Q+A with Digi: Our 2023 trend predictions

We gaveVICE the lowdown on our trend predictions for the new year, from cosy winter grandma-inspired style to dressing like a British school teen from the mid-2000s:

Folklore Grandma

Plenty of trends have honoured wholesome, matriarchal homemakers (cottage core, coastal grandmother, etc) but in AW23, Folklore Grandma will emerge. This trend is modest, motherly and cosy with heavy layers, house slippers and knits. Silhouettes will become snuggly, pastimes will become analogue and accessories will be knitted and crocheted, as we all weather the storm of life. In beauty, we can expect ruddy blusher, wispy corner lashes, undone hair and outgrown greys. We’re seeing signs of our Folklore Grandma appearing already, from this years ‘Frazzled English Woman’ trope and Julia Fox’s painted-on grey roots to @zoekimkenealy’s ‘I’m cold’ makeup look.

Sleaze Implodes

Sleaze will become the new ‘core’ suffix in fashion – from mermaidcore transforming into mermaid sleaze to balletcore and cabincore becoming ballet sleaze and cabin sleaze respectively. Sleazes subvert their source material, making it grungier and edgier, rather than attempting to capture the purest essence of an aesthetic, the way cores do.

High School 2k

Most academia aesthetics dream of prep schools, Prefect badges and privilege beyond belief, but next year, posh pleats and embroidered details will be replaced. High School 2K puts the ‘mid’ in mid 2000s, channelling the muted colours, classic cuts and intentionally unexciting British school uniform. This trend is an ode to the Bri-ish students of the noughties, who scruffed up their standard uniforms to express their differences (prepare for undone ties, scribbled white shirts, skinny gold chains, hemmed mini skirts and clunky Kickers). Miu Miu SS23 gives us a glimpse of this, with a monotonous palette, awkward fitting blazers and sporty zip-ups over shirts and skirts. 

2000s Normcore
2000s normcore or what one of our favourite creators on the net Rian Phin calls “true-thousands”, could see a growth in popularity as many people grow tired of the current microtrends and seek to isolate and distance themselves from the mainstream.

2000s Normcore consists of dressing like “normies” or “NPC’s” of the decade, sourcing images, videos and any other type of media where ordinary people are present i.e old Flickr accounts, abandoned online blogs, Facebook, etc., in order to get a real sense of how people were truly dressing in the 2000s.

Not only does this aesthetic distance the people who follow it from the mainstream trends, but it also removes the pressure from always having to keep up.

Slobwear

This is the quiet quitter of aesthetics. (You probably shouldn’t wear this to work, though). In fashion we will see ‘slept-in’ baggy fits, big brother tee’s, underwear as outerwear and grungy ‘give us nothing’ styling. It’s mostly oversized, possibly torn and absolutely all hanging out. In beauty we can expect lived-in lippy, nap-flushed ‘lazy blush’ and sleepily scraped back hair. 

90s minimalism  (as a reaction to trend oversaturation and the minimalist but still very contemporary “clean girl” look)

Minimalism a la 90s Gwyneth Paltrow will act as an antidote to trend overload – mirroring the popularity of minimalism via Phoebe Philo in the 2010s and the contemporary “clean girl” look, but placing emphasis on the clean lines of ‘90s designers like Helmut Lang and Jil Sander. This trend will also act as a way to shop smart ahead of a recession, since the pieces and looks involved are trend cycle resistant. 

Read the full article by Lauren O’Neill here.

✨ Contributing Fairies

• Biz Sherbert, Culture Editor
• Rukiat Ashawe, Culture Specialist
• Jane Macfarlane, Brand Creative Director

✨ Digi Viewing Recs

• Mainstream fashion and trend adaptation (Rian Phin, 2022)