As 2021 ends, there is a lot that is uncertain about the coming year. Speculating about health, politics, and society puts us on rocky terrain and can be disheartening. Fortunately, there is always fashion to pull our focus. While it may not seem as important as other aspects of our lives, fashion actually makes a big impact on the world and long ago proved worthy of our attention.
There is plenty of speculation about which fashion trends will end and which will begin in 2022. But what are we aspiring to and are our dreams realistic?
The following fashion trends are what we hope to see in 2022.
Medium-Paced Fashion
A lot has been said about fast fashion and the negative impact it is having on our world. People are buying and discarding cheap clothing at a rate never seen before. In some ways, this is a good thing. A large wardrobe is no longer a luxury reserved for the rich. However, it is simply not sustainable.
Going back to slow fashion is not really an option either. Fashion was a tool of the elite for far too long. People will not go back to wearing the same clothes for years on end and nor should they have to.
In 2022, we hope to see something in between the two extremes. We have reason to believe this might happen. The pandemic has kept us inside and shown us that remote working and living is possible. People don't need different outfits every single day. The clothes designed by fast fashion outlets are lasting people longer, and may become unsustainable on a financial level for their producers.
Hopefully, by the end of the year, people will have items in their closets that they love, are affordable, and will last a little longer.
Swimwear For All Bodies
The bikini has had its day in the sun for far too long. While there are many who love the look, a lot of women just don't feel comfortable in a bikini. This is true for women who prefer to show less skin and those who are simply concerned about the impact of the sun.
The good news is that there are already fashion outlets making attractive swimwear that caters to all bodies and all preferences. Take a look at Calypsa swimwear. They provide options for women who want attractive alternatives. They have swimwear for people of all sizes and body types, who want to cover up and who want to show some skin.
In 2022, we hope to see this trend become widespread. Fashionable swimwear – and clothing in general – should not require its wearers to have specific body types or personalities.
Cruelty-Free Fabrics
Our modern world does not leave much space for nuance when discussing controversial issues. Animal products in clothing is one such issue. The outlook most people have is that you are either for animal products in clothing or against them. However, the reality is that any long-term solution needs to fall somewhere between the two opinions.
As things stand, if everyone stopped wearing leather and fur we might have even worse environmental issues. There are simply not enough organic alternatives for certain types of clothing produced from animal products. If you live in a part of the world that gets very cold in winter, you may need clothing made of leather, fur, down, or other such materials.
This will not always be the case, and alternatives that are sustainable will become available on a widespread level eventually. For now, however, the focus needs to be on sustainable and cruelty-free practices. Ideally, leather and fur will come from animals whose meat is being consumed or used, and not from animals farmed only for these materials. Animals need to be treated well by everyone in the production line, with space to move freely during their lives.
Cruelty-free clothing is available but finding reputable providers can still be tricky. We hope that in 2022, cruelty-free clothing will become all the more accessible, and bad practices will become unacceptable.
We can hope for some trends in 2022 when it comes to fashion. The year ahead is far from certain, but fashion always provides cause for optimism.