Outside Fashion Month runways, there's a land where personal expression and peacocking flourish. With street-style fashion trends, anything—indeed, anything—can go. And that's half the fun of it. This season's showgoers proved formal dress codes are out and that the real world can, and often does, function as an in-action spring 2024 trend report.
Street style trends call on timeless codes and classics, but they also integrate exciting personal twists. According to the street style set, there's no one correct way to wear your sweater, and an "It" bag isn't always what you'd expect: on day one of New York Fashion Week, we counted three logo-less buckets, two vintage coin purses, and one extra large tote bag that went far beyond "ludicrously capacious." Bolder stylings like micro hot pants and early aughts mainstays made for refreshing styling moments that strayed from the status quo.
Keep scrolling for a cumulative roundup of the best fashion week street style, a shoppable edit, and some excellent fashion insight from two NYC-based street style photographers who've seen it all, Karya Schanilec and Liisa Jokinen.
Even a seasoned fashion editor can't identify this logo-free bag, making it all the more exciting.
Tell Me About It, Stud
Grommets galore! Silver hardware provided a sprinkling of punk flair.
Street-style photographer Karya Schanilec says a surplus of silver hardware repeatedly caught her eye across New York, Milan, and Paris. "I have been really surprised by how many rivets and grommets I've seen on bags, shoes, jackets, etc. They add a little edge to a casual outfit," she notes. As for what's on our radar, we've become fixated on Khaite's Benny Belt, studded with polished silver discs that always pair well with a low-stakes tank top and longline Bermuda shorts.
Strange Sweater Stylings
As these attendees did, get creative with how you wear your sweaters this spring.
Sweaters styled in every which way—around your neck as a scarf, as a crossbody knit, or atop another sweater—were another popular trend. "This styling feels incredibly chic, and I think it's a great way to layer for spring," says Schanilec. Try knotting your best Breton striped J.Crew sweater over a ribbed tank, as seen on Marie Claire's editor-in-chief, Nikki Ogunnaike.
Underdog It Bags
From quirky chocolate chip cheetah totes to throwback Balenciaga City Bags, the street style bags ran the gamut.
"Honestly, [spring 2024] feels like the most diverse season yet for accessories," says Schanilec. "In previous seasons, I could easily spot what the It bag was because every major influencer was carrying it, but [in 2024] I'm seeing many different bags— especially vintage. [At Paris Fashion Week,] I saw a lot of vintage Guess bags, and COS has a new iteration of their quilted bag called the Ripple I've started to see on the street," the photographer details.
Liisa Jokinen agrees, specifically spotlighting the popularity of Puppets & Puppets Cookie bags. Fall/Winter 2024 marked the indie brand's last New York showing before moving its operations to London.
Ladylike Codes
We love old-school ladylike glamour, and so does the street-style crowd. This season, Schanilec observed an astronomical increase in lady jackets. "Tweed, contrasting trim, metallic hardware, and pearls seem to have permeated everything going into spring," she says. Now feels like the time to invest in a great classic tweedy or bouclé cropped jacket, and offset it with a set of contemporary accessory, like a baroque pearl earring by Mateo New York.
Functional Flats
Easy-to-walk-in flats were a popular choice across the circuit.
While you might expect sharp stilettos to be a Fashion Month favorite, most guests prefer wearing their best ballet flats while jumping from one runway show to the next. Schanilec shares, "Mary Janes and ballet flats are still going strong into 2024, and I am forecasting they will be the primary shoe of choice as the weather gets warmer." Jokinen adds that, in particular, "Chanel and Margiela Tabi ballet flats were all the rage."
Schanilec's seen them frequently styled with statement socks and tights, a combo you should test out with your mesh flats.
The Early-Aughts Fade Out
McBling-ed rhinestones and low-slung waistlines were few and far between.
"I think we're moving away from Y2K aesthetics to both the 90s and 2010s style revivals," theorizes Schanilec. Jokinen confirms that tailored suits and blazers called on the streamlined minimalism of business casual wear. There were so many great oversized, pinstripe, and belted blazers this season," she said.
Warm-Weather Leather
From button-front day dresses to luscious trench coats, leather was a go-to textile throughout Fashion Month.
Jokinen notes that "leather jackets replaced puffer coats" at the February shows. Long trench coats, cropped and colorful motocross jackets, and lots of shearling-lined leather jackets and coats," were seen on the streets.
No Pants? Check.
The no-pants trend strikes again! In New York, London, and Paris, it popped up in the form of leather micro shorts and knit briefs.
"The no-pants trend was also strong," Jokinen says. "Huge sweaters worn as dresses, micro shorts, or bikini bottoms worn instead of pants with tights, heels, and long coats—it's a sexy and glamorous trend!" She quips.
For a wearable take on the bottomless trend, emulate Ferragamo's linen hot pants with knit tights and an oversized crewneck sweater.
Meet the Experts
Karya is an NYC photographer and business owner capturing the style and stories of real people. She is the photographer behind the viral Instagram page @karyastreetstyle, a community of people who love to see the everyday street style in NYC as well as the emerging trends of fashion week show-goers.
Liisa Jokinen is a street style photographer based in New York behind the pioneering Hel Looks, SF Looks and NYC Looks street style sites. Liisa is also the founder of Gem, the search engine for all online vintage clothing and the creator of the NYC Vintage Map, the complete list of all thrift, vintage, second hand, and consignment stores in NYC.
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