The 30 Items That Will Define Style in 2025

The new year is here, and that can only mean one thing: It's time to hit the refresh button on everything to do with fashion. Luckily, since it's 2025 and the internet's faster than it used to be, we don't have to pause for buffering. In fact, all the year's first It items have already been set live, ready to be purchased, worn, and likely shared by the thousands on social media. Impatient shoppers, rejoice! There's no reason to wait to start buying 2025's coolest, most sought-after pieces.
To create this list of year-defining items, I dug into the spring/summer 2025 runway collections; Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest; recent celebrity street style; and everything retailers just stocked for the lead-in to the new year. I've been doing this for a long time, so I can spot a future-viral piece from a mile away (even with my very subpar eyesight). I narrowed them down from hundreds of options to a more digestible 30 pieces, all of which you can find and shop ASAP. For a guide to what to buy in 2025, keep scrolling.
If a top has an attached scarf or cape-like detail in 2025, buy it, especially if it costs under $200. Trust me—this trend isn't going anywhere, and it looks just as elegant when paired with vintage Levi's as it does with a slip skirt or pair of sleek, tailored trousers. I've seen gorgeous options that cost thousands, and yes, I wanted them, but I recently acquired this Zara option and got so many compliments on it, proving you don't always have to shell out big (unless you want to) on of-the-moment pieces.
This belt has been buzzing for over a year now, but Madewell keeps tweaking it slightly to keep it on top—quite successfully, I might add. This time around, the brand made it in navy-blue suede, an unexpected choice that'll have people begging you to share a link to purchase one of their own.
In 2025, expect denim styles to be slimmer and tailored, like a stovepipe or straight leg. Though there will always be room for a baggy pair or two, cleaner lines and less puddling at the hem are suggested in the year ahead. This pair, in particular, checks every box and has a super-high waist that's flattering and sophisticated. Just remember to try them on—I sized down two sizes when I got these in order to ensure a snug fit wear after wear.
Freja's latest It bag has hit the market just in time for 2025's arrival. The Mercer, an east-west silhouette with a rounded, dual shoulder handle and zip-around opening, is quickly growing in It status. It's just a matter of time before fans of the brand, like Jennifer Lawrence and Hailey Bieber, are seen carrying one in either Oat, Espresso, or Black.
This year, particularly the early months of it, will be defined by cashmere—lots of it. Everyone's stocking up on the luxurious knit fabric in the form of pants, sweaters, accessories, and even shoes! It's cashmere's world, and we're just living in it.
Is it just me, or have black trousers suddenly been replaced by silk and satin loungewear pants? Not that I'm mad about it. Going into the depths of winter, opt for comfort over all else with these luxe-looking bottoms that almost always feature a drawstring waist and pajama-like drapey fit.
It's the year of slippers—fancy slippers, that is. From Charvet to The Row to Arthur Sleep, everyone cool is wearing luxe travel slippers made of suede and leather as we enter 2025. No, you can't wear them outside (though Lawrence and Dakota Johnson have a tendency to), but there's nothing more "rich" than taking off your painful heels or boots and slipping on house shoes the second you enter the safety of your home.
To be honest, a great coat is iconic in any year, but with winter really kicking off, now's the perfect time to invest in a long-term-relationship piece of outerwear. This coat is made of a mix of cashmere and wool, and the big shoulders make it feel like a designer item instead of a quite affordable pick.
Phoebe Philo's cinched-waist leather jacket really kicked off this silhouette trend, but more and more, I'm seeing designers take a liking to it, experimenting to find their own take. Chloë Sevigny recently gave it her stamp of approval for a premiere event for the Netflix show Monsters, and if the ultimate It girl says it's cool, it is.
This year is going to be all about luxurious, refined takes on classic wardrobe items. Take this polo-collar pullover for instance. It's more sophisticated and elegant than a T-shirt or oversize sweater but possesses the same classic and effortless air about it.
I have an eye for Zara items that will go viral and sell out in a very short period of time. This skirt is one such item. I just received one and got stopped not once but twice by people on the street asking where I got it. It gives me serious Prada vibes and fits beautifully.
The most-wanted handbag of 2025 has already been revealed, and it's none other than Alaïa's brand-new Le Teckel Clutch, which comes in black and burgundy suede as well as black leather. Everyone's talking about this bag right now, and soon, everyone (chic) will be carrying one.
If you want to achieve The Row's overall look in 2025, start your shopping journey with this COS off-the-shoulder dress. It's similar to an option from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's lauded fashion brand that Ariana Grande recently wore. It's gorgeous and timeless, and at $150, it's a fantastic deal.
Peep-toe shoes will be making a shocking resurgence come 2025, starting with this pair by Khaite that we just shot on Grace VanderWaal for her In Focus story. Sleek, sexy, and unexpected, these pumps are at the very top of my wish list for winter, spring, summer, and fall.
If I had to pick just one item that fashion editors are fighting the most over right now, it'd be By Malene Birger's leopard-print outerwear. From the brand's Resort 2025 collection, this coat and its longer big sister are selling out at lightning speed despite their fairly high price tags. I know I want one…
If you snagged a lace-trim slip skirt or dress in 2024, cheers to you because this is one trend that's staying put in the new year, especially after Zoë Kravitz was seen sporting a similar look to the above J.Crew skirt in NYC.
Following Saint Laurent's viral S/S 25 show, everyone cool I follow on Instagram is styling their go-to button-down shirts, blazers, and suits with ties. I guess it's time I learn to tie one.
The Le Teckel Clutch's only real competition in the bag department in 2025 is Balenciaga's Rodeo Bag, a timeless top-handle flap bag that Bieber has been sporting a lot lately. Other fans include Justine Skye, Lindsay Lohan, and Vittoria Ceretti.
Jennifer Lopez is already fully on board with the viral New Heights Ugg boots and clogs. They give you just enough lift while simultaneously keeping your toes cozy and warm all winter long.
This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.
Eliza Huber is an NYC-based senior fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and the intersection of sports and fashion. She joinedBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing in 2021 from Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a business degree from the University of Iowa. She's launched two columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top runway trends each season. Eliza lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, watching WNBA games, and scouring The RealReal for discounted Prada.
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