I Noticed These Spring Trends Never Made It to 2021, so I Thought I'd Share

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(Image credit: @giuliatordini)

When we sat down to discuss all things spring 2020, the world looked a whole lot different than it does today. How were we to know that when we named vacation-ready tropical prints as a trend to watch that vacations themselves would become more or less obsolete? Or that office-ready shoes like heeled loafers would never get the chance to serve their purpose? Those days leading up to last spring were so innocent when we had no idea what the actual season would bring (no seriously, take me back to that time).

Well, here we are a year later and let's just say the fashion landscape has shifted as much as the rest of the world has. While it's typical for us to do a check-in and report on the status of seasonal trends, this year the difference between what's current and what's outdated feels that much more noticeable. As for what hasn't made it to 2021? Well, I compared notes with our trend coverage from this time last year and happened to notice six of last year's trends missing in action.

Keep reading to see which styles we're simply not seeing as much of anymore and dive into the new themes taking their place.

Not Seeing: Vacation Prints

Noticing Instead: Checkerboard Print

The tropical prints that ruled the spring 2020 runways have nearly evaporated. Seeing as our suitcases have gathered dust over the past year, it's not hard to see why. But ig there's one thing we know about spring trends, it's that the more eye-catching, the better. Checkerboard prints are a trend that came in hot at the beginning of the year and we expect it to only keep gaining steam as designers high and low experiment with the graphic pattern. That being said

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(Image credit: @FIAHAMELIJNCK)

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(Image credit: !champagnemani)

Not Seeing: Heeled Loafers

Noticing Instead: Fashion Flip-Flops

Is there anything the fashion crew loves more than a slightly weird shoe trend? While office-ready heeled loafers seem to have completely tapered off, it's these elevated thong sandals with kitten heels or cushy platform soles that are capturing our attention now.

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(Image credit: @rachelnosco)

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(Image credit: @SLIPINTOSTYLE)

Not Seeing: Soft Sherbert Hues

Noticing Instead: High Saturation

Let's talk colors. There are plenty of bright colors trending at the moment, especially shades like bubblegum pink, tangy tangerine, and grassy green. Since these can't-be-missed hues are ruling the scene right now, they've eclipsed the softer sherbert hues we saw a lot of last year.

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(Image credit: @aniyahmorinia)

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(Image credit: @emilisindlev)

Not Seeing: Netting

Noticing Instead: Midriff Floss

It wouldn't be trend roundup if we didn't address at least one more risqué style. Last spring, netting was shaping up to be a big theme and since we haven't seen much of it, the fashion world is clinging to a new barely-there look: tummy ties.

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(Image credit: @matildadjerf)

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(Image credit: @lifeofboheme)

Not Seeing: Utility Everything

Noticing Instead: Cottagecore

Workwear, utility, cargo—call it what you will but this utilitarian-esque theme of cargo trousers and safari jackets that we saw on last spring's runways hasn't gained as much traction. Instead of those more muted workwear pieces, 2021 gas given rise to a new wave of aesthetics that are all about dreamy escapist fantasies—think "cottagecore" with its picnic-ready floral prints and flowy dresses.

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(Image credit: @chrissyford)

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(Image credit: @HOSKELSA)

Not Seeing: Hotpants

Noticing Instead: Micro Mini Skirts

Hemlines? They're getting shorter. Well, not that short. My fashion friends have traded their quarantine-friendly knit hotpants for micro-mini skirts that feel just as retro but are much more wearable for when we start to go out again.

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(Image credit: @chanelmckinsie)

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(Image credit: @giuliatordini)

Speaking of trends, see which shoe styles were starting to feel dated (and what's replacing them).

Editor

Anna is an editor on the fashion team at Who What Wear and has been at the company for over five years, having begun her career in the Los Angeles office before relocating to New York, where she's currently based. Having always been passionate about pursuing a career in fashion, she built up her experience interning at the likes of Michael Kors, A.L.C., and College Fashionista before joining the team as a post-graduate assistant editor. Anna has penned a number of interviews with Who What Wear's cover stars over the years, including A-listers Megan Fox, Issa Rae, and Emma Chamberlain. She's earned a reputation for scouting new and emerging brands from across the globe and championing them to our audience of millions. While fashion is her main wheelhouse, Anna led the launch of WWW Travels last year, a new lifestyle vertical that highlights all things travel through a fashion-person lens. She is passionate about shopping vintage, whether it be at a favorite local outpost or an on-the-road discovery, and has amassed a wardrobe full of unique finds. When she's not writing, you can find her shooting street imagery on her film camera, attempting to learn a fourth or fifth language, or planning her next trip across the globe.