Even If These Trends Go Out of Style, We'll Never Let Them Go

Trends move a bit too quickly for my liking. I prefer to invest in items and then wear them again and again—not just for one season or even one year but for years. Because of that, I've come to the conclusion that, for me, trends can no longer exist in my wardrobe. If I love something and it fits me well and goes with everything in my closet, I'm going to wear it, whether TikTok would consider it "in" or "out."

Upon deciding this, I went straight to my fellow editors at Who What Wear to gather their thoughts on the subject. Big surprise: We were all pretty much in agreement that the so-called trends that we've bought into recently are staying in our wardrobes and regular outfit rotations whether fashion decides to toss them aside in a few months or not. More specifically, each of the team members I asked had one item that they'll refuse to abandon—be it the color red (it's a timeless neutral!) or barrel-leg jeans—even if public opinion about them goes south. Scroll down to find all of the timeless trends that could go out of style for all we care. We'll never let them go.

The Color Red

"The color red will always have a prominent place in my closet, despite some trend reporters, including our own editors, ushering in the evolution to a richer burgundy. While the red tights pictured may have been a particularly trendy moment last fall, red shoes are an 'always on' for me. They add the perfect dose of color and somehow go with every outfit." — Kat Collings, Editor in Chief

Barrel Jeans

"I will always love barrel jeans. The silhouette feels more elevated than regular baggy jeans, making them a go-to for me now and, I imagine, forever. This denim trend is versatile, striking, and comfortable—what more could you want?" — Lauren Eggertsen, Editorial Director

Hourglass Silhouettes

"Soon enough, baggier, more relaxed tailoring will once again replace today's nipped-in, hourglass-shaped silhouettes. When it inevitably does, I might dabble in those slouchier styles, but in doing so, I'll never give up my waist-accentuating pieces, from minidresses to blazers. I find this fit to be so much more flattering on my body type, but also, it's far more traditionally elegant." — Eliza Huber, Senior Editor

Cocktail Watches

"Cocktail watches are the talk of the town when it comes to hottest timepieces, including notable designs such as the Cartier Baignoire set on a bangle bracelet or on an alligator band with a diamond-encrusted case. Regardless of how much the trend grows or shrinks in the future, the cocktail watch will have a permanent place on my list of investment-worthy jewelry." — Kristen Nichols, Associate Director of Special Projects

Colorful Tights

"Colorful tights are trending big right now, but as a modest dresser, I’ll be taking them with me for the long haul. They're such an easy way to incorporate some color into your outfit and, for me, make any short dress or skirt modest! So far, I have red and blue pairs, but I'm eyeing a bright white pair next." — Yusra Siddiqui, Associate Editor

Vintage Earrings

"The past few seasons, antique-inspired earrings have made their mark on the fashion crowd, and even though this trend introduced me to a lot of classic shapes and styles, I'm not planning to toss them when the next trend comes about. They'll be with me for many seasons to come because I'm obsessed with the way that they instantly upgrade any outfit I wear. My favorites lately have been from Heaven Mayhem. A lot of bigger earrings cause me a bit of discomfort, but the brand's designs feel utterly weightless. I also went vintage shopping during my most recent trip to Europe in search of the real deal and found some winners." — Sierra Mayhew, Associate Editor