The State of Style: 7 Major Shifts Defining 2024 Fashion

Welcome to The State of Style, an annual report that serves as our version of a State of the Union, in which we zoom out and look at not just what is trending at the present moment but why certain things have broken through.

What does a flouncy boho blouse have to do with youth-led activist movements? Could the economy be the driver behind next season’s return to maximalism? Do the rise of designer bag charms indicate the beginning of a recession? Let’s face it: Fashion has never existed in a vacuum. While it’s easy to envision a team of fashion editors getting together to cook up what will be cool next, the reality is that there are a multitude of factors that wield their power over the trend cycle, from overt pop culture and social media influences to the more inconspicuous effects of the current political and economic moment—and let’s just say that 2024 is giving us a lot to unpack both sartorially and geopolitically.

Of course, the concept of fashion as a mirror to society is nothing new. For centuries, it has been used as a tool for political dissent, radical self-expression, and a sense of belonging. Whether or not we like to admit it, the clothing we wear says more about who we are and what we value than we could ever begin to express with words, from the waistlines that expose what generation we fall into to the way we aim to dress for certain aesthetics to fit in with those who “get it.” It can be a strong indicator of the state of the economy, too. The Hemline Index is a long-held theory that skirt lengths rise and fall according to the strength of the economy, and while it’s not a hard-and-fast rule, the stock market continues to be as sensitive to our feelings and emotions as the trend cycle, proving that fashion has never been about just fashion. It’s always been a barometer for our collective mood. Here, we’re turning our attention to the seven high-level shifts that are defining 2024 style and how they’re a reflection of the world around us.

Let’s go back to 2004. It girls like Sienna Miller, Kate Moss, and the Olsen twins were the defining names in celebrity style. Whether it was images of the Olsens and their Balenciaga City Bags or Sienna Miller’s Glastonbury outfits, our favorite style stars were constantly being snapped by paparazzi in a concoction of frills, suede, platform wedges, handkerchief hemlines, denim, and chiffon. Fast-forward precisely 20 years, and boho style is once again back on the menu, thanks in no small part to Chloé’s F/W 24 collection. Creative Director Chemena Kamali’s debut show introduced a vision of modern bohemia that was an instant hit both on and off the runways—A-list endorsement from Daisy Edgar-Jones to Sydney Sweeney helped cement Chloé as the new It brand—and it created a halo effect for the boho style trend at large with searches for “boho” up 82% in Q3 2024, according to the Lyst Index. While Chloé looms large, elsewhere in the market is Hermès and its fleet of cool-girl clogs, a rebrand at Isabel Marant, and a rise in crafty pendant necklaces and stone jewelry, especially Elsa Peretti’s highly sought-after collection with Tiffany & Co, that all point to boho’s undeniable return.