As the weather starts to heat up and the pandemic starts to cool down, it is time to shed our Zoom sweatpants and start actually dressing again. 2021 has already seen its fair share of trends live and die; playful knitwear, the collective chokehold that Saks Potts had us all in for a month, cow print, at-home money piece hair dye jobs, and many more we aren’t sorry to see go. If you’re looking for a few pieces to Instagram this summer, here are five trends sure to make a huge wave and cement your status as a fashion icon.
1. 70’s Inspired Swimwear
Rejoice! It’s finally time to hang up the bootleg Louis Vuitton print and highlighter yellow bikinis in favor of these 70’s inspired silhouettes and prints that you can actually swim in. Popularized by staple brands like Frankie’s Bikinis and Solid and Striped, these suits gain inspiration from early 70’s JC Penney catalog ads and Sports Illustrated spreads. When shopping this trend, look for boy short style bikini bottoms, vibrant prints, and structured or belted one-pieces.
2. Fingerless Gloves
Paris Hilton strikes again with a trend resurgence. While her graphic baby tees remain back in style, her signature gloves are coming back too. This trend has a lot of versatility and can be made to fit any style aesthetic, so get ready for a myriad of takes on this piece. To spice up a casual daytime look, try a pair of knit fingerless gloves, and for a nighttime look, try opting for leather or mesh.
3. Coach
Coach has had a long and storied run in the fashion world. Known for their quality leather goods and tacky wristlets owned by every 7th grader in your hometown, the brand hasn’t been a player on the main stage in a while. However, Coach has undergone a massive rebrand in the past few months, ditching the Mickey Mouse bags and following Louis Vuitton’s strategy of having social media influencers promote their new collections. It’s great news for those of us looking for well-made leather pieces without shelling out four grand for a Dior saddlebag. One of these Coach bags will likely run you well under 500 dollars. When shopping for this trend, look for shoulder bags that feature their signature jacquard, or exaggerated quilting. And, of course, the vintage leather city bags will never go out of style.
4. Chunky Highlights
The quarantine money piece highlights may be on their way out, but fret not, as they are being replaced by the iconic chunky highlights of Christina Aguilera and Avril Lavigne. It is the perfect progression for those of us who don’t want to dye our money piece back, but aren’t ready to bleach our whole heads. The even better news is that the style looks good on all hair types. For the 2021 version of this throwback look, try experimenting with vibrant colors or with a layered cut.
5. Jelly Sandals
The comeback of jelly sandals has long been on the docket for the cultural zeitgeist. We’ve been flirting with them for the past few seasons, but the instant popularity of Gucci’s rubber platforms proves that their time is indeed now. I wouldn’t recommend shelling out the $360 for the Gucci ones; their meteoric rise predicts a short lifespan for their trendiness, looking like they might soon join the Gucci belt in the wasteland of sorority staples. However, for a higher fashion version of this trend, there are a multitude of options. Ferragamo has been doing these looks for a while now, Off-White does an edgier take, Moschino does a more playful version, and both Stuart Weitzman and Steve Madden have come out with more affordable takes on the look. While jelly shoes are a polarizing wardrobe piece, they are quite versatile shoes. Try styling them with loose-fitting jeans, a sundress, or with your brand new 70’s swimsuit.