We're One Week Into 2022, and I'm Already Predicting the Year's First It Items

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The first week of 2022 has felt like an entire month, but alas, it's only been a week. And I spent part of the week (a larger part than I care to admit) scrolling through Instagram to see what fashion people are already wearing. Sure, it's a bit early to make specific fashion-item projections for the new year, but I think I'm in enough of a well-informed place to predict a few.

Based on my research and my ability to spot It items, I've narrowed it down to 10 pieces that are already making their rounds through the fashion crowd and that are special enough to stick around for a while and even hit the mainstream. And just for fun, I selected a few more epic pieces that could and should be It items, but time will tell. Scroll (and shop) if you love an It-item list as much as I do. You'll find outerwear, dresses, shoes, and accessories from big-ticket brands, affordable brands, and under-the-radar brands.

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(Image credit: @erika_boldrin)

These wallet-friendly shoes have a lot going for them in the form of trends, including crystal embellishment, a checkerboard pattern, square toes, and slingbacks. Snag them now while they're still in stock.

Shop the shoes:

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(Image credit: @chrisellelim)

This fuzzy, deliciously oversize coat from every fashion person's go-to brand arrived just in time for the frigid weather. It comes in camel, too, which has also been making the rounds on Instagram.

Shop the coat:

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(Image credit: @jennymwalton)

These incredibly cozy flats have all the makings of It shoes. The Row made them, they look completely unique, and they're as comfortable as it gets.

Shop the shoes:

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(Image credit: @monikh)

If you need further proof that this jacket is an It item, it's currently sold out just about everywhere (so act fast). The attached scarf, contrasting trim, and slouchy fit make for a piece you'll want to hang on to for a very long time.

Shop the jacket:

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(Image credit: @jen_wonders)

If you had told me in 2020 that heels would come back so quickly, I probably wouldn't have believed you, but here we are. Saint Laurent's fun cap-toe pumps are the heels that are selling out everywhere, and they're a far cry from the slippers we spent all of last winter in.

Shop the shoes:

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(Image credit: @annabelrosendahl)

Every season has at least one Ganni It item, and the one I'm forecasting first is this little beaded top, which also comes in black. It's one of several beaded-fringe pieces Ganni dreamed up as of late, and as you can see, it's super photogenic.

Shop the top:

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(Image credit: @_jeanettemadsen_)

New Balance has been churning out one pair of It sneakers after another over the past few years, and next up is the 725 style, a reimagining of a silhouette from the early 2000s. I predict that these will be everywhere by the summer.

Shop the sneakers:

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(Image credit: @alyssainthecity)

Speaking of the early 2000s, these butterfly-emblazoned pants are a major throwback. They're the perfect pants to brighten up your winter—just be sure to not cover up the pockets.

Shop the pants:

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(Image credit: @slipintostyle)

These jaw-dropping shoes basically made ultra-high platforms a thing, and celebs like Ariana Grande are fully on board. Apparently, so are plenty of others, as these are one of the trickiest pairs of shoes to get your hands on right now.

Shop the shoes:

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(Image credit: @maria_bernad)

This ultra-furry bucket hat is shaping up to be winter's most popular accessory, even making recent appearances on the heads of celebs such as Dua Lipa and Bella Hadid. Each hat is handmade in the UK, and they come in a bevy of on-trend colors.

Shop the hat:

Shop More Potential It Items

Next up, 30 chic items I'd like to wear this January.

Allyson Payer
Senior Editor

Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.