I Shop 7 Days a Week and Think These 6 Micro-Trends Will Take Over

Most stylish people will do their due diligence to stay on top of the big seasonal trends filtering through the fashion world, but for those that are really keen on being ahead of the curve, you're already focusing on what's bubbling under. Today, we're diving a little bit deeper into our favorite pastime of trendspotting to talk about the under-the-radar trends we've noticed are gaining steady traction. They're not as prevalent as some of the ubiquitous styles on the market, but with time, we predict you'll be seeing them everywhere. 

So which designs should you keep your eyes peeled for now? Callbacks to Y2K style, like the trucker hat, are slowly popping up on our feeds as well as subtle riffs on spring's huge cutout trend, like keyhole slits and extreme cutouts that look as if they're busting at the seams. Some of these may fall on the controversial side, but that's the fun of fashion, right? More micro-trends are also making waves slowly yet surely, so get your paper and pencil ready and take note as we run through the simmering trends set to boil over. 

Detached Sleeves

Last year, Chanel's creative director, Virginie Viard, sent a clear message that we should all be shifting our attention to detached sleeves. The design was a reoccurring theme within the S/S 21 collection, appearing in a tiered ruffled dress and with a black-and-white halter catsuit. Mugler similarly made several references to detached sleeves during its latest presentation, so we have a hunch there's some credence to their status as a trend to watch. Is it a glove, or is it a sleeve? That's the big question, but whatever you call it, get ready to see more of it soon.

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On the runways:
(Image credit: Imaxtree)

Chanel S/S 21 collection

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Mugler)

Mugler F/W 21 collection

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Ruched Rings

A micro-trend that seemingly came out of nowhere, ruched rings increasingly picked up steam just at the start of the warm-weather season. We've seen the detail on swimsuits, crop tops, dresses, and more, so it definitely ranks as one of the more wearable trends on this list. 

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(Image credit: @lefevrediary)

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(Image credit: @alyssainthecity)

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Peekaboo Slits

Now we've come to the risqué portion of our forecast: Welcome to the peekaboo slit. This trend can be described as keyhole cutouts aligned along the sides of a blouse, pants, or a skirt. (You may have to reconsider underwear here.) If you're daring enough to try it for yourself, brands such as Marcia, ACNE Studios, and Christopher Esber have featured the detail in their recent collections. 

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(Image credit: @emnitta)

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(Image credit: @lifeofboheme)

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(Image credit: @camillecharriere)

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Threadbare Cutouts

Less can, in fact, be more, as proven by this next micro-trend. It's one that's easier seen than said, but to put it plainly, this craze is all about cutouts that are so stretched out that they look as if they're hanging on by a thread. Of course, you won't bust out of them should you partake in any of these designer versions, but the extreme look is enough to pique curiosity. Designer Rui Zhou has made this look her signature for some time, but other brands like Ottolinger and Poster Girl have recently joined the choir.

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On the runways:
(Image credit: Courtesy of Christopher Esber)

Christopher Esber S/S 21 collection

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Rui)

Rui S/S 21 collection

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Trucker Hats

Get your Von Dutch hats ready. The Y2K fashion phenomenon has graced our timelines for a bit, so we weren't too surprised when trucker hats started to crop up on a few of our favorite fashion people. Newcomer Mowalola Ogunlesi's logo trucker hat has become a cult item among fashion circles, and early-noughts favorite Von Dutch has experienced a resurgence with Gen Z. It's definitely divisive, but my inner preteen is ready for this dose of nostalgia.

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(Image credit: @isabellalalonde)

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(Image credit: @devonleecarlson)

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(Image credit: @mowalola)

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Layer Up

We've talked about this bubbling trend before, but it's definitely one to keep on your radar for the months ahead. The look is quite simple: Think of two contrasting tops or dresses worn on top of one another, but the exception here is that it's all one piece. We really love how it adds another dimension to a basic top or dress, and it's edgy in a more delicate way than, say, patent leather or heavy metals. It's an easy micro-trend to incorporate into your daily wardrobe if any of the others seem too intimidating to try out.

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On the runways:
(Image credit: Courtesy of Jacquemus)

Jacquemus S/S 21 collection

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Sandy Liang)

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Next up, I'm Not a Sneakerhead, But These Chanel Sneakers Just Convinced Me Otherwise

Fashion Market Editor

Indya Brown is a fashion editor, stylist, and writer living in Los Angeles. While going to school at Columbia University in New York City, she got her feet wet in the fashion industry interning at Elle magazine, Harper's Bazaar, and New York magazine's The Cut. After graduating in 2016, she joined The Cut as a fashion assistant, eventually working her way up to fashion editor. There, she worked on a multitude of projects, including styling inbook feature stories for New York magazine's print issue, writing and pitching market stories for The Cut, and serving as fashion lead for The Cut's branded content. While New York has been her home for over 10 years, she moved to Los Angeles in the midst of the pandemic in 2020 for a new chapter. Now she is a fashion market editor forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing , focusing on emerging designers, rising trends on and off the internet, interior design, and BIPOC creatives and brands. Aside from her duties as a fashion market editor, Brown is also a freelance stylist and writer, working on national print and video commercial campaigns for Sephora, The Independent, and Cadillac. Her bylines also include Harper's Bazaar, Vox, and The New York Times. But once the computer goes down and the emails turn off, she's likely eating her way through Koreatown, hunting down vintage furniture, scoping out new outrageous nail designs to try, or taking a hot cycling class.