The Spring 2023 Shopping Guide: Where to Buy the Biggest Trends of the Season

Simply put, the spring/summer 2023 collections were a breath of fresh air. After several seasons of all-out drama with dopamine dressing and risqué Y2K revivals reaching a fever pitch in the wake of the pandemic, things finally seem to be settling down and getting a little more sophisticated and, dare we say, wearable. Designers reeled things in and replaced those eye-widening trends with an array of elevated, timeless silhouettes, such as cinched-waist power blazers, beautiful draped dresses, and quiet-luxury handbags that feel fresh and are built for a forever wardrobe. 

Perhaps the key takeaway from the spring/summer 2023 collections is the overall mood of the season—wearability. While it may sound boring to some, the idea that the pieces we're seeing on the runways are ones we can and actually want to wear is a sentiment that feels revolutionary. Even the season's major color trend—a shade of fiery red that's both powerful and classic—seems to echo the idea that we should be the ones wearing our clothes, not the other way around. Here, we're diving into our spring 2023 shopping guide and where to buy the 10 biggest trends of the season.

One of the biggest color trends of the spring/summer 2023 season is fiery red. The shift was from last season's dominant hot pink, and the rich hue is just as bold but has a timeless, wearable element that makes it more approachable than other shocking colors. Brands such as Ferragamo and Loewe made a strong case for the shade this season, but you can rest assured that it is a smart color to invest in beyond spring since it is also one of the most dominant trends to know from the fall/winter 2023 collections.

If there's any single pair of shoes that are already defining 2023 style, it has to be Mary Jane pumps. Between Miu Miu's ballerina pumps and Prada's Western rethink, the sweetly polished shoes are reentering the closets of fashion people en masse. Based on the sheer number of styles there are to choose from—glossy patent finishes, crystal embellishments, and retro platforms, to name a few—we're wagering that there's a Mary Jane style for everyone. 

Florals for spring typically involve a reimagined take on flower prints, but designers had something else in mind this season. Specifically, 3D anthuriums and rosettes are adorning some of the most in-demand pieces of the season. Coperni's rose-appliqué dresses are primed for the wardrobes of this year's most directional brides and wedding guests, while accessories such as flower-adorned Magda Butrym heels and Loewe bag charms are already selling out.

It takes a style that's especially strong to get us to overlook our classic blue jeans, but right now, there's one trend doing just that. If maxi skirts were the defining jeans alternative of the fall, then denim maxi skirts will take on that role for the spring. One might call them outdated, as they peaked in the early 2000s, but word is out that this staple is back and very much here to stay. Instead of their Y2K micro hemlines, the modern-day iterations hit well below the knee and feature polished tailored hems. They appeared all over the spring/summer 2023 runways at Altuzarra, Tibi, Burberry, Diesel, and so many more where they were teamed with wardrobe classics like black blazers and poplin shirting that cemented the skirts more as a denim staple than a fleeting trend.

"Quiet luxury" has come to define what designer fashion looks like in 2023—namely, elevated everyday essentials and pared-back pieces that evoke a sense of understated polish. This step away from logo-heavy designs and instantly recognizable branding is embodied by pieces like the incognito bags that combine ease, subtlety, and quality craftsmanship without prominent logos. Only astute fashion observers will recognize details such as their signature clasps and silhouettes.

Boxy, relaxed blazers may have been the leading silhouette in recent years, but suiting is making a departure from the status quo for spring 2023. While oversize blazers probably aren't going anywhere, the sharply tailored shapes that littered the runways this season feel especially fresh and noteworthy. Designers across the board seemed to be in full agreement here, and they presented styles with nipped-in waistlines and strong shoulders that highlight the waistline rather than hide it. Whether they featured exaggerated shoulders like at 16Arlington or crossover closures as Jacquemus did, designers proclaimed in unison that nipped-waist blazers are the ones to know for 2023.

Jersey dresses are usually an afterthought for many designers, but this season, these wardrobe workhorses are no longer flying under the radar. At Saint Laurent and Versace, exaggerated draping was pinned and pleated across the body to create a dramatic asymmetric effect. The results read more like beautiful art pieces created to highlight the female form and less like the basic knit dresses designers produce just to fill out a runway. Even the pared-back styling with a bold cuff bracelet or chunky earring suggests these dresses are the main event—no distractions needed.

No surprise here: The '90s are continuing to have a large-scale impact on the runways and our wardrobes. The sleek simplicity of this era has held such a grip on fashion, and now with the rise of aesthetics like quiet luxury, stealth wealth, and recessioncore, its influence is only being magnified. Leading labels such as The Row, Khaite, and Tibi are all known for their pared-back approach to ready-to-wear, and the key theme their spring collections shared was these strapless necklines. Featured on tube dresses or slinky little tops, meet the key buy you'll want to prioritize this season if you consider any of these brands to be your style goal.

Getting down to the details, we're seeing an influx of metallics this season. From silver belt buckles at Khaite to shiny wide cuff bracelets at Saint Laurent to the sculptural gold handles on Bottega Veneta's Sardine bag, the eye-catching designs are proving to be the punchy pieces to finish your outfits for spring. With all of the pared-back, wearable items on the market this season, this trend offers a chance to add something showstopping to your wardrobe.

Yet another way designers are going back to the basics? Perfectly cut staples that are the building-block pieces of the season, including 2000s-reminiscent layered jersey tees and dresses at Miu Miu, gauzy knits at Tory Burch, sharply tailored blazers at Altuzarra, and crisp poplin shirting at Peter Do. What makes these pieces anything but basic, however, is the inventive styling that implements smart layering to achieve some of the most forward looks of the season.