Mad Thoughts

At one point in time, it was considered an outrageous act for women to wear pants. Feminist women called “Suffragettes” protested for the right to wear pants, a fact that is often forgotten because pants have become the norm for men and women. So for those of us who’d like to believe we live outside of the global political climate, please know that everything is political down to what you wear and the social media posts you interact with.

In the United States, we can see evidence of rising conservatism everyday as our trend cycle heads in a business casual direction. After the internet’s eruption at the Prettylittlething rebrand, I decided to look at a couple popular online retailers to see if their selections looked similar. After looking through the New Arrivals section of Zara, Princess Polly, and White fox Boutique it became clear that blouses, trousers, and collared shirts are most definitely trending. It seems that the sway towards traditionally feminine styles such as, ruffles, long flowy dresses, and pastel floral prints are everywhere. Next, I checked Pinterest with the search “Fashion Trends 2025.” The results of which I compiled into the collage you see attached to this post.

These trends come as a result of a culture shift in the U.S. We’ve seen an uptick in “traditional values” and content that promotes a lifestyle that calls back to the ideas of the Nuclear Family. The style trends we are seeing now follow a previously hyperfeminine way of dressing. Last year, we were wearing bows in our hair and styling our dresses with ballet flats. These trends were referred to as Coquette style. A way of dressing that embraces femininity. Those who participated in the trend had various reasons for doing so. Many decided to embrace the girly-girl style to get back in touch with their inner feminine self. Some used the style as a protest to the often-misogynistic way society has viewed obviously feminine women. Others were embracing what was referred to as a “Softer Lifestyle.”

Regardless of where you stand politically, it is undeniable that our trends are influenced by more than just what we see on our feeds or magazines. What we are seeing now in fashion is not so unlike what we saw in the mid to late 2000’s. When people were wearing work attire out to clubs and bars. Currently we are seeing these trends circle back around as people are forced to tighten up their purse strings. There is an increased need for versatile clothes. Insert the trend of blazers and trousers paired with a small crop tops. Look around next time your out, once you see it you cannot unsee it.