I'm So Excited About 2020's New Outfit Formulas—I'm Trying Them Already

According to our calendars, 2020 is nearly here. Which sounds really futuristic, but here we are! We can all agree that the whole "new year, new me" idea is a bit tired and probably over at this point (and isn't actually that helpful when it comes to addressing our personal style). People forget that the first day of January is literally in the middle of the coldest months—no wonder we're looking for a sartorial pick-me-up! Instead of a new personality, what we really might be craving is just a refresh (and a warm getaway). We're talking about a couple of new tricks to make fashion that much more fun in the dead of winter. 

A great way to add a bit of freshness to your wardrobe is to comb through runway photos and snap up outfit ideas straight from next season's looks. Styling is half the fun of a successful catwalk moment, so why not try to translate that into your own style world?

Looking through the spring/summer 2020 shows, we've noticed a few outfit patterns we expect will start to crop up a lot come the new year. We've broken down the styling in ways you can try with pieces you already own, but we've also popped in a few pieces you'll love just in case. So if you're looking to shake things up with your wardrobe, add a dash of fun or simply get ahead on a trending look, keep scrolling to discover the five best outfit ideas to try in 2020. 

1. REDEFINE THE WAISTLINE

The waistline is well and truly open to interpretation in 2020. Various designers have been playing with the body's horizontal line and the result is fantastic. Whether you go for the 1920s exaggeratedly dropped waist or something more like Molly Goddard's high-waisted skirt trick (pictured above), there are lots of contemporary ways to incorporate new waistlines into your outfits. 

The main way to interpret this runway look into everyday life is actually to play around with garments you already own. The trick as ever is layering. Layer a long jumper over a midi skirt like Lacoste (pictured above) or a cropped cardi over a puffy dress to give the illusion of a redefined midpoint. Play with volume and shapes and use colour-blocking to define the different points of your look. 

OUTFIT INGREDIENTS

2. MEET AT THE KNEE

Channelling Molly Ringwald as a style icon isn't a new concept, but it's what we'll all be doing next year—with a twist, of course! Knee-high boots made a strong and firm comeback this season after being spotted everywhere during fashion month. With Celine as the look's hero, the trend will not dissapate in the new year. In a very 1980s style, meet the hem of your skirt or structured shorts to the top of your boots. 

Once you have the formula down, the options are somewhat endless with how you can play with it. Try it with a printed, tiered skirt and animal-print boots or with long, tailored black shorts and plain white boots. 

OUTFIT INGREDIENTS

3. BEIGE BUT NOT BORING

The beige outfits we all wore are going through a bit of evolution in 2020. The love of beiges, creams and oatmeals is not going anywhere, it's just going to new places. It's going where minimalists meet maximalists and thus something everyone can and probably will try. We'll all be styling beiges in new fab ways—be it with rainbow knits or wild waistcoats.

Beige trousers are going to be the major player here. Yes, good old fashioned slacks. But pair them with something almost opposite to what you'd expect, like an oversized bright-pink knit or a statement blouse. 

OUTFIT INGREDIENTS

4. TWILIGHT DRESSING

No, not the vampire films. Picture this: It's 5:30 p.m. on a Thursday and you're in the office toilet trying to change from your day-to-night look. You're halfway between putting on your party dress and taking off your jeans and then you stop. This is the outfit. Part glam, part casual, but to the max. It commits to no time of day. It's day and night rolled into one. 

This works in so many variations. If it's a proper casual office party, you're striking right. Don't let your outfit give away your plan—be a fashion enigma. 

OUTFIT INGREDIENTS

5. THE GREYSCALE

This is a what we like to think of a nuanced form of monochrome outfits—one that works within different shades of black, white and grey. Your look is the greyscale—it's salt, pepper and everything in-between. 

Minimalists will be drawn to the Prada version of this outfit, which mainly features one shade as each block of the outfit. Prepared to take it a bit further? Try pieces that already splice the tones together, in a Pierrot-style, black-and-white cookie kind of look. There are more shades of each tone than you think, so it can be quite a layered approach. 

Next: The Only New Winter Fashion Looks You Need to Know