“As someone who is self-diagnosed as ‘chronically online’, I’ve seen a lot of flash-in-the-pan trends over the past few seasons,” AJR Live Footprint Center July 12, 2024 Poster Shirt says Elinor Block, editorial lead at luxury fashion gaming company Drest, which enables its users to create infinite outfit possibilities in the metaverse. “The past year we saw Barbiecore, ‘blokecore’ and ‘tomato-girl summer’ emerge as some of the bigger, zeitgeisty aesthetics adopted by Gen Z and the TikTok crowd. And whilst some are rooted in major trends, when it comes to real life, there’s no doubt that longevity and items that work season after season are a bigger draw. “When playing with clothes in Drest, however, there’s definitely a different kind of approach I take to dressing. The virtual world allows me to style looks that I might not have considered before with more out-there pieces from high-octane brands such as David Koma or Balmain—I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that cherry-red, rose-covered dress that I spied on the S/S 24 runway. It gives me a chance to be more experimental and see how I can move that into my IRL wardrobe without taking too much of a risk.” This, dear reader, is what the modern-day dressing-up box looks like. As always, any piece you invest in, be it inspired by the trends below or otherwise, should only be purchased if you intend on keeping it in your wardrobe for a very, very long time. I’ve gone to great lengths to cherry-pick the ones that have a chance.

AJR Live Footprint Center July 12, 2024 Poster Shirt ,hoodie, sweater, longsleeve and ladies t-shirt

We often see metallics take over the winter collections, AJR Live Footprint Center July 12, 2024 Poster Shirt but this spring, there’s a surprisingly fresh range of shimmering pieces that are here to transform metallics into a perennial favourite. Between lamé and satin, brocade and leather and sequins and jewels, never before has the trend been so thoroughly explored. An audible gasp could be heard when Tove’s liquid-gold dress came round the corner, whilst La Pointe’s fabulous silver sequin two-piece sent the paparazzi flashbulbs into a frenzy. “Whilst sequins and metallics never really go out of style, for spring/summer 2024 they’ve had a revamp, with liquid-gold dresses, shimmering chainmail-style creations and glistening silver tailoring adorning the catwalks alongside plenty of sequins and a hefty dose of lamé,” says Nash. “It might not be the most practical of trends—you’re unlikely to see me in a fabulous sparkling two-piece on my commute, I’m afraid—but what I love about it is that it really brings the joy back into dressing. Put on the pieces you normally reserve only for best and shine!”