The 8 Most-Anticipated Trends of the Summer

Depending on where you're reading this, it might not necessarily feel like summer is on the horizon, but it is. The first official day of the season is just over five weeks away, and if those five weeks go by as quickly as the last five, summer's going to be here before you know it. That's exactly why we must stop procrastinating and finally get to work preparing for the warm-weather wave ahead. Trust me, you do not want to be that person who forgets to switch over their wardrobe and as a result, has to spend the first perfect summer day inside organizing.

To help you kick off your transition from spring to summer (or, if you live in New York City like I do, winter to summer), I dedicated the last week or so to diving into the trends that are set to dominate throughout the season ahead, looking back at the spring 2024 runway shows, scouring Instagram, and shopping online for hours at a time to ensure that my findings were 100% accurate. Ahead, discover which eight trends I came up with, all of which I can say with certainty are highly anticipated among the fashion set.

Poplin for summer? Groundbreaking, I know. But honestly, I feel like this cotton fabrication is on a high right now, even vying for the number one summer spot that linen's sat in for decades at this point. More than just button-down shirts now, poplin is the most-wanted material for skirts, dresses, and pants right now, especially in white, with versions appearing on the runways at Emilia Wickstead, Tove, Valentino, and more, not to mention taking up residency on Instagram's chicest feeds.

Through the years, swimwear trends have run the gamut from super-high-waisted briefs to skimpy Brazilian bottoms, bright patterns to interesting textures, and on and on. This summer, though, the biggest trend isn't really a trend at all. Instead, the swimwear world is going back to the classics, lifting up elegant styles that have stood the test of time, with black-and-white colorways and simple one-pieces and balconette bikinis beating out their louder, showier competitors.

The recent uptick in interest in all things elegance stems from a couple of things, ranging from the new FX show Feud: Capote Vs. the Swans to Prada's S/S 24 satin shoe collection. But whatever spurred you to trade in your cutoffs for double-satin skirts and crop tops for tailored, longline waistcoats doesn't much matter. We're here—in the age of elegance, that is—and I, for one, am not about to give it up.

Directly following Tory Burch's S/S 24 runway show, I wrote about the return of capri pants. Even so, I didn't know just how big they'd become by the time spring and summer actually rolled around. Today, capris—or specifically, pedal pushers—are everywhere, quickly becoming *the* trend of the season.

There's nothing I love more than discovering that a controversial trend is coming up for air, peaking out to see if the fashion world is ready for it yet. That's exactly what I found when I started searching for summer 2024 trends, and this time around, the contentious trend in question isn't just testing the waters; it's already set up shop on the shore. Yes, I'm talking about thong sandals, the shoe style that New Yorkers have especially strong feelings about. Well, sorry to all the haters, because between kitten-heel styles and classic flip-flops, the thong trend is here, and it's here to stay.

No one is surprised that sheer fabrics are set to continue their streak of dominance when the temperatures skyrocket, especially after the trend continued to make the rounds at the spring runway shows. This season, though, the sheer look has grown up a bit, becoming far more wearable and elevated than it's been in the past.

If last summer was the year of hot pants, this summer is the year of bloomers, a slightly less intense version that aligns perfectly with the coquette aesthetic that's been making the rounds on TikTok all year. I had a feeling that bloomers would be big in 2024, but it wasn't until Hailey Bieber, who just announced that she's pregnant with her and Justin Bieber's first child, wore a pair on her Instagram that I knew for sure.

Bottega Veneta, Givenchy, Jacquemus, Proenza Schouler—you name the brand, and I'll find a runway image of its models wearing luxurious butter-yellow looks. Sure, red and burgundy are the colors everyone's been talking about for spring and summer, but both should watch their backs because I'm predicting a surge of momentum for margarine-colored pieces as the weather heats up.

This story was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.