If you’re anything like me, you might find it hard to stay on top of all the trends that pop up on TikTok seemingly non-stop — and are quickly amplified by the app’s finely tuned algorithm. On the video platform, a new generation of tastemakers cycle through different aesthetics so fast that even the staunchest of fashionistas can barely keep up. If that sounds like you, you’ve come to the right place. Digital media and retail moguls like Instagram and Depop have already predicted all the major Gen Z fashion trends for 2023, rounding them up into an easy-to-digest list. (ANDThe stylized creators of Gen Z that TZR spoke to for this story completely rejected their predictions.)
To gather this data, Instagram engaged trends forecasting agency WGSN to survey more than 1,000 social media users between the ages of 16 and 24 across the United States. Their biggest discovery? A prominent and growing interest in environmentally friendly and ethical fashion, as well as an emphasis on creating shopping habits that reflect their values. (Only 30% of Gen Z are old enough to vote during elections, so they vote with their dollars.) “Aside from sustainability issues, Gen Z is looking for ways to express their individuality at a time when fashion trends come and go so fast,” Darian Symoné Harvin tells TZR , Instagram’s designated trends expert.
Depop’s 2023 Fashion Themes report, meanwhile, revealed that some existing trends will evolve into their newer iterations during 2023. The Dua Lipa-inspired disco aesthetic, for example, is poised to turn into a celestial fashion trend; deconstructed clothing will emerge as a new incarnation of tailoring subversion. Now, here’s a Gen Z pro tip: No matter which trend you decide to embrace, you have complete freedom to adapt it to reflect your personal style. “With shorter trend cycles, a lot of Gen Z creators are moving away from dressing to fit a hyper-specific aesthetic,” says TikTok content creator Pierrah Hilaire. “They overlap, and trends like cow print or deconstructed fashion can trump many niche fashion styles.”
Scroll ahead and take a peek at what the younger generation will be wearing in 2023.
Thrifty and DIY fashion
According to Depop, 90% of community members have recently made changes to live a more sustainable lifestyle. When it comes to wardrobe, this often means saving up and generally shopping second-hand. “Generation Z has normalized the idea of repurposing and recycling clothes. Not only is it a more sustainable way to make a consumer product, but when you repurpose and rework, you’re able to make an item truly unique,” explains Dool. “Even if you don’t customize your used items, your friends are less likely to have the exact same piece as you.”
Another thing to note here is that more and more Generation Z will start making their own clothes and accessories in 2023. “This is also related to the desire to have clothes that are unique and can even have a background,” he explains. Harvin.
Space Age 2.0
In 2022, there was a lot of buzz about Lipa’s disco-glam style. Now, this flashy aesthetic has set the stage for a budding celestial fashion trend. So you’ll want to keep an eye out for space-age-inspired clothing that’s full of chain mail, zodiac motifs, feather embellishments and more. They’ve all seen a big spike in searches on Depop recently — ie, fashion-savvy Gen Zs are already buying into this emerging trend. “I’ve seen a niche community tackle futuristic plugins, but I think we could go full blast The fifth element [in 2023],” notes Generation Z content creator Clara Perlmutter.
Deconstructed silhouettes
Another trend you’ll want to keep an eye on in the coming months is deconstructed clothing — that is, garments and accessories that can change shape using functional details like zippers and buttons. Namely, Hilaire cites Wisdom Kaye’s Dion Lee puffer, Y/PROJECT’s Joe Floww button-up jeans, and Yuhan Wang’s spring/summer 2023 soft-lace ensembles as prime examples of this growing aesthetic. (In case you’ve had your eye on the sultry knit set, pictured above, you can get it for yourself here — but do it soon because there’s only one size left in stock.)
Blokette
Speaking of the growing TikTok trends, Perlmutter points to the blokette fashion genre, which he describes as an offshoot of Bella Hadid’s personal style. In short, it combines two popular TikTok aesthetics of 2022: the quirky flirty look and the sporty, soccer-inspired blokecore. Best of all, you’ll probably be able to pull together an outfit or two with pieces you already have in your closet—all you need are a few key pieces like a cargo or denim maxi skirt, sweatpants, and a pair of adidas Samba sneakers.
“And, not unrelated to the blokette trend — I think there’s going to be a bigger spread of emulating Bella Hadid’s whole aesthetic,” adds Perlmutter. “I feel like this has already happened with fashion people, but soon it will reach the masses, and fast fashion will boast archival Prada copies.”
