Decades in the style world are a funny thing. While they begin and end numerically, it often takes a few years before things start to feel distinct from what defined the decade before. Now nearly four years into the 2020s, it’s starting to feel like we have our own thing going on.
Trends in fashion have fully moved away from what defined the 2010s. We’re done with skinny jeans, athleisure, an unhealthy obsession with the 80s, and – thankfully! – normcore. Now it’s all about highly stylized looks (“natural” and “easy” are out), baggier fits, vintage designer clothes, and an unhealthy obsession with the Y2K era.
So… why does any of this matter?
Fashion is a marker. A reflection of the collective mindset. How we dress helps define who we are, and more importantly, where we’re going. It’s why fashion is cyclical – it’s always changing and will always change every time a new generation takes over, because that generation will naturally want to create a new identity (often out of the foundations of what came before).
For Uproxx’s Style Hot List, we’re highlighting where we are (stylistically speaking), what’s coming next, and who is taking the lead to guide us there. We’ll profile the trends, brands, creators, and personalities that are helping to define this decade of fashion. In the process, I like to think that we’ll learn a little something about where culture is headed.
Dane Rivera
SENIOR STYLE WRITER | UPROXX
Photo: Dom Hill/Unsplash
Sneakers get more popular, more accessible, and more culturally significant every year. These days, everybody owns at least one pair of “cool” sneakers. And with so many different brands and so many different price points out there, there’s some real variety in the streets.
Don’t get me wrong, sneakers like the Air Jordan 1-6, Nike Air Force 1, and Adidas Superstar, are all still incredibly popular and seem to look great no matter what’s trendy, but this year people have been obsessed with brands outside of the big three. Specifically running shoe brands like Hoka, Salomon, OnCloud, and New Balance.
Even when it comes to the big brands, people are looking less to beloved silhouettes and more toward forgotten classics – moving away from what was popular even five years ago. We’re here to help break down what the modern sneaker shoppers are looking for, curating all the best silhouettes that you need in your wardrobe today.
Photos: Mike Von/Unsplash, Erick Reyes/Unsplash
No segment of the fashion world responds to a change of trends like streetwear. These are the clothes you’ll be throwing on most often, the choices that will define your era. After a couple of years of intense isolation, we’re finally taking to the streets en masse – so it’s no wonder that everybody wants to make a big impression.
Luckily, we’re living in a very fluid time where dressing is less about specific brands, and more about what your personal aesthetic for the day is. Are you going for something workwear inspired, grunge-y, or futuristic?
Are you Mermaidcore, gorpcore, or all about the sustainability-obsessed Classiccore? Do you like the whole Quiet Luxury vibe or are you more of a Maximalist? Depends on the day? We get that!
As long as it’s a fit that makes you feel good, you’re on the right track and if it doesn’t work, tomorrow is another day. If all else fails and you just can’t decide, dress like a 90s anime character and you’re sure to turn some heads.
That’s not a joke, seriously – Yu Yu Hakusho and Sailor Moon are both fantastic sources of fashion inspiration that have legitimately driven modern trends. If you know, you know!
And if you don’t, we’re here to help you.
Photos: Mike Von/Unsplash, Stow Kelly/Usplash