In the fashion industry, there is a commonly held belief that trends are cyclical. Hemlines go up, then come back down, as do heels and boot shafts. But there’s something going on with today’s aesthetic that is bucking all of the norms.
I couldn’t quite put my finger on it until I read, “What’s Going on With Pants,” by Maya Singer, in this month’s issue of Vogue. In the article, Singer laments how today’s pants styles are all over the map. She cites the recent SS25 shows: “stovepipe, tulip, cropped flare, and slouchy” silhouettes at Bottega Veneta; Gucci’s obsession with shorts; Sacai’s “pantaboots;” and Miu Miu’s push to bring back the skinny jean. Then, there’s the no-pants trend lingering from Miu Miu’s FW23 hot pants.
Singer sums it up, “What I’m saying is, it’s pants chaos out there. You can’t trust pants anymore — as in, you can no longer build a wardrobe around a pair.” Could it be, then, that instead consumers are building wardrobes around their footwear? The usual pants-and-shoes combinations no longer seem to apply. Normally, oversized, baggy pants beg to be paired with chunky shoes and boots, but today’s fashion set is wearing them with dainty ballet flats. In recent seasons, knee-high and over-the-knee boots have made a strong comeback. I expected skinny jeans (the ultimate match for tight over-the-knee boots) to come back with them. Instead, stylish consumers are wearing the taller shafts with shorts, dresses, and under boot-cut jeans.
While the fashion set is getting creative, this anything-goes era can leave the average consumer feeling a little lost. It could explain the return to simple classics: the Boston Clog, Ugg slippers, Adidas Sambas. These tried-and-trues look good with practically any pant leg (or none at all). Singer compares this era to the “hyper-individualism” of the 1960s, which did eventually burst and settle into the more conservative, uniform dressing of the 1970s.
If and when that will happen has yet to be seen, but if today’s speeding trend cycles have taught us anything, the old rules no longer apply.
