Microtrend is a dirty word. It implies something that is trending but not timeless; something that doesn't have the same weight as a trend-trend. Microtrends are more often something we see popping off on social media and not necessarily onthe runway. And so people discredit them as not really holding any weight in the zeitgeist. But the microtrends I'm seeing right now feel different than all those that have come before them. The microtrends for fall 2025 actually have longevity.
And that might have to do with the fact that the microtrends of the moment actually have been on the runway too, just not as dominantly as the major trends. From fluffy tail keychains to horse girl-approved riding boots to stripes coming from polka dot's crown, the 6 microtrends fashion editors like myself actually believe in—and want to invest in.
Riding Boots
The Garment Spring/Summer 2026
I recently attended Copenhagen fashion week and wrote about the horse girl aesthetic I saw on a handful of runways there. There was a major resurgence of the riding boot, which is also popular on TikTok thanks to Gen Z discovering a popular pair by Prada sport. We can expect these to become the preferred tall boot of the moment, with everyone subverting the typically preppy vibe by wearing them with anything and everything, from knit polos to fuzzy miniskirts. Horse not needed.
Fluffy Keychains
At Tory Burch's fall/winter 2025 show I was mesmerized by nearly everything but especially a funny little fuzzy tail charm that hung form model's belts, dresses and bags. Obviously bag charm culture is huge right now but as the Labubu craze begins to die down, I think we'll start to see more of this more subtle, but still fluffy, option. There aren't that many on the market yet—sometimes that's how it is with microtrends!—but a leather tassel also gives a similar vibe and works well while it's still too hot out to start incorporating that kind of fuzzy texture.
Camouflage
Camo is back. As minimalism becomes a thing of the past, louder patterns like this one will be everything. I'm seeing a lot more camouflage items on The Real Real and in thrift shops, but have especially seen people having lots of fun styling the pattern more subversively and with humor on social media. It's easy to have fun with something like camo since it is associated with a certain kind of aesthetic. All you have to do is style it with anything else, like something preppy or feminine, to get a so-wrong-it-is-right look.
Beaded shoelaces
Cecilie Bahnsen Resort 2026
Once again, bag charms are huge right now. But eventually everyone is going to run out of space on their bag straps for funky little charms. And where will they look to next? Their shoes! On the runway at Cecilie Bahnsen and Coach we saw models wearing shoes with beaded laces or small charms attached. It's easy to DIY and can give your favorite footwear an instant look that makes you feel like you've bought a brand new shoe.
Stripes
Polka dots are everywhere right now but stripes are coming for the quirky print's crown. Sandy Liang putting stripes on her Fall/Winter 2025 runway is a surefire way to get every It girl in New York to consider wearing the pattern with more frequency, but you'll notice it was all over street style in cities like Copenhagen as well. Stripes may be associated with breezy subtle French girl chic, but this fall you can expect it to be worn in a far more eccentric way a-la the Sandy Liang runway.
Billowing Pants
There has been a running joke that the dominant look of the moment is a pair of big pants and a tiny little shirt. And...it's very much still true. Except now instead of wide-leg pants, expect to see a more loose bohemian style pants everywhere. Free People's forever young bloomer pant has already gone majorly viral multiple times over and everyone wants to be a Chloé girl right now thanks to Chemena Kamali. It's the kind of microtrend that will blow up because of how comfortable and easy it is to wear.
