I'm a Fashion Editor—These Micro-Trends Officially Replaced My Staples

Who would have thought swishy pants would be making their way into the conversation in 2022, but here we are. This year has seen the return and rise of unexpected fashion pieces, ranging from the obscure to the nostalgic. The mood sort of feels like anything goes right now, which makes getting dressed a bit more fun and experimental. Lately, I've been embracing these offbeat and niche trends for some sartorial variety, and I'm happy to say that I haven't looked back.

Parachute pants—or swishy pants as I like to call them—have almost officially replaced my everyday denim, and 99% of the dresses I've been adding to my cart don't have straps. Long live the tube dress! But it seems like I'm not the only one shifting gears toward these emerging niche trends. Stylish people, from editors to models and fashion creatives, have been incorporating them into their wardrobes too. They're gaining traction now, but it's a guarantee they'll be everywhere soon. As far as I can tell, these trends will be my forever pieces for a minute. 

Distressed Leather

Minds are fickle, including mine. Case in point: my latest fixation on distressed leather jackets. At one point in time, I loved my biker jackets jet black with impeccable gloss, but these days, I've been opting for the opposite—low-luster, distressed leather that looks like it's been around the block a few times. The switch all comes courtesy of Prada, which made it a staple in its S/S 22 collection. Now, the piece has trickled its way down, with more designers hopping on the trend. Prada's show also proved how versatile the piece can be, pairing it with elegant skirts and relaxed trousers.

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Tube Dresses

Prior to 2022, I hadn't owned a tube dress since college. Now, the silhouette is all I want to wear and buy. The allure here is its seductive simplicity. There's a reason why Wolford's Fatal dress has been a stylist staple for years. It's a type of dress that doesn't need much in terms of styling, but when you add some great accessories, it really stands out.

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Maxi Coats

For those who love drama, a maxi-length coat is possibly as dramatic as a coat can get. But it's not the flashy type of statement that's over-the-top, like a shearling or faux-fur coat. It's more approachable and thus easier to pull off, but the longer length has a way of instantly elevating everything it's styled with. Saint Laurent recently endorsed the trend in a big way with its latest runway collection, so it seems like this is only the beginning. 

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Nostalgic Ruffles

Ruffles tend to drift in and out of the trend cycle, but the iteration that's currently on my wish list marries the detail with a bit of a Y2K aesthetic that feels nostalgic. Think loose, draping ruffles in sheer and lightweight fabrics in colors like bubblegum pink and tan. The bulk of the tops and occasion pieces I've been shopping play on these early-aughts ruffles heavily, so consider me deep into the hype.

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Parachute Pants

An offshoot of the year's cargo-pant trend, parachute pants are popping up as an essential piece in their own right. Although they were previously thought of as purely sporty, fashion people have taken to styling the piece with an array of polished staples like blazers, suit vests, and heels. Their ease and effortlessness have led them to supplant denim as my everyday pants, and I love how unexpected they are.

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Soccer-Inspired Sneakers

As a sneakerhead, monitoring the designs and styles fading into prevalence is one of my favorite pastimes. But you don't have to be so in tune with the sneaker community to notice how much soccer-inspired silhouettes have infiltrated fashion. Adidas's Samba sneakers are mostly to blame for this revival, with figures like Bella Hadid really leaning in on the style. After the craze of Nike Air Force 1s and Nike Dunks, it feels like a swing in the opposite direction with a slim-down shape and retro details.

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Next up: These $70 Sneakers Have Reached Cult Status, and I Have the Outfits to Prove It