Today’s trends are anything but straightforward, with balaclavas, belly chains, and upside-down bikinis all making waves. Ensuring that your wardrobe is up to date can often mean searching for shoppable items in a sea of puzzling options. Our columnSourcedanswers all your market-related questions, as well as offers you an endless source of styles that will make snagging today’s top trends easy, so you can spend your precious time learning about the next wave of trends.
Over the last few years, balaclavas have become one of winter's biggest accessories.
We should have seen this coming: During the summer of 2021 (yes, summer), Kim Kardashian sported a full face covering, courtesy of Balenciaga, to one of Kanye West’s Donda listening parties. A few weeks later, the Skims founder traded the style for a leather "face mask" to step out in New York (when it was still hot out, no less!). In September, she attended the Met Gala in a full face covering and dress that launched a thousand memes, accompanied by Balenciaga designer Demna Gvasalia in a similar mask. (Gossip Girl actor Evan Mock also wore a full face mask, paired with a shorts suit, to the American-themed red carpet.)
While full face masks can be an extreme accessory, there's another viable (and winter-proof!) option: balaclavas.
Now that winter is in full swing, here are some options to battle the cold in style.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
Holzweiler Trin Cashmere Balaclava Grey Mix, $, available at Holzweiler
& Other Stories Wool Blend Knitted Hood, $, available at & Other Stories
The Arrivals Sanne Balaclava, $, available at The Arrivals
Stone Island Wool/Nylon Balaclava, $, available at Stone Island
Cecilie Bahnsen Gigi wool knit balaclava, $, available at mytheresa
The Y2K fashion cycle is still here, and its next era promises to reveal all our dystopian anxieties. Fire prints, puffed vests, camping-ready parkas, oversized cargo pockets, and futuristic leather trench coats are some of the ways fashion is grappling with our reality, making clothes fit for a post-apocalyptic, cyber-first world.
Take, for example, the Miu Miu spring 2023 show, which opened with wind turbines in the background and featured clothing fit for The Hunger Games, from oversized cargo jackets to nylon raincoats and distressed leather details. Then, there was New York-based designer Elena Velez’s apocalyptic spring 2023 collection, where models adorned in heavy cut-outs, dark hues, and brutalist silhouettes walked through fog. Balmain and Louis Vuitton also jumped on the dystopian commentary for their spring lineups: Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing opted for flame prints to close the show, while Louis Vuitton’s Nicolas Ghesquière put out inflated clothing with oversized zippers that could easily double as emergency gear.
It was all the result of heavy anxieties over climate change and societal collapse that have plagued our psyches for years now. Simultaneously, trends like “avant apocalypse” – a TikTok-born term that encompasses the end of the world approach Gen Z has taken on fashion – have infiltrated designer runways, concluding in lineups that look straight out of The Matrix or The Book of Eli.
“After everything that people have been through over the last couple years, it’s all about moving into the future of what’s going to happen with a slightly darker feel that is a little bit more rebellious,” says Swasti Sarna, Pinterest Global Director of Insights. According to the platform’s 2023 trend predictions report, searches for “dystopian outfits” have risen by 215% over the past year.
Simultaneously, the term “dystopian fashion” has grown over 330 million views on TikTok, where creators, like Paris-based creator and secondhand seller on Depop Flamie Love, are sharing their take on the apocalyptic trend. “I think it’s interesting because if we are in the future right now, we should dress accordingly,” they tell Refinery29. “Personally, I’m having more of an optimistic perspective, more of a utopic future when we are saving the earth.” That includes wearing secondhand clothes exclusively, leading to fits that range from tank top dresses with bold graphic prints to utilitarian puffer sets. “I think the fact that I wear only secondhand clothes is something quite dystopian in a way,” the creator adds. “It’s like in movies or books, when resources are limited or disappearing, people do with what they have.”
This is not the first time that dystopian fashion has become a trend, and for Sarna, it’s actually just another era of the Y2K phenomenon that has taken fashion by storm over the past two years. As digital fashion grows and the metaverse and gaming takes over people’s internet lives, the trend has been transforming people’s personal styles into cyber-ready, sci-fi fits that encompass many of the anxieties and curiosities of the Y2K era (you know, when people thought the world would collapse at midnight in 2000), featuring futuristic sunglasses, bold graphic prints, and streetwear that’s heavily inspired by the digital world. “I think this is just an expression of feeling a little bit unsure about the future,” says Sarna.
But as many of the futuristic predictions start to come true — think: climate change, economic downfalls, AI-powered art — Love says it’s key to dress like the future we feared is already here. “I think people are really realizing now that we are in the future [of] when many dystopian books and films and even fashion houses were creating the future of the 2000s,” says Love. “It’s like they are ready if the apocalypse were to happen tomorrow.”
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At one time or another, we’ve all had a beloved matching sweatsuit, hoodie, or sweatpants that we’ve repeatedly worn until it was time to part ways. Maybe the color faded or the fabric pilled or lost its silky touch. It’s sad — saying goodbye to a beloved piece of clothing is no easy task. But we’re here to steer you from your favorite high school band zip-up to new, upgraded loungewear from Monrow. Wear and tear isn’t a thing with its Supersoft line, which keeps you in your favorite loungewear for years despite countless wears and washes. It’s also perfect for all seasons, as the fabric is naturally lightweight and breathable yet comfy for layering.
Whichever piece you choose from the Supersoft collection, it will retain the coziness of your once-beloved sweatshirt. Don’t believe us? Monrow’s Supersoft fabric was designed to be worn and washed for years and only to get softer over time. Plus, it comes in an assortment of styles like zip-up hoodies, classic sweatshirts, shorts, and even robes — all offered in neutral and pigmented hues. Although each piece costs anywhere from $100 to $170, you are investing in a piece you won’t have to replace in a couple of months. Ahead, browse only a handful of Monrow’s best-selling items in its Supersoft collection.
A crew neck sweatshirt is a wardrobe staple. It’s ideal for layering and wearing on its own. Look no further if you’re in the market for a lightweight option.
Brighten up your dreary winter closet with the rainbow shades that Monrow’s Supersoft Vintage Shorts come in. If you prefer minimalist shades, cool heathered Ash is a starting point.
Get ready for Valentine’s Day in the Supersoft Robe that features a sultry and shorter fit and a loose waist tie.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. The product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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The Golden Globe Awards are back, ushering in the 2023 Hollywood award season. The Globes are a celebration of film and television over the last year, and of course, there is always a focus on the stunning looks worn by nominees and on the red carpet.
It's been a reserved last couple of years for the behemoth night in entertainment. 2022 in particular saw a barren iteration after the pandemic and an industry-wide boycott led to no broadcast, no audience, no host, and no red carpet. This year, the awards show, conducted by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, is attempting to save face with a return to regularly scheduled programming and a string of reforms to address concerns over diversity and back-channeling.
But during a gray-skied Los Angeles afternoon, arriving celebrities graced an even grayer carpet at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where a noticeably larger turnout saw stars showing off their extravagant gowns, suits, and hybrid outfits. Among the celebs who walked the red carpet were Ana de Armas (Blonde), Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All At Once), Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Margot Robbie (Babylon), and Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building) walking the carpet.
