Mob wives and brats and cowboys, oh my: The year in microtrends

The format of trends has evolved in recent years, forcing onto the industry a structure that almost entirely ignores pre-arranged seasons, resulting in a sense of unpredictability. It can be hard to therefore know which trends will catch on, however, social media’s rise to prominence has made such networks a core decider in the evolution of shopping behaviour.

While microtrends–a term referring to short-lived, albeit often wildly popular, trends–have always existed, it is the presence of social networks that has changed the landscape and speed at which fashion evolves. When you zoom out and analyse what sticks, however, trends that typically bear roots in current culture often then have the ability to shift narratives and create discussion, thus catching on beyond the bubble that is TikTok.

Since its rise to popularity–around 2018–the video platform is typically cited as being the cause of these fleeting trends, with creators actively responding and engaging with such momentary movements in order to retain relevance and subsequent engagement with their audience. This is in part due to TikTok’s algorithm, which is actively designed to bring catchy aesthetics to the forefront, thus encouraging regular participation.

While many of these trends are often controversial in nature, largely down to their rapid pace and therefore contribution to fast fashion, they do well to pin down what it is that young shoppers are generally responding to, giving insights into their current frame of mind and putting into the spotlight the biggest trendsetters of the present day. Here are some of the microtrends that had a grasp on 2024.

January: Mob Wife

While already an aesthetic with an existing synonymous look, the Mob Wife’s 2024 reckoning can be traced back to TikTok creator Kayla Trivieri, who declared at the beginning of the year that ‘clean girl’ –a 2023 Sofia Richie-inspired microtrend emphasising slick, minimal styling–was “out” and the mob wife was “in”. Recognition from ‘Godfather’ director, Francis Ford Coppola, and an alignment with the 25th anniversary of ‘The Sopranos’ helped cement ‘Mob Wife’ as a momentary, culturally-significant trend.

The New Year was thus rung in with dramatic fur coats, bold jewellery choices, big sunglasses and animal print-everything. It wasn’t long, however, before the anticipated backlash arrived. As some social media users were channelling ‘Kay Corleone’, others criticised the trend for glamourising mafia mentality and organised crime, and with this came the swift departure of the mob wife.

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February: Bogcore

The rise of ‘Bogcore’ can be accredited to Copenhagen-based designer duo Jonas Sayed Gammal Bruun and Sophia Martinussen of Solitude Studios. The trend itself–both an extension and alternative to ‘cottage core’ and ‘goblincore’ of 2023–seemingly came as a result of the designers’ off-schedule Copenhagen Fashion Week (CPHFW) show, where they presented rugged, distressed and mismatched items down a dimly lit runway.

Though Solitude Studios appeared to have taken the ‘bogcore’ crown, the swampy aesthetic is no stranger to other CPHFW participants, many of whom display an already edgy, down-to-earth approach to fashion. Among them, there also seems to be a cohesive connection to nature, which typically inspires prints and silhouettes, feeding into the bog-like character tied to the fashion week's AW24 season. Such relevance was only bolstered by the earthy tones of albums by Hozier and Kacey Musgraves, both of whom leant on connections to nature to inform promotional aesthetics.

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March: Beyoncé’s Americana

Following the release of her country-infused single ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’, Beyoncé took the world on a ride with her Americana promotional campaign that led up to the drop of her widely-impactful ‘Cowboy Carter’ album. Cue a slew of diamante-encrusted cowboy hats.

The theme of the album–and thus the reason the trend slotted in so well culturally–tied in with conversations that were happening across the US regarding what it meant to be–and ultimately look like–a “patriot”. Even before Cowboy Carter, this was already turned on its head at the beginning of the year, when Pharrell Williams relied heavily on “Western” influences to inform his Louis Vuitton AW24 menswear show, shifting preconceived notions of what a ‘cowboy’ was. It marked a departure from last year’s Coachella-born ‘Coastal Cowboy’, a bohemian take on the look that had been criticised for its uninclusive ideals.

While the Americana fashion trend seems to have waned in recent months, Beyoncé and her album’s influence has not. Her song ‘Levii’s Jeans’ featuring Post Malone–another star to have tackled the country music genre this year–helped boost sales for Levi’s, ultimately leading to a full throttle campaign and collaboration between the denim brand and Beyoncé, emphasising her place at the “centre of culture”, as Levi’s CFO, Harmit Singh, put it.

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April: Tenniscore

The overarching influence of promotional campaigns cannot be overstated, thus was once again proven in the press tour of the widely anticipated film, ‘Challengers’. At the centre of the tennis frenzy was the production’s star, Zendaya, who used the red–or in this case green–carpets to showcase fashion pieces directly referencing the racket sport. On top of that, Jonathan Anderson–of JW Anderson and Loewe–served as none other than the film’s costume designer, securing the title’s place as a leading fashion-flick.

What followed was a craze for tennis-inspired attire, from pleated mini skirts to sleek polos to stark-white trainers, items that only felt even more relevant in the wake of the Paris Olympics and, later, Wimbledon, which both took over the world’s screens throughout summer, putting some of tennis’ biggest stars into the public domain.

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May: Euro 2024

Competing with tennis’ impact, football fever took over the world for the month of May as anticipation built for the upcoming Euro 2024. Despite the microtrend ‘Blokecore’ having already done its round last year, it appeared that the aesthetic re-emerged in time for the football competition, and with it came the return of football shirts and related sportswear.

Such fervor continued even after Euro 2024 came to a close. A slew of football-inspired designer collections on the SS25 runways, coupled with the continuation of a sports-centric summer, ensured the longevity of the trend. Its presence is likely only to be lengthened by the announcement of a reunion between the British band Oasis, the brothers of which are infamous for their innately ‘bloke’ appearance. Their tour, scheduled to begin next year, could signal the prolonging of the ‘bloke’ as a fashion movement in its own right.

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June: Trad Wives

A complete 180 on the Mob Wife, and one of the more controversial trends of this year was that of ‘Trad Wives’. The term typically refers to women who follow traditional gender roles, however, in the present day, those who deem themselves to be ‘Trad Wives’ claim to have brought a new meaning and aesthetic to the title.

One individual at the helm of this “movement” is Nara Smith, a model turned ‘from scratch’ influencer whose social media has ignited everything from curiosity to outrage. Yet, as discussions about her way of life have sparked widespread debate, Smith, now a fashion week front row regular, has continued to post videos of herself cooking homemade meals for her husband, Lucky Blue Smith, and their children, while sporting looks that encapsulate the epitome of high fashion.

Thus, the traditional wife, who had once been associated with A-line midi skirts and aprons, is now arguably a fashion inspiration, modernised today through the merging of vintage-like pieces, often reminiscent of 50s fashion, with ultra-high fashion designer items. At the crux, however, is the need to portray a “down to earth” feel, retaining that sense of “modesty” that remains at the heart of ‘Trad Wifery’.

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July: Underconsumption core

With over 49.9 million posts [at the time of publication] linked to this TikTok tag, ‘Underconsumption core’ seems to juxtapose notions that the platform’s users are backers of fast-paced trend cycles, instead reframing them as more “conscious consumers”. Through the tag, TikTok creators promote utilising just a small rotation of products over a long period of time, in response to both the current economic climate and an increased awareness of environmental issues. One of the leaders of the trend, ‘dainty.nugs’, for example, exhibited trainers she claimed to have worn every day for two years. Others have showcased their singular bag or coat, or alternatively, their capsule wardrobes, sometimes made up of just 25 garments.

While seemingly a turnaround in the practices of TikTok’s beauty and fashion gurus, ‘Underconsumption core’ quickly came under the lens of internet sleuths and critics who expressed doubt at the inclusion of the word ‘core’ in the title, which is often applied to short-term TikTok trends that quickly lose relevance with an audience. Despite this, fashion week designers are increasingly taking to circular practices for their runway collections, possibly reflecting a more permanent presence. While discussions surrounding ‘Underconsumption core’ have continued throughout the year, it is yet to be seen what the longevity of this “trend” will be.

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August: Demure

By now, the word ‘demure’ is likely in everyone’s vocabulary, and the person we have to thank for that is Jools Lebron, the TikTok creator behind what became one of the biggest, yet shortest-lived, microtrends of the year. Lebron’s signature motto – “very demure, very mindful” – quickly caught on and took over the world of social media. Her videos, in which she referenced her makeup and styling as being “demure”, went on to influence fashion styles considered more “modest” in their approach. Typically, this was interpreted as garments that provided more coverage, often in pastel or neutral colour palettes, generating outfits that were pared back, classic and, of course, “mindful”.

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September: Brat

A stark contrast from ‘demure’ but a definite competitor for ‘microtrend’ of the year is ‘Brat Summer’. The music movement-turned-neon green fashion frenzy was the birth child of singer Charli XCX and her Grammy-nominated album, ‘Brat’. While simple, it was the cover of the album that sparked the fervor–the title in a blurred letter type printed on the backdrop of a distinct green hue. Ahead of its release, promotion of the album already dominated social media with the shade of green popping up in various cities as an Instagrammable backdrop. The colour eventually made its way into people’s wardrobes, and became increasingly present as Charli continued to release more music and went on a subsequent tour.

Beyond green, however, ‘Brat’ was defined as being more of a character that was unapologetically rebellious and defiant, reflecting the messy, party-girl behaviour exhibited by the album’s creator. The meaning of the word was turned further on its head when Charli posted on X - formerly Twitter - “Kamala IS brat”, upon the announcement that Kamala Harris was to run for presidency in the US, giving the former vice president a nod of approval.

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October: Office Siren

Mid-September, the internet’s favourite trendsetter, model Bella Hadid, shook up social media with clips of herself riding a horse in a tight-fitted, button-up shirt. While initially tying into the year’s ongoing ‘cowboy’ theme, the presence of office attire in surprising settings eventually became a trend of its own, with a burst of sex appeal contributing to what was soon known as the ‘Office Siren’. It was a look that Hadid had already been championing throughout the year, as she appeared on occasions wearing similarly minute shirting and daring tailoring, often paired with corporate-like spectacles. The model’s return to the runway for Yves Saint Laurent’s SS25 show, where she sported an oversized suit, further fuelled the ‘Office Siren’ craze.

Corporate glam, sometimes referred to as ‘Corpcore’, had already made a mark following the success of HBO’s ‘Succession’ series last year, which channelled in the ever-prominent ‘Quiet Luxury’ aesthetic, one of the few trends that has managed to go beyond the ‘mirco’ status. This year, HBO continued this office-based streak with its show, ‘Industry’, while elsewhere, A24’s movie ‘Babygirl’ and the campaign for FKA Twigs’ forthcoming album have also helped to now put the workplace in a more “sexy” light.

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November: Wicked

‘Wicked’, a film adaptation of the successful theatre production of the same name, ensnared the world with its story of friendship, defiance and bravery. At its core are stars, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who have now completed a whirlwind global press tour to promote the film. Alongside viral “memeable” moments from various interviews, both Erivo and Grande have used the tour as a showcase of impeccable fashion that channels their respective characters, Elphaba and Glinda, and thus making way for a series of high fashion greens, blacks, pinks and pastels on an emerald carpet.

The simplicity of this trend prompted social media creators around the world to take on board the contrasting colour tones, holding space for their own iterations of how they would style the two fashion-forward protagonists. This subsequently made its way into the wider fashion world, alongside a slew of collaborative Wicked collections that only drove home the magnitude of this box office hit.

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December: Unapologetically loud luxury

It only makes sense that a year filled largely with eccentric and extravagant trends would culminate in the re-emergence of loud luxury, the unapologetic type. While December is still unfolding, this form of luxury has already started the rounds, backed by celebrity ambassadors like Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan, two singers credited with reinstating 'pop' music to its former status who have this year also become known for their eccentric, often costumey wardrobes.

According to Instagram account @databutmakeitfashion, interest in Loud Luxury’s competitor, Quiet Luxury, has fallen to the wayside, coinciding with an increase in interest for usual Loud Luxury suspects, Dolce & Gabbana and Versace. This possibly reflects a wider, overarching trend for the year of consumers actively rejecting Quiet Luxury and its subsequent microtrends, like ‘Clean Girl’, which has since been perceived as “problematic” and “non inclusive” due to its reliance on outdated stereotypes. Could this then finally mark the ultimate demise of Quiet Luxury, however? That is yet to be seen.

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