If you’re anything like me, you might find it hard to keep up with all the seemingly endless trends that pop up on TikTok — and grow quickly with the app’s finely tuned algorithm. On the video platform, a new generation of tastemakers is cycling through a variety of aesthetics at such a high speed that even the staunchest fashionistas can barely keep up. If that sounds like you, you’ve come to the right place. Digital media and retailers like Instagram and Depop have predicted all the major Gen Z fashion trends for 2023, presenting them in an easily digestible list. (And(The stylish Gen Z creatives TZR spoke to for this story completely signed off on their predictions.)
To gather this information, Instagram tapped trends forecasting agency WGSN to survey more than 1,000 social media users ages 16 to 24 across the United States. Their biggest discovery? There is a popular and growing demand for eco-friendly and ethical fashion, as well as a focus on creating shopping habits that reflect their values. (In elections, 30% of Gen Z are too old to vote so they vote with their dollars instead.) “In addition to the sustainability part, Gen Z is looking for ways to express themselves when fashion trends come around. And go faster,” Darian Simon Harvin, Instagram’s appointed trends expert, told TZR.
Depop’s 2023 Fashion Themes report reveals that some existing trends will carry over into their new iterations throughout 2023. The disco aesthetic inspired by Dua Lipa, for example, is set to transition into a blue fashion trend. Stripped clothing emerges as a new incarnation of sartorial subversion. Now, here’s a Gen Z pro tip: Whatever trend you decide to adopt, you have complete freedom to adjust it to reflect your personal style. “With shorter trend cycles, many Gen Z creators are moving away from dress to suit a more diverse aesthetic,” said TikTok content creator Piera Hillier. “They overlap, and trends like cow print or deconstructed fashion can cross over a lot of great fashion styles.”
Scroll ahead to see what the young generation will be wearing in 2023.
Strong and DIY fashion
According to Depop, 90 percent of its community members have recently made changes to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Wardrobe-wise, this often means saving up and shopping the second-hand market in general. “Gen Z has normalized the idea of reusing and upcycling clothes. Not only is it a more sustainable way of consumer production, but when you recycle and recycle, you can make something truly one-of-a-kind,” explains Dole. “And even if you don’t customize your secondhand finds, your friends are less likely to find the same piece that you do.”
Another thing to note here is that Gen Z will start DIYing their clothes and accessories in 2023. “That has to do with the need to feel special and have a background,” Harvey explained.
Space Age 2.0
In the year In 2022, there was a lot of buzz around Lipa’s disco-glam style. Now, this glittering beauty has set the stage for a burgeoning celestial fashion trend. So, you’ll want to keep an eye out for space-age-inspired outfits that are rich in chain mail, zodiac motifs, feather trims, and more. Of late, they’ve all seen a huge spike in searches on Depop — meaning fashion-savvy Gen Xers are buying into this new trend. “I’ve seen a good community get into the future of accessories, but I think we can go all the way The fifth element [in 2023]” says Gen Z content creator Clara Perlmutter.
Broken images
Another trend you’ll want to keep an eye on in the coming months is stripped clothing – aka clothing and accessories that can be transformed with functional details like zippers and buttons. Namely, Hilaire cites Wisdom Kay’s Dion Lee Puffer, Joe Flow’s button-down jeans from Y/Project and the soft-lacy tailored ensembles from Yuhan Wang’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection as prime examples of this evolving aesthetic. (If you’re looking at the Sully sweater set pictured above, you can get one here — but make sure you do so quickly, as there’s only one size left in stock.)
Block
Addressing the rising Tik Tok trend, Perlmutter points to the block fashion genre, which she attributes to Bella Hadid’s personal style. In short, it mixes two popular TikTok aesthetics from 2022: a funky flirty look and a sporty, soccer-inspired blockcore. The best part is that you can pair a block dress or two with pieces from your wardrobe – all you need is a cargo or denim maxi dress, a track jacket and a few key pieces. A pair of Adidas Samba sneakers.
“And it’s not unrelated to the block trend — I think Bella Hadid’s overall beauty look will be more prevalent,” Perlmutter added. “I feel like this has happened to fashion people before, but soon it will hit the masses, and fast fashion will disrupt the archival Prada knockoffs.
