Great personal taste doesn’t come from following trends to a T, but instead putting your own spin on the latest and greatest styles to make it yours. Some people have a gift for sniffing out the up-and-coming fashion statements, but even the most en vogue amongst us can’t forecast all the sartorial curveballs that arise from pop culture’s unpredictable landscape. Here, we explore 5 of the top style trends that we never saw coming, but are happy to fold into our wardrobe rotations until further notice.
Photography provided by The Row
The Flip-Flop
Nobody really needs a pair of $690 flip-flops, even if they are made in Italy. But thanks to The Row and their grosgrain Dune thongs, plenty of people want them. Out of the realm of realism for the vast majority of us, the shoe of the summer was nevertheless easy to recreate.
Photography provided by Chloé
The Boho Dress
Long holding sway over the millennial woman (thanks, Sienna Miller) Creative Director Chemena Kamali’s Chloé has helped put boho ruffles and frippery back in fashion with a little help from her dedicated celebrity following, including names like Zoe Saldaña, Gracie Abrams and, yes, Miller herself.
Photography provided by Yves Saint Laurent
The Tie
Notice how you suddenly feel a compulsion to dress like a total boss in a suit and tie? That’s down to Yves Saint Laurent Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello, who put 24 models in ties at his SS25 show in Paris last September. An adored Michelle Pfeiffer campaign and a slew of celebrity appearances, like Nicole Kidman, spurred it on further. Up next: Expect to see ties tucked (as seen at his SS26 men’s show) or worn back-to-front (designer Jonathan Anderson’s Dior debut).
Photography provided by High Sport
The High Sport Pants
Unofficially dubbed “the newsletter pants” thanks to their popularity among the Substack queens, Los Angeles designer Alyssa Zachary’s High Sport stretch knit pants have transitioned off-line. These everyday staples are beloved for their off colors, sharp silhouettes and premium take on comfort dressing.
Photography provided by ECCO
The Sneakerina
Come again? The techy sneaker-ballerina hybrids that are bizarrely tempting, have gone mainstream — searches on Lyst increased 1300% in Q1 of 2025 — thanks to TikTok (see: #balletcore) and left field celebrity endorsement, like Chloë Sevigny in ECCO. Also subtly sparking the trend? The Alaïa sell-out (and sell-out again) embellished flats, which put Mary Janes slap bang in the spotlight.
