appearing more in social media outfit posts. While they easily pair with jeans and trousers, Prada is making a case for rethinking the styling by pairing them with fringe and sheer skirts.
The Hot Pant Suit
Hemlines are up! Yet again, we're seeing hot pants surge on the runways. While the pant-less look took hold in 2023, this time around, we are seeing the minuscule shorts styled in sets. The tailored short suit may not be primed for the office but it does continue the rise in corporate-inspired attire to wear outside of a traditional workplace.
The Flat Mary Jane
Flats were one of the biggest shoe trends of 2023, taking on many forms from ballerinas to hardware-embellished slingbacks to rhinestone-adorned mesh styles. Mary Janes were another major player in the flat shoe space with the Alaïa styles rising to the impossible-to-find It item of 2023. Product sourcer Gab Waller shared that the white CC Mary Jane flats from Chanel's runway show are already one of the most-requested pieces from the S/S 24 collections. Whether you invest in the Chanel version or another similar pair, we're predicting the flat Mary Jane will continue to be a hot shoe to own.
The Zip-Up Sweatshirt
Sportswear has evolved beyond matching tracksuits and is getting a more grown-up, elevated look for spring. Despite the wide range of styles, the zip-up sweatshirt is one specific piece that feels fresh—especially how we're seeing it styled. On the Gucci runway, models wore the piece with high-shine pencil skirts and heels, making an argument that the piece belongs in looks that go beyond more casual athleisure or outfits for the gym.
