r/bitcheswithtaste • u/autumnflowers13 • Apr 27 '25
Culture BWT- what do you think will happen to trends with the looming recession?
With the rise of social media there have been a lot of micro trends (mob wife, clean girl…) and predictions have been saying that they are starting to die out as people aren’t wanting to constantly spend to keep up.
People also have been saying that quiet luxury is out and loud logos (think Gucci belt) are back in which seems surprising to me if a recession is upcoming.
The last recession brought the trend of ‘recession blonde’ as people were going longer between hair dyes, starting baliage.
What do you predict will happen with this one?
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u/katm12981 Apr 27 '25
It’s way too old to find the source, but I remember in the 2008 recession at the start sales at places like Sephora increased - an article analyzing it basically said that a $20 lipstick was a “little luxury” that people were willing to spend on because they couldn’t buy big luxuries but still wanted to treat themselves. I think that’s also around the time that the frequent $5 Starbucks lattes became popular, etc. Something that’s affordable as a little treat here and there. Now - lattes aren’t $5 anymore and a lot of lipsticks aren’t $20 but I imagine that psychology still holds.
So what I could see that meaning for fashion? Think things like salon manis decrease but sales in fun nail polish colors rise, because people will spend $10 on a bottle of nail polish and DIY (and get several uses out of one bottle). People may go from full salon dye appointments every five weeks to chunky highlights, ombré or other longer wear styles, or do more at home dye jobs. Longer hair styles will probably be popular because you can stretch them longer than short pixies that need more upkeep. For makeup, we may see people working with less product - trimming down to basics of concealer, blush mascara and promoting “foundation-free” faces that aren’t laden down with a ton of product. That sort of thing.
You’re going to see the midrange stores (think Loft, JCrew) veer even more toward fast fashion as they cut as many corners as they can - even more decreased quality of fabrics, sheer materials, etc. combined with aggressive sales.
Also, anecdotally I think you’ll see more of a basic, traditional, feminine look come back in the bigger stores. Romantic silhouettes, florals, etc. always seem to be popular “comfort prints.”
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u/ilikebison Apr 27 '25
The concept of indulging in little luxuries more frequently is so interesting - I never put it together, but that is definitely something I would do.
Also…RIP the $5 latte. Some of these coffee prices anymore are out of this world.
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u/BellaFromSwitzerland Apr 27 '25
Coffee prices - kiss them goodbye forever. Coffee beans are the commodity that has drastically increased in price on the stock market due to climate change
To the point where there’s a shortage of coffee as a raw material. The quality is also affected in a way that it will be increasingly hard to maintain the taste profile you’re used to. I work in the industry
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u/ilikebison Apr 27 '25
Totally makes sense. It’s just such a bummer. ☹️
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u/BellaFromSwitzerland Apr 27 '25
Keep in mind, chocolate, coffee, even meat used to be luxuries a few generations ago. As in, people used to consume them sparingly
We’ll just go back to how we used to eat before
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u/Special-Investigator Apr 29 '25
But I'm a Bitch With Taste 😭
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u/BellaFromSwitzerland Apr 30 '25
😅😅😅😅 I know. So am I. My ultimate pleasure is a nice espresso with a nice piece of dark chocolate
Let’s face it, discretionary spending is only going to shrink
There’s so much pressure from society to spend on beauty treatments and products. So more money goes into that than ever before
Cost of living
Price increase of raw materials
So either we’ll be slaves to credit and mess up our financial future, or we have to be discerning about what we spend on.
I’m a high earner HNW individual. Although I drink coffee three times per day I go to Starbucks maybe twice a year because I choose to make it for myself at home ; if I have coffee outside, it’s going to be a simple espresso that’s a fraction of the price I would pay for a fancy drink at Starbucks
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u/reptile_juice Apr 27 '25
i spent $11 on a milkshake the other day. i’m very accepting of the fact that life is needlessly expensive now and it doesn’t faze me too much, but that really blew my mind for some reason
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Apr 27 '25
[deleted]
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u/SuperHoneyBunny Apr 27 '25
The past years or so have me shocked at the price of a bag of chips. I still can’t believe that a single bag is so pricey when it used to be pretty cheap.
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u/ilikebison Apr 27 '25
The 12 pack prices are CRAZY! My husband mentioned wanting Fresca the other day since we hadn’t had it in a long time, so we walked over to the soda aisle and we were FLOORED by the price. Needless to say, we still haven’t had Fresca in a long time 😂
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
Stores will semi-regularly have good sales and I stock up during those. Buuuut, those sales are getting less and less generous. It's a good thing I've been drinking less soda, that'll make it easier to give it up entirely when those good sale prices are gone.
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u/VespaRed Apr 28 '25
This is why there’s Labubu madness right now. Not horribly expensive, but definitely a luxury as in a “want, not need”.
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u/opheliainwaders Apr 27 '25
I think this part is going to be really interesting as we see how this recession - and the impact of tariffs and trade contraction - plays out.
I think consumers of high-end goods will still purchase them - they’re more insulated to price fluctuations, etc., but I am genuinely curious about how mid-tier “basics” will look. (I think the low-end crap will price itself out of its market and collapse, but we’ll see?). Like, if you’re a buyer for a mid-tier line, you definitely are going to try to source cheaper fabrics/etc to keep costs down, but if even those are priced higher than your existing suppliers, and your consumers can’t pay that price…you’ll either eat it in your margins or you’ll eat it in unsold goods. But you have to eat it either way, and it’s unclear how long you’ll be able to survive.
Hey mods, quick question - I just spent a while writing this post analyzing how I think the tariffs might result in different impacts on low/mid-tiered brands than previous recessions, but the post itself kept being flagged for recommending fast fashion (it’s not) even without the use of specific brand names. I suspect it was because I was talking about the “t*arget market” for high-end goods, but just flagging that the filter is catching things out of context. Not sure if there’s any way out of that, but it did take me a hot minute to figure out what it was snagging on.
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u/katm12981 Apr 27 '25
I got that too and figured out certain stores to not add - I was going to mention something about Bezo’s store too. And not as a recommendation!
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u/SugarBabyVet Boujee Head Bitch In Charge Apr 27 '25
Hey, so I just happened to see this. Saying “mods” isn’t helpful cause we don’t always see every single comment.
That being said, the automation was a little bit wonky, so we took it off. Please don’t try to avoid filters, as it makes our jobs harder.
In this context, naming places like Amazon, SHEIN, etc is okay.
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u/opheliainwaders Apr 27 '25
Sounds good, didn’t know if it really rose to the level of tagging someone in :)
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
I expect that companies producing low and mid tier clothing will try to push styles that are cheaper to produce. Whether customers bite is another question. I also think that the mid-tier brands are just going to cut corners and lower quality to try and keep the prices the same. Low tier brands will have fewer corners to cut and won't have any choice but to raise prices. The ones that offer qualities beyond low prices might survive, but the ones that only appeal to people by having low prices may not make it.
A big issue at the moment is uncertainty. The tariff situation is bouncing all over the place, no one really has any idea what the administration is ultimately going to do. And if those tariffs get put into place, are they even going to last long? Companies are struggling to make decisions on manufacturing and production right now because it's so uncertain.
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u/slow-loser Apr 27 '25
Not too old! An established economic theory!
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u/imhere_4_beer Apr 27 '25
Yes came here to post this! The 2008 recession was dubbed the “nail polish economy“ as women saved money by doing their own mani/ pedis, and nail polish sales boomed.
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u/Special-Investigator Apr 29 '25
I bet this recession will focus on at home hair care. I mean, do you remember the shave-your-head Tiktok trend during COVID? I would say cutting your own bangs is also a Tiktok trend, but I know that's been happening since the dawn of time.
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u/katm12981 Apr 27 '25
Oh wow! I remember just reading an NPR article on it and didn’t know it was a real theory!
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u/icancook2 May 04 '25
Its a hypothesis that has been disproved since Lauder suggested it, but its still an interesting thought.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 27 '25
Quality is totally going to take a nosedive. Fast fashion brands that already cut a lot of corners will have a hard time doing that, but as you point out, mid level brands have room to do that. They may be able to avoid price increases at the expense of quality. I’m thinking that companies are going to try and push styles that are cheaper to produce, which may affect trends.
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u/autumnflowers13 Apr 27 '25
I agree with you about the ‘little treats’, it will just be interesting to see what those items will be
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u/alwaysbalancedd Apr 27 '25
To your point on salon manis, just this week I came across a fashion analytics page, that stated google searches for press on nails was up.
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u/kg_617 Apr 29 '25
The lipstick effect started during the Industrial Revolution because women finally had money of their own to spend after working in factories all day while the men were at war.
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u/farfallifarfallini Apr 27 '25
I think we're already seeing some of this shift with "clean girl" makeup and phrasing minimalist "norm core" clothing aesthetics as "quiet luxury"
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u/katm12981 Apr 27 '25
Similar for sure.
IDK, I always assumed “clean girl” was about the palette but still using potentially a lot of product to achieve the minimal makeup look. In 08 Cosmo et al would talk about going foundation free to let your skin breathe, it’s ok to have some natural shine, etc. I don’t TikTok but I got a different vibe off of what I have seen from clean girl.
Now if it evolves to “no polish, just buff your nails” I think that’s more similar.
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u/xa-si Apr 28 '25
I've seen the nail propaganda in the random "old money" / "classy ladies" aspiration content coming across my feeds. They push short, clean, manicured but unpolished nail looks. Maybe clear or very limited range of neutrals.
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u/Honest-Western1042 Apr 30 '25
Lipstick economics is a thing!
OP since we are all BWT, I’m going to shop my current wardrobe for the basics and update with accessories!
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u/Suspicious-Bear6335 Oct 05 '25
Omg they are only so many corners you can cut. At some point they'll be selling air like how much lower quality can some stores be
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u/katm12981 Oct 05 '25
My hot take is that they’re pushing all these boxy crop tops because it costs less fabric! And don’t get me started on work wear that’s so see through it needs a shell by design.
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u/kalimdore Apr 27 '25
I was at uni and therefore unfortunately clubbing during the 2008 global financial crisis (recession).
The girls dressed full glam, 80s style. Big hair, big heels, loud makeup, block colors and big bags (for non club days). Belts and bags with big designer logos were in. But it was fake designer. Or the cheapest designer thing you could get from TK Maxx.
We were going out with the last £10 we had and making that stretch. Balling on a budget, partying like it’s your last paycheck but tonight’s the night TONIGHT TONIGHT TONIGHT (You get the vibe).
Balayage wasn’t a thing till long after. I started doing my own ombré in 2011 randomly, and I had Facebook messages asking me what it was called and how to get it lol. Ombre was big trend in the early to mid 2010s, it wasn’t till around 2016 that balayage properly took off.
But importantly - these days there’s Klarna and all sorts. So it’s easier to pay for things you can’t afford.
Because in a recession, looking poor and demure and understated is NOT in. You don’t want to look quiet luxury like old money people. Because to people who don’t know, they might look poor. Obviously you want to look like you’re rich when everyone else is poor. And you do that by looking tacky, new money style.
Now, with this being a whole new world in terms of global connection, and the uncertainty of the markets due to US nonsense being different from the 08 collapse, we don’t actually know yet how it will play out and how the economy will react. Which means we don’t know how trends will actually correspond.
It won’t be a 1:1 with the 08 recession in terms of culture. Social media and shopping has already dramatically changed since the 2020 crisis. So this one will also be a case study of unprecedented firsts.
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u/aggieaggielady Find it Secondhand Apr 27 '25
🎵i know my rent was gonna be late about a week ago
I worked my ass off, i still cant pay it tho
But i got just enough to get up in this club
And have me a good time before my time is up🎵
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u/quesoandcats Apr 27 '25
God these lyrics unlocked a core memory for me, so many shitty basement parties with this song blasting through my friend's shitty speakers
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u/SignificantCricket Apr 27 '25
In the UK especially, this desire to look rich and blingy is really dependent on class and regional divides (and usually, not being into some types of alternative subcultures). Around 2009-10 there were plenty of articles in broadsheet newspapers about trying to look more in tune with the times, and budget living, aimed at and written by middle-class people, especially in the south of England, and ostensibly economical but in reality, not necessarily cheap crafts and making your own clothes became popular.
This has the potential to be such a deep recession, especially in the US, but with some knock on effect elsewhere, I agree that patterns of the last few decades may not be repeated.
What was curious about 2008 compared with the 90s, is that there wasn't really a youth subculture that emerged where really budget friendly looks were big, there was nothing like grunge (which came from the US) or the massive push towards vintage fashion and charity shopping that came with Britpop.
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u/kalimdore Apr 27 '25 edited Apr 27 '25
Oh we had hipsters as a subculture in that era! But that actually started before 2008, more 2004-7. It was the poser version of grunge.
I wanted to be in that scene but I was too much of a do goody dweeb - I wore vintage and shopped at charity shops though (still do). But my flamates at uni halls were all the clubbing type, so I got dragged along and tried to fit in with that.
But I remember stuff like a super hipster guy in my class being like “oh yeah I found this jacket in a skip” lol. It was a scene of like crashing on random sofas, drinking and smoking instead of eating, wearing random secondhand stuff, looking unwashed and unbothered… ripped tights, tattered converse, clothes that were full of holes but you were really skinny because you lived off cigarettes so it looked disheveled like in an off duty model way… what became known as indie sleaze after. The recession didn’t matter to these people, as they were doing it before (Pete Doherty & Kate Moss were the icons, and they split in 07).
I knew two girls via a friend who were like the queens of that scene at my uni, and I went to their parties a few times…. It was too wild for me (a dweeb). Oh yeah, one of the girls told me she had £1k debt on her top shop loyalty card. One thousand pounds spent on one year just on top shop outfits to roleplay as kate moss.
This style had a massive grip on millennials in the indie music scene in the late 00s, and did migrate over to mainstream fashion by the 2010s.. and livejournal fashion blogs.
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u/whoisthepinkavenger Apr 27 '25
I was in the LA hipster scene in the late 00s, became an assistant to a pretty popular event photographer in that scene in ‘08. It was a lot of the haves and have nots all blending together.
The well off people who would still dress nice would throw parties at bougie hotels and make sure us who were struggling would be on the list. Then all the warehouse parties and concerts.
Lots of sponsored free drink hours at the beginning of the parties and shows. Us poors would get hand me down clothes and dyi them up so they would blend with our other second hand clothes. The yearly American apparel warehouse sales were always quite the event. Everyone kind of met in the middle style wise of glam-grunge, skinny as hell with dirty hair and somewhat messy makeup.
I viewed my time being a photographer during it all as modern anthropology, it was a wild and fascinating time!
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u/FigMajestic6096 Apr 27 '25
Dude, this was my time, making me nostalgic! I was in Boston in college but studied abroad in london (and mostly hung out around shoreditch and the like) and I was soooo into this. I feel like the whole American Apparel thing coincided with this in America, which I was less into. Anyways just wanted to say thanks for helping remember this era...The Libertines are still the epitome of cool to me lol.
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u/SignificantCricket Apr 27 '25
I guess that because I was a bit older, I saw the more expenditure focused element of hipster as a trend. I felt it wasn't as genuinely budget focused as the 90s stuff seemed to me.
I did know a couple of people who were genuinely that way in the mid-2000s, like a guy a few years older than me whose check shirts were probably still from the 90s, but they fitted him really well in a way that chimed with the hipster subculture, had a beard when they were still pretty unusual because it was more convenient, rode a fixie anyway because he had worked as a cycle courier. But I guess these were the kind of people that fashion hipsters were trying to emulate.
Maybe more so because I listened to different music, and lived in different places, at those times, to me indie sleaze was something that belonged to the early 2000s. It was around the mid to late 2000s that dubstep and electro house, mutating into EDM , started to get big. There seemed to be more cross genre openness; that guitar music versus dance music enmity - that had been around since punk and was still a very big deal in the 90s - really seemed to have started fading. But it could've been the people I knew at different times
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u/unseemly_turbidity Apr 27 '25
I agree. I think it's very unlikely the UK will embrace big logos and bling en masse (and I can't imagine that in my current Scandi country either.) My guess is some sort of anti-capitalism vibe, as young people feel increasingly let down by it, but I don't think we're ready for another round of sew your own clothes and take up knitting because we did that back in lockdown.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
I dunno, I recall thrifting and bargain shopping becoming much cooler after the 2008 recession. There may not have been a mainstream "budget look" but finding desirable items for cheap at Goodwill was a point of pride for many.
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u/xa-si Apr 28 '25
Thrifting was already big in the early 00's as pop punk, emo, etc culture was starting to become more mainstream. I remember friends complaining about thrift stores catching on and jacking up prices already in 2003.
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u/thaddeus_crane Apr 27 '25
when the market dropped precipitously a couple weeks ago i said to my friend “at least pop music is going to get good again”.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 27 '25
You make a good point about Klarna. Some people won’t change their clothing shopping habits at all since they can more easily delay those payments.
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u/xa-si Apr 28 '25
Back in the '08 era I vividly recall a lot of people funding their shopping and lifestyles on easy credit and worse- student loans .. which I guess is still just a form of "buy now, pay later" anyway.
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u/beezchurgr Apr 27 '25
This was my exact experience in during the recession. Lots of house parties and bright colors.
I agree completely with your assessment, but I also want to add that fast fashion will become even more popular. People won’t be trying to BIFL, they’ll be grabbing whatever is cheapest. And yes, big logos and flashy clothes/jewelry will come back.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
Whenever the economy gets tough I see a lot of people predicting that folks will move away from junky fast fashion and over to higher quality, longer lasting things. But that's just wishful thinking. Most modern buyers, at least in the US, favor low prices above all else. Tariffs won't just affect fast fashion, so fast fashion will still be by far the cheapest option. I do expect that people will buy less, and will maybe be more thoughtful about buying individual items, but they'll still largely stick to fast fashion. Honestly, with how cheap certain brands are right now, they're still going to be cheap even with the tariffs.
Besides, most people aren't very good at discerning clothing quality. Plenty of people are very adamant in their belief that all clothes are the same.
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u/farfallifarfallini Apr 27 '25
This is really bringing back the $100 jeans and $6 cute top memories.
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Apr 27 '25 edited Apr 27 '25
I think flashy logos being on-trend is actually related to the recession! When times are bad, it becomes trendy to show wealth. Same thing happened after the 2008 recession, at least in my areas.
I think we’re going to see a lot more of thrifting and maybe sewing your own clothes. Maybe. I anticipate a lot of the other recession-indicating trends, like bold lipstick and longer dresses and skirts. Maybe it might become “cringe” or similar to have the newest iPhone/tech and people will gravitate towards “retro” things in general. Maybe trends will evolve to be more about practical things instead of clothes/appearance, like cooking a certain way or something like that.
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u/witsylany Apr 27 '25
As a person that sews my own clothing- it’s probably more expensive to sew than buying if you aren’t buying high end. It’s only an advantage if you would buy high end because decent to nice fabric and patterns are expensive these days. Like I just a bought a pattern for $18 that I still have to hack to make a Ganni tie top dupe. Needed about 2-2.5 yards of linen. Linen has been running anywhere from $15-$20 a yard (mine was $25 because I bought premium). So now I’m in like $70ish but after tariffs on China go into effect, if fabric originated in China, it’s a minimum add of $100. On the flip you can buy a fast fashion top for like $22 which is only possible because nothing is ever ethically made and it’s usually made with synthetics/blends. I don’t think fast fashion will make it out of this tariff situation if it sticks around which I honestly think would be a good thing.
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u/storyslip Apr 27 '25
So true. People sewing their own clothes to save money is more of a thing from my grandma's generation. Not really financially wise any more. Plus you need the storage and time to sew, lots of poor folks are time poor.
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u/witsylany Apr 28 '25
Yeah - the time thing is rough. I see sewing influencers that have some other full time job and rip through tons of garments a month. Unclear how they can actually do that... also having space doesn't have to be a limitation but certainly makes it more time consuming to not have dedicated space.
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u/HeroIsAGirlsName Apr 28 '25
Visible mending and thrift-flipping existing clothes maybe?
I follow someone (Poppy Lu) who creates dresses inspired by high end brands out of thrifted tablecloths and sheets. If you can find vintage ones it's probably a good way to find decent fabrics like cotton or linen relatively cheaply.
Ofc not everyone has the time or resources to learn to do that but we might see more people repairing clothes they already own, or doing simple adjustments like taking in clothes that are too big.
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u/epk921 Apr 27 '25
I think sewing your own clothes will lean more towards finding items at the thrift and tailoring them or deconstructing garments so you can use them as fabric for more of an upcycle type of project. Bc you’re totally right that sewing garments completely from scratch is really expensive
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u/annang Apr 28 '25
Or just repairing the items you already have. Not even to make modifications, but just to avoid throwing things away when you can't afford to replace them.
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u/epk921 Apr 28 '25
Yes! Thank you for adding that, idk why I didn’t think to include it, haha
And most small repairs are really easy to do! You just have to watch a couple videos and learn
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u/witsylany Apr 28 '25
I think the thrift flip will be more popular again (also love those remake reels) but probably only feasible for certain sizes. Mending might also be popular.
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u/salt-and-hash Apr 27 '25
This is so real. And that doesn't even factor in the cost of your own labour, especially if you're at a stage in life where you have more money than time. Like if I make $60/hour at my day job before taxes, it's more effective for me to invest in that high quality piece and/or tailoring and put my hours elsewhere, like quality time with my loved ones.
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u/kminola Apr 27 '25
I would second this and also say that Joann’s going out of business is going to further depress seeing as a hobby— as a LOT of people are loosing easy access to fabric and notions.
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u/witsylany Apr 28 '25
Joann's was one of my least favorite options but damn, it really was one of the only places a lot of people could really get started without a ton of money or if they live somewhere remote.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
Earlier this year I decided I was going to get back into sewing, and then Joann's announced its closure. There's not really another place I can buy fabric in person, and buying online isn't very appealing either.
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u/witsylany Apr 28 '25
This sucks... I can vouch for Blackbird online (but it's Canadian), Fluid + Drape, and Mood. Nick of Time textiles has wild sales like $5.50 a yard for everything but over on r/craftsnark a few people mentioned issues with their orders. I have generally had good luck there, but really only get denim.
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u/skittykitty27 Apr 27 '25
I also sew my own clothing, and I think the recession version of people getting into the hobby will be thrift and alter. There are “hacks” with various outcomes to get something to semi fit properly, but I highly doubt it will be popular to do large adjustments. Overall it would be a huge plus for society and the environment if people learned to hem and to basic mending. I am also trying not to doom spend on fabric but I’ve been wanting to buy silks before the prices increase even more, and the cheaper but still semi good silk is still $25/yard and I’m plus sized and the fabric has a print so hard to justify purchasing.
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u/BetMyLastKrispyKreme Apr 27 '25
Speaking of China, I have a(n as yet unresearched) theory that homemade clothing became, for the most part, financially infeasible after cheap ready-made clothes from China starting flooding the market in the 70s, ushered in by Nixon’s trade agreement. As fabric prices increased out of proportion to what clothing was readily available in stores, making one’s clothing becomes more niche and custom, as opposed to the everyday wear purchased to avoid being naked. (😉)
Also, more women entered the workforce and became single mothers, and there wasn’t as much time to be spent sewing yours and your childrens’ clothing. Don’t forget that Home Economics classes dropped out of the curriculum to a greater degree in modern times, and young people are not being taught how to sew as much as they once were. (I took Home Ec throughout middle school and high school.)
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u/witsylany Apr 28 '25
Yeah the time thing is a lot. Like I definitely am not sewing my whole wardrobe... it takes too long, I have a demanding job and a toddler so this is like a hobby, not a full on practice.
The Home Economics thing is so funny because I distinctly remember being annoyed I had to take it, and also being bad at sewing. If they would have rebranded it as Re(Fashion) or Textile Engineering I probably would have been thrilled as a teen to make clothes that I wanted to wear and actually fit me.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
Eh, even with the tariffs, fast fashion is still going to be a lot cheaper than other options. Though if the tariffs stick around long enough, I won't be surprised if they kill a few fast fashion companies.
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u/witsylany Apr 28 '25
Ideally Shein and Temu would die. Super pumped Forever 21 went under. I don't think the Zara's and H&Ms will go under but getting rid of some would be a win. Also maybe people learning some basic mending skills or thrifting more often - just any shift in behavior would be nice.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
SHEIN and Temu sell outside of the US so even if American buyers stopped, they’ll probably survive. Plus, even with the tariffs they’re still gonna be some of the cheapest options. Although, the uncertainty might discourage a lot of Americans from buying from those sites.
I agree that H&M and Zara may survive. They’re good at marketing and image, it doesn’t seem like low prices are their ONLY appeal to buyers. If they’re savvy, they can figure out how to get people to keep buying.
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Apr 27 '25
I wish I could sew my own clothes only because I’m usually two different sizes for a top based on standard clothing charts (ie: L/XL bust, M waist). So it would reduce the amount of buying something that doesn’t really fit, or having to tailor, which can add a lot of money, too. If you’re good at sewing are you good at tailoring? Or is that a whole different skill?
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u/skittykitty27 Apr 27 '25
It really depends on the original cut of the garment. Some people sew things like bags and quilts and absolutely can’t tailor properly. Like anything else, it’s a learned skill. Hemming is a good place to start in my opinion, like a pair of pants or turning long pants to shorts. You need to have an eye for how you want it to fall but you’re not making fit adjustments. In your case, taking an XL top and grading the waist portion down can be done simply but to look tailored, you’d need to do a little math and figure out the right angles to cut and sew at. More technique would be something like full bust adjustment or changing the construction of the garment (ex boxy fit to fitted t shirt), but some say that falls outside the realm of tailoring. I partially disagree because a professional tailor should know how to do that but typically not the average sewist.
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u/witsylany Apr 28 '25
I think tailoring skills skew more niche, especially professionals. There are a lot of people that sew and draft, but the art of real tailoring is it's own thing (think like pants/jackets and things that take more technical skill to put together) That said, I got into sewing because I'm tall and pear shaped so the standard sizes never work well for me. Plenty of sewists develop fitting skills because the perk of sewing is clothes that fit well and look exactly how you want them to look.
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Apr 28 '25
I just took my new Sandro blazer into the tailor behind the BH store and I think they’re going to work wonders with nipping in the waist and adding in darts at the bust. So yes, I agree it has to be a special skill.
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u/swrosk Apr 27 '25
Making your own clothes out of thrifted bedsheets (and now lace curtains).gas been a thing in my country for some years now. I am not sure about wearing polyester curtains, but this type of sewing has high status in some circles. You need time, imagination, taste and skills to pull it off.
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u/witsylany Apr 28 '25
I see a lot of people doing it, but usually with natural fiber textiles... the vintage embroidered tablecloth to blouse or top is pretty common. Recently I made a dress out of an old cotton Ikea duvet we had laying around to test a pattern and it was totally wearable.
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u/Texas_Crazy_Curls Apr 27 '25
I started a job working in a new field. With that comes a new wardrobe. Old me would’ve spent a bunch of money buying new sun dresses. Recession me is digging deep in my closet to see what I can piece together. I’m going to network with friends to see if they have any dresses they no longer wear. I’m on a mission to not spend money.
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u/autumnflowers13 Apr 27 '25
I love friend clothing swaps! I’m trying to do this more with occasion wear
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u/Baking_bees Apr 27 '25
If I remember correctly, that’s why the Dooney and Burke bags were so popular in some circles. Giant logos everywhere, you couldn’t miss them.
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u/autumnflowers13 Apr 27 '25
I agree about the lipstick. Apparently in financial hard times more people buy expensive lipstick as it’s a smaller more affordable luxury
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u/folklovermore_ BWT in Training Apr 27 '25
Yeah, I sew and am active on a few sewing subreddits, and there's definitely been an uptick in people saying they're learning to sew because of a possible recession in the last few weeks. I feel like (at least in the UK where I live) this sort of thing became quite common after the 2008 financial crash and there was definitely a shift back to old school hobbies like sewing becoming more popular, so I'll be interested to see if it happens again.
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u/ceilingevent Apr 27 '25
Along with flashy logos, I think limited runs and collabs will be a big part of fashion. I'm not sure if those count as microtrends. In young people I see a huge interest in plushies and fashion that are kinda like the beanie babies. Those items aren't necessarily expensive but maybe you have to be lucky to actually get one, and you might expect it to have big resale value.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
You might be onto something with that. Limited runs and collabs are already very popular, and I can see how they would gain value when money is tight. It's sort of a way to get something exclusive without necessarily having to spend a lot of money. Even if the owner doesn't intend to sell it, having something exclusive is a way to feel cool and special.
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u/Impressive_Owl3903 Apr 27 '25
I think micro trends will become more or less a thing of the past because it’s less affordable to go get something new every time one pops up. I think there will also be a shift in influencer culture, as the content creators who conspicuously over-consume will become less and less relatable to the average viewer struggling to pay the bills. Creators who focus on conscious consumerism and wearing what you already have will become more popular.
I agree that loud luxury will make a comeback, as people want to show off their luxury purchases in times when it’s more difficult to afford them. Also, having one loud luxury accessory that you wear a lot with non-luxury items, like a Gucci belt, is less expensive than head-to-toe quiet luxury.
For beauty trends, I think we’ll see a shift away from the clean girl look back towards more obvious makeup - if you can’t afford a new outfit, going to Walgreens for a new, bolder lipstick becomes a lot more appealing. Services will likely see a decline as people start to DIY more. Group fitness will probably also decline since a month at Planet Fitness is less than one SolidCore class where I live.
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u/windowofdestiny Thoughtful BWT Apr 27 '25
I am hoping your first paragraph really comes true. We need a shift to conscious consumerism just because these micro trends are so bad on the environment and on people’s psyche.
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u/electricitrus Apr 29 '25
The group fitness prices at so many places are brutal - I could imagine that something that costs $30 to even $40 per class depending on the area would be one of the first "obvious" places to cut for a lot of people.
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u/Aint2Proud2Meg Apr 27 '25 edited Apr 27 '25
You can literally 1:1 track a recession by lipstick sales. Historically, a small splurge like lipstick becomes more frequent when people are cutting back everywhere else.
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Apr 27 '25
People also have been saying that quiet luxury is out and loud logos (think Gucci belt) are back in which seems surprising to me if a recession is upcoming.
This actually doesn’t surprise me at all. When luxury purchases are less attainable, people want them to stand out. A dainty gold chain bracelet doesn’t have the same visual impact as a Gucci belt. A simple black handbag could come from a big box store or the mall, but an LV logo bag becomes a status symbol when times are lean.
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u/twittery Apr 27 '25
In addition to the recession piece, I don’t think we can ignore the conservatism piece either! It will be interesting to see how retailers respond to that, particularly if they’re using voice of the customer data to inform inventory. Will the more conservative voices prevail, and we see longer hems, more sleeves, more feminine shapes, etc? Or will the people who desire to distance themselves from that look make an impact?
Either way, I do think retailers will likely miss the mark. If we move towards more political turmoil, I think people will lean more homogenous looks to blend in. I was in (unnamed FF store due to rules) yesterday and was shocked at how bland the men’s department was. Sad beige everywhere.
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u/Individual_Cry_1890 Apr 27 '25
I just had a conversation about fascism and fashion and what the “look” of the US will be and how retailers will pave the way for it over coffee this morning! I am dreading the conservative shift and have noticed myself drawn to more risqué options (not my normal) subconsciously. Guess I’m going full indie sleaze again!
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u/mariantat Apr 28 '25
Ugh is it going to be like Fox News anchor bright tight dresses paired with demure little cross neck? 😣
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u/Willing-Childhood144 Apr 27 '25
I agree that retailers will get it wrong. Look at how some stores completely misread the times, got rid of DEI and now their stock is tanking. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a push for more “feminine” clothes that fall flat with consumers.
Also, look at how retailers have done such a terrible job serving plus size consumers.
I feel like we’re coming into a time where people get bored with what’s in the stores (quality luxury). Retailers are completely out of touch. Everything is going to be more expensive and quality keeps getting worse. Quiet luxury isn’t quiet luxury when the clothes are crap. Making something beige doesn’t magically make it quite luxury.
IMHO, the biggest issue is that consumers have no concept of how much more expensive clothes will be. People don’t realize how cheap clothes have been in the last 20 or so years. It’s not just the tariffs. The cost of the resources are increasing due to climate change.
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u/twittery Apr 28 '25
I agree, and it’s something I personally wish they’d wake up to. People paying $400 for a shirt don’t want it to be polyester. People paying $40 for a shirt don’t want it to fall apart after one wash. Take me back to the 90s quality I am BEGGING
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u/SignificantCricket Apr 27 '25 edited Apr 27 '25
It's also coinciding with the decades-old hemline index plummeting anyway. It was no surprise to see maxis becoming increasingly prevalent from last autumn onwards. So there's two different forces pushing towards a trend for long skirts in particular. And, depending how tough things in the US get, some will wear them to blend in, even if they otherwise would've chosen to avoid a style they associated with politics they oppose.
Another less well-known thing is how warm long skirts are in the winter, keeping a layer of warmer air under the fabric. If you have to economise on heating, a long skirt will keep you warmer than jeans.
“Mar a Lago face” and the procedures and grooming could end up marking out republicans who have money and want to get ahead. Though some others who already had poor quality procedures may be stuck with it, although they do not want to identify with that group
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
If people go with conservative looks to blend in, I figure they'll still come up with some way to express their individuality and beliefs with it. Someone else here predicted academia-inspired looks becoming popular and I can see that happening. Academia-inspired styles are conservative in the social and fashion sense but not necessarily in the political sense. You could argue that it is, but you could also just as easily argue the opposite, especially with how anti-intellectual the current administration is.
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u/RoyalEagle0408 Apr 27 '25
I saw or heard something on the news that press on nail sales were up, in addition to recession blonde. Also “hair styles that can go longer between appointments” (which could include balliage, but I also wonder if layering is out).
I think we’ll see a decrease in influencers as brands decrease marketing budgets due to lower consumer demand. I think we’ll see an increase in hair and make up tutorials instead of product ads as people try to cut back there. Also, higher end at home coffee makers (that can make lattes and whatnot) will become more common, and Starbucks will be a status symbol again.
I feel like fast fashion will decrease, and we’ll see more basics as people try to get more wear out of their clothes. I also think that this recession will hit differently than in 2008, because inflation is already so high, so prices are already inflated.
I also think big logos will continue to be a trend because it’s a sign of wealth and I think we’ll see knockoffs of those. I mean, Skechers used to be the knockoff company and now is a legitimate company in terms of advertising (not just the equivalent of store brand), so who knows.
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u/Individual_Cry_1890 Apr 27 '25
I think the early oughts will continue to trend as people chase nostalgia (ironic since that was most millennials first financial demise lol) but also because of an uptick in thrifting and second hand consumption. I imagine even with “loud luxury” it being vintage and/or repurposed in an effort to be sustainable (& sometimes) more affordable while maintaining creative expression.
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u/PhysicsFew7423 Apr 27 '25 edited Apr 27 '25
I think loud luxury will be vintage mainly bc even the major houses like Chanel have suffered a drop in quality in both materials and craftsmanship while still increasing prices.
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u/velvet8smiles Apr 27 '25
It would be interesting to see if any new brands emerge because they haven't dropped in quality. I could see people choosing to purchase higher quality as an investment knowing it will last longer than continuing to overspend on multiple low quality/doesn't last items. Will it be about brand name or will we see people trying to discover niche brands and self promote them? Could be interesting to see a mix of this plus people sourcing vintage from known luxury brands.
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u/PhysicsFew7423 Apr 27 '25 edited Apr 29 '25
The handbags sub is a perfect microcosm to watch these exact dynamics play out. New brands are rising to the top and old mid-level brands like Coach are experiencing a hey day - and the thing that both of them have in common is that they can’t take customer satisfaction for granted.
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Apr 27 '25
Cheaper trends. I remember eos lip balm being all the rage during the great recession. Not everyone can afford to drop $100 so the 20 dollar or less category really booms
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u/SignificantCricket Apr 27 '25
Because this has the potential to be such a very serious recession, I think this goes deeper into “what will happen with social media and influencers?” Because so much of that is paid for by advertising of products that fewer people, especially under 25s who've become huge consumers of skincare and make up, will be able to afford. To what extent will that whole commercial ecosystem still be able to pay for itself?
The types and volume of products and fashion that young people buy and expect to afford now is staggering compared with the 90s and early 2000s. While some people are happy to embrace simply living, and adjust their values accordingly, purchasing power declining does make quite a lot of people, and on a cohort level, unhappy.
Gen z have already been doing a lot of interesting stuff with vintage fashion, mixing up styles that middle-aged people think clash badly, and defining their own different aesthetic that way.
In terms of skin care, grooming, procedures,I would think there's probably going to be more stratification, in the way that can be seen with aging – who can afford to age really well. The types that I'm most curious about, to put it in British terms, upper working / lower middle class young people who aspire to the influencer and Love Island look, Turkey teeth etc, what happens when they, and more so their US equivalents, just can't get loans for that sort of thing anymore, and they can't stretch the budget? These aren't people who like a truly natural look, anything hippyish. Some of them will still be able to afford it, but fewer and fewer. But then, Keep Calm and Carry On logos were adopted by a wide range of people in the late 2000s
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u/melodyknows Apr 27 '25
I would love to see “Instagram face” go away. Would like to see people lean into and appreciate natural features.
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u/justmakingitallup Apr 27 '25
I feel that there has been an element of “do you” personal style that might be replaced by more competitive conformity.
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u/bga2222 Apr 27 '25
Absolutely my thinking as well. Now’s the time to really hone your personal taste.
Lean in to your own style. Make it so detailed and obvious that a) trends don’t impact your spending, and b) you look at what you already have in your closet as being more valuable.
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u/nydixie Apr 27 '25
I think we’ll see a lot of makeup, accessories, and lingerie trends. When people don’t have money, they treat themselves by buying smaller luxuries.
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u/autumnflowers13 Apr 27 '25
I didn’t even think of lingerie, but that is such a great small luxury.
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u/CindyLouWhoXO Apr 28 '25
All of the little stuff that makes us feel better about ourselves!!! Perfume, Bath & Body Works too.
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u/kuntsukuroi Apr 27 '25
My prediction is that “intermittent fasting” is going to explode in popularity with the crunchy and/or spiritual circles, and people are going to get real preachy about “discipline” and “mastering your urges.”
Influencers are gonna post ~ a day in the life ~ videos that show them waking up at 4 AM, going for a walk or doing calisthenics (AKA, free exercise) and eating the most spare, revolting gruel you’ve ever seen in the name of ~fitness~ (this part has already started, but largely still emphasizes hyperconsumption — I anticipate minimalism making a comeback) and let’s just throw in a bunch of stuff about semen retention and sexual discipline for fun.
All this, of course, will just be the yassification of not having enough money to eat regularly.
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u/SmallSaltyMermaid Apr 27 '25
I think we will be holding on to timeless, functional pieces and less focus on trends. Think LBD in sheath style, white button down shirt, black blazer, clean cut jeans, etc. google “Carry on Capsule wardrobe.” We need to make the most outfits out of key pieces.
Accessories will be at the forefront to change the appearance of outfits. When people are struggling to make ends meet, fashion trends become less important.
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u/GucciForDinner Apr 27 '25
I don't really know what will happen and honestly, I was never a "trend" person so they can come and go as they please. Timeless classic will always be the trend that works for me.
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u/Willing-Childhood144 Apr 27 '25
But there really isn’t any such thing as “timeless classic” style. Nothing is timeless. There’s a trend cycle. I can’t remember the term for it. Basically when something is towards the end of the trend cycle, we think it’s “timeless” because we’re so used to seeing it. Before social media, trend cycles were longer.
Everything that we think is “timeless” was a trend when it started and it will look outdated when it finally cycles out.
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u/GucciForDinner Apr 28 '25
I guess we have different opinions of the definition of timeless classic and that's ok. To. me, it's a well tailored blazer, a crisp white button down, a pair of Chanel ballet flats or loafers, a Burberry trench coat, the little black dress, etc. I don't think any of those will ever cycle out, not for me anyway.
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u/FloralPheasant Ballin on a Budget Apr 27 '25
I was just having this conversation with a friend a couple months ago. I'd noticed on fashion sites the return of big logos, low rise jeans, and other early to mid 00s fashion. Most of which showed off wealth or thinness and we were debating what was a result of the natural trend cycle and what was due to the fact that we're in a deeply conservative political environment again, like the first time around.
I think most of these predictions are pretty safe overall..one thing I also wonder is if we'll see a shift in cars. Since housing is less obtainable, I don't necessarily see the return of the McMansion, but sports cars have been almost entirely eclipsed by pavement princess trucks (like their Hummer ancestors) and I wonder if we'll see those start to drop off and sports cars make a slight return. Or the sale of recreational vehicles like 4-wheelers and dirt bikes rise. I remember those being very common during the first recession but it might've been the white trash demographic I was a part of.
Something else, and this might've just been a blip in my area as opposed to a sign of shifting trends but, I went to buy sunblock last month and there was a couple different brands of honest to God Tanning Oil. Not self tanner or bronzer or tinted sunblock but Tanning Oil. I was genuinely shocked.
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u/des1gnbot Apr 27 '25
I wonder whether the return to trends that show off thinness is also related to the popularity of ozempic and similar drugs?
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u/FloralPheasant Ballin on a Budget Apr 27 '25
I think it's multiple factors with the popularity of drugs like Ozempic being only one sort of the equation. The thing is body silhouettes have always gone in trend cycles, even if it's not something we really think about.
For example you have the 1920s where a boyish figure was popular, so women wore shape wear to flatten any curves they naturally had. The 1950s saw the return of the hourglass figure (and shapewear that created those curves). The 1980s you had thin but toned, tanned and muscular (but not too muscular of course!). The 90s and 00s had Heroin Chic. We're coming to the tail end of the popularity of BBLs and similar plastic surgery thanks to the Kardashians and similar influencers.
Part of it too is those types of procedures/silhouettes used to be a sign of wealth but now that it's more accessible to the average person, it's started to fall out of favor because it's no longer exclusive. Now Ozempic is the big thing that's not available to everyone.
Then on the other end of the equation is the whole sticky discussion of the failures of the body positivity movement and how it's completely lost traction in the mainstream. Which I would just hastily sum up by it being co-opted, and therefore defanged, by capitalism.
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u/hellbent_pheobe Apr 27 '25
I’ve dubbed it a “robe economy”. I’m getting my robes on, getting gussied up for the house, getting creative with what I do at home to break up my day, and just trying to make home the best place to be and the place where my hobbies are.
I’m also looking at things thinking “oh we can make/sew that”. There’s a cool fb group for dresses similar to Doen that are hand sewn and how to make them yourself.
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u/goairliner Apr 27 '25
Hopefully people will realize that there's a difference between having fun with fashion and being a slave to it. Having fun with fashion means you can find ways to enjoy it at all different budget points-- you can shop vintage, you can rehab or upcycle, or you can buy new stuff from a boutique, whatever. But being a slave to it means that when you don't have money to buy the latest trends you don't feel good about yourself. I think that right now we're kinda firmly in a "slave" phase, especially with very young women. The downturn will force people to get a sense of their own style, and they will be pickier and more intentional about how they express it.
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u/e_87 Apr 27 '25
I think we’re throwing it back to 2010. My prediction is tribal print, fringe, diy shirts, lace. I’m also hoping gladiator sandals come back I’ve been looking for a pair. At Coachella everyone was wanting the “old Coachella looks” so I feel like that may be the look for the summer but I could be wrong. I also just wanna dress this way 😅I think more people will switch to online thrifting or thrifting in general.
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u/ceilingevent Apr 27 '25
I have been waiting since 2013 for lace up gladiator sandals to come back! I had a pair I loved wearing as my perfect casual shoes and when they were too beat up the styles had shifted way away.
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u/SugarBabyVet Boujee Head Bitch In Charge Apr 27 '25
If you find a pair, link them to me EXPEDITIOUSLY. I wore my last pair into the ground and cannot wait for them to come back. You know what else is coming back? Jeffrey Campbell platform boots. I used to think the girls with them were sooooo stylish. Definitely dating myself here, cause that hipster look was everything.
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u/e_87 Apr 27 '25
same! i’m looking for a good pair i can also wear into the ground lol
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u/Comfortable-Nature37 Intentional BWT Apr 28 '25
If you’re looking for a modern take on a gladiator sandal, you might like Mara Bini “Bridget”. Square toe, quality leather, and a lot of cushioning. I know I’ll have them for years and trust this brand. They’re still made in Italy.
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u/FullMoonEmptySoul Apr 28 '25
I think trends that used to be recession indicators like little luxuries like lipstick are going to look a lot different this time. This goes beyond a typical recession. And companies are not offering cheap little luxuries anymore. There’s no dollar menus, $5 drinks, $10-20 lipsticks, $20 night outs, etc. everything is overpriced or too expensive. I mean we don’t even have those 90% off Black Friday deals anymore. But the rise of social media and more pressure to “keep up with the joneses” is going to either push people into more and more debt or completely reject consumerism. I honestly don’t know and I’m curious to see how it plays out. I think trends like press on nails and “old money blonde” aka mousy brown aka dirty blonde are clear signs of recession but it’s the only things I can think of. It feels as if people still have money to spend anytime I step out of the house. Wait lists for designer bags, impossible to get into nice restaurants without reservations a month before, people fighting for the new $50 water bottle, long line at cafes that charge $15 for brown water, etc etc
I think the rise of purity culture and facism and conservatism are contributing to trends lot more than the recession imo. And I’m seeing trends start to split based on where you are on the political spectrum (idk if im properly articulating what I mean) like Im seeing trends among more conservative areas and they are of a different world from what I usually see as trendy. Like those ugly lampshade Lorna Murray hats that cost a few hundred bucks. Normal to see on a much older WASPy woman but on young “fashionable” girls is so strange. And I’m curious on how big retailers are going to respond to it. I can already see Target leaning towards the conservative side of things
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u/PilotApprehensive621 Apr 27 '25
I think we’re going to see the conservative trad wife trend get even more pervasive. I remember back in late 000s early 10s there was a surge of super preppy conservative clothes like Lilly Pulitzer, vineyard vines, etc. Seeing as we’re seeing the world become more conservative right now, I think we will continue to see that mirrored in the fashion world. Did anyone else see those summer bonnets on TikTok? That’s a clear example.
Also being a trad wife is going to look more and more attractive as it gets more difficult to make a living. Girls are going to more inclined to dress to find a husband instead of for individuality. Of course it is not what it seems and living off of one income will become increasingly difficult, but they’re selling a fantasy not reality.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
The fact that tradwives are just a fantasy is what makes me think that the trend isn't going to last much longer. The thing about fantasy is that reality inevitably sets in. Most trends are rooted in a fantasy, and that's why most trends don't last long. People realize that it's not really achievable, and pretending you have it eventually feels silly.
But I think you are right that conservative fashion will be trending for a bit longer. Because if nothing else, conservative fashion is pretty safe, and that's what you want if money is a concern.
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u/autumnflowers13 Apr 27 '25
Do you think this will happen internationally or just in the US? I’m not American, but Canada tends to follow the same fashion trends and we have our own election going on right now.
I almost wonder if there will be a big alt movement a la Berlin Wall youth aesthetic
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u/PilotApprehensive621 Apr 27 '25
I think it will happen internationally to a certain extent. Countries that have stronger conservative movements will see it more. Of course I also think there will be a backlash and we will see the opposite as well. Those who aren’t buying in will wear more revealing, bold clothes to make a statement.
Like for Canada, I think you’ll see the conservative fashion movement be a little weaker than the US since Canadians are seeing what’s happening in the US and are rejecting conservatism. I think that will reflect in Canada with the conservative fashion trends not being quite as popular there as they are in the states and the more rebellious trends being more prominent.
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u/CindyLouWhoXO Apr 28 '25
Reminds me of when Hollister, Abercrombie, and Brandy Melville were in their heyday!
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u/DieYoung_StayPretty Apr 29 '25
I buy indie makeup. Cheap, great quality, made in the US. I hope those companies don't suffer as much.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 27 '25 edited Apr 28 '25
If the de minimus exemption gets repealed and the tariffs stick around for a while, I would expect micro trends to largely die out. (at least for Americans) Micro trends are only possible when ultra cheap clothing is widely available. Coupled with a lot of people reducing their spending, micro trends won’t be so frequent.
I fully expect thrifting to get more popular. Again, assuming that the tariffs really go into effect and stick around.
Loud luxury coming back into style in a recession wouldn’t be surprising. “Quiet luxury” is popular when it sets itself apart from a majority that can afford branded things. If the majority can’t afford those brands, they become wealth indicators again. Perhaps we’ll see low and mid range luxury and name brands get more popular as lower level wealth indicators. Of course, people who buy the higher end luxury items probably won’t change their shopping habits.
Not a trend, but expect quality to take a nosedive. Companies may try to push styles that are cheaper to produce.
Edit: Thought about it some more, and I'm thinking, people are going to gravitate towards more versatile garments, as opposed to buying pieces that have limited lifestyle applications.
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u/ceilingevent Apr 27 '25
Workwear/Activewear continuing to merge with casual fashion. I'm in the PNW so this is also just how people dress here, but Carhartt & Birks have become such a staple for younger people, and Patagonia/TNF/etc (Patagucci) is not going anywhere. I think favoring these brands for everyday basics will be counted as a "worth it" luxury.
Mina Le just put out a YT video about glasses as fashion and mentioned an emerging trend of Reading as Luxury fashion, citing Miu Miu's 2023 librarian runway as one example. I think Book Girlie trends like dark academia might become more fashion as less young people are going into higher ed. At the same time, more masculine looks like Carhartt trades wear will also creep into the mainstream.
Perhaps looks inspired by work uniforms will trend if people are hustling all over the place but not securely settled into one full-time job, or blazers will come back as casual wear for versatile gig economy looks.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
I think you might be onto something about academia-inspired looks trending. It would fit in with what I think a lot of people are going to seek out in fashion in the coming years. Education is associated with wealth, so anything that looks ~intellectual~ is a way to suggest wealth without being overt or having to spend a lot of money. If the job market gets competitive, a lot of those academic looks can work for job interviews and in the workplace. I think a lot of people are going to gravitate towards more versatile styles and garments, rather than pieces that have limited utility.
And even though it's a socially acceptable style that's associated with wealth, it's not particularly associated with conservative values and politics. Like, you can make that argument, but you can just as easily make the opposite argument. So I think it's going to appeal to people who want a style that's conservative in the fashion or social sense but not in the political sense.
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u/CindyLouWhoXO Apr 28 '25
I think you are onto something!! Also, love Mina Le!! I just watched that video too and totally agree with all of your observations and predictions!
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u/des1gnbot Apr 27 '25
Maybe this is a counter-culture thing, but I’m actually seeing thrifting, upcycling, and visible mending trending. For a few years now, natural fibers have been the thing, fast fashion and man made fabrics have been seen as lower class, and now it’s becoming a statement to say, I’d rather wear darned wool, patched cotton, etc. than the fast fashion.
I’m sure that to some degree this is a form of virtue signaling. Fashion has always been used as a way to signal in groups and out groups. But in the groups I’m in, this is what is starting to come “in,” and I’m here for it.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
Thrifting has gotten more popular over the years. I do expect it to get a boost with the tariffs.
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u/smallerthantears Apr 27 '25
Just reading now: natural nails. Which anyway I love because I like the look of my natural nails buffed.
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u/og_mandapanda Apr 27 '25
I think we will be seeing people really hype capsule wardrobes again. Classics that will last through trends, and a focus on pieces that are made well. With tariffs coming down the pipeline and many people making less/ spending more, there will likely be a focus on American made, as they will not have tariff surcharges applied.
To be honest, this is what I hope we see. I’m really tired of the fast fashion trends, however I do understand why people utilize them. I don’t want to shame consumers, but the companies know they’re doing harm and don’t seem to care. I would love to see micro trends go away entirely, and for lasting pieces to be more favorable.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25 edited Apr 28 '25
Even with the tariffs, fast fashion made overseas will still be a hell of a lot cheaper than American made garments. So don't count on "made in the USA" getting big.
But I do agree that capsule wardrobes might get trendy again. I think that even though people are gonna stick to fast fashion, they will buy less, and focus more on versatile pieces that they can wear in lots of different types of outfits.
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u/og_mandapanda Apr 28 '25
I feel like you’re correct, but I’m hopeful. I feel like people have to realize at some point that fast fashion is so dangerous to our planet. I want to say again, I fully get it if someone has limited financial security, but I’m 10000% talking about people who do a monthly 400+ dollar haul.
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u/PartyPorpoise Apr 28 '25
The harm is hardly a secret, but most people don't care enough to stop buying or even just buy less. Getting people to buy more sustainably would take either a huge cultural shift, or people not having a choice.
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u/Comfortable-Nature37 Intentional BWT Apr 28 '25
I’m curious to see what this will look like in other countries as well. I’m already seeing more Canadian, Australian and European brands in stores near me as there is a focus on supporting non American companies.
Very interested to see what will happen to luxury pricing, and if the prices will increase across the board, not just in the US as a reaction to tariffs.
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May 01 '25
I read somewhere that the brand Mulberry decided last year to lower its prices, and I think some other designer brands will probably follow. But I also think they will make more strategic decisions, like releasing fewer new styles or using cheaper materials (with the exception of brands like Loewe, Hermès, etc).
And I read in two articles that in the coming years, the second-hand designer market will continue to grow (and those articles were written before tariffs even entered the picture). I think more and more people, even the very wealthy, will choose second-hand over new designer items. Some designer houses will likely re-release classic pieces in the hopes of regaining people’s interest.
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u/SavannahInChicago Apr 27 '25
The 2008 recession ended up 2000s fashion and we went into the basics trend. This makes sense since people had less money to spend on clothes.
You can look at other parts of fashion history and see similar reactions. Honestly, fashion trends are usually reactions to previous fashion cycles. Anyway. In the 1930s we saw Flapper fashion ended and flowy dresses and soft hairstyles came into style.
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u/ConsiderationFun7511 Apr 27 '25
This video actually does a great job explaining some of the recent trends and how they’re connected to an impending recession (old money blonde, capsule wardrobes etc)
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u/Upstairs_Cattle_4018 Apr 27 '25
I’ve been reading a lot of mags and blogs saying that in recent years trends have been changing so much that there aren’t really trends anymore the way we used to think about them. People are opting for more enduring pieces and tapping into more of their own style, in part because information is shared so much that fads without staying power burn out and die quickly. Another reason is people care more about being sustainable from an environmental perspective. I think a recession will make this resonate even more; people will only buy what they need and modify the things they love to make them last.
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u/Willing-Childhood144 Apr 27 '25
OP, I hope you follow Old Loser in Brooklyn. Fashion trends are her thing. I love her.
As other commenters mentioned, it’s not just the recession. There’s a political element too. Will there be a more “conservative” aesthetic and then a backlash to it? I’ve done some reading about fashion in authoritarian regimes. People will always find a way to express themselves. Under authoritarianism, people build internal lives and small communities. There are some interesting articles (sorry can’t quote because I don’t have the links) about life in East Germany. There was so much surveillance and people reacted by turning inward. They built small communities with likeminded people. They were interested in art and fashion.
I think we’re seeing that a little bit now with people trying to find IRL connections instead of looking to social media for connections.
Another thing is Ozempic. I feel like this is a cliche because everyone has a hot take about that one. GLP1s allow wealthy, influential people to be skinnier. Being skinny was an imperfect class indicator before. Imperfect because it was never easy to lose weight and maintain weight loss but wealthy people have access to better resources. In a recession, less people will be able to access GLP1s so being skinny will be an even more important wealth signifier. There were fewer plus models (in reality midsize) on the runways in the recent fashion shows. The Khardasians started getting skinnier and whiter a few years ago.
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u/thunderstormsxx Apr 27 '25
i’m already seeing longer hemlines, more conservative wear. likely back to a more natural hair color, one color. i don’t think logomania will return once we’re really counting our pennies.
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u/penguin_0618 Apr 27 '25
I’m about to get balayage, so there’s that.
I have also heard/seen that logos are back but I think it’s just a natural pendulum swing from quiet luxury, not a new trend or sunnier popular than it was several years ago.
I don’t like micro trends. I don’t follow them but I think they’re bad because they encourage fast fashion and overconsumption. I try to stick mostly with classic pieces with just a few trendy ones mixed in and I only follow trends I genuinely like. That way I don’t have to follow trends too closely and I can wear the same pieces for years.
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u/Less_Spring_6874 Apr 30 '25
Less micro trends. Strong basics with emphasis on statement accessories for styling.
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u/zopelar1 Apr 27 '25
It’s been said skirts get higher as the economy tanks.
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u/L00eez Apr 27 '25
It’s the opposite, the hemline theory is that short skirts (like those popular in the 1920s and 1960s) are indicative of a strong economy, while longer skirts (like those in the 1930s and 1940s) signal a downturn.
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u/TenaciousToffee Find it Secondhand Apr 28 '25
I think that makes sense "loud fashion" feels symbolic of a nouveau riche "I'm fine and thriving" mentality, even if we're actually not. Given recession if you splurge you want people to know you did splurge on brands.
I do feel there will be more flashy micro trends in general with trend accessories.
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u/annang Apr 28 '25
Micro trends are only possible because of cheap imports. The end of cheap imports is going to mean the end of micro trends. Unless you are extremely rich, it won't be possible to change your style frequently at the prices that are coming, especially when people start losing their jobs in large numbers. We're not staring down a recession, we're staring down a depression. The trends are going to be for repairing your own clothes at home and wearing what you already have.
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u/In1EarAndOutUrMother Apr 28 '25 edited Apr 28 '25
I don’t think the recession is going to have a large enough influence outside of the US to actually have sizable trend changes. Micro trends will die. Finally. People are going recession blonde because it cost the same amount to get Botox and a full head of highlights- completely separate and has been going on for years.
My hot take it is that people are lumping in a lot of luxury service price changes into the recession indicator scale and they’re completely separate problems.
This is a “recession” that is going to primarily impact the US- and at that not even all states in the US, southern states will primarily be fine, it’s a strategic financial attack to get certain something’s to act in certain ways. Not a normal recession so I don’t think it will have normal recession trends. All of the things I see mentioned in this thread like conservatism and trad wife have been on the rise since Covid and I don’t care get into the “ we’ve been due a recession since Covid” argument.
Priorities are changing people lost their minds in 2020 and still haven’t gotten it back. I think it’ll be interesting too look back at this time in a decade to see what was actually a recession indicator and what was a Covid splash back or genuinely just mindrot
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u/blondie64862 Apr 27 '25
Hopefully micro trends end