Fashion month has officially concluded for the S/S 23 season and there are some top trends that have our editors talking. Double-layered skirts and crochet took hold in New York. High-volume pieces and pastel lace were buzzy in London. See-through skirts and futuristic metallics stood out in Milan. While soft tailoring and grown-up grunge were at the forefront of our minds in Paris. The list of trends range from adventurous pieces only the most daring fashion people will try to cool, directional staples that will define what everyday dressing will look like in 2023—I’m here to discuss the latter.
The S/S 23 runways were stocked with updated takes on basics—yet another extension of what we saw for F/W 22 where designer tank tops won out as one of the biggest trends of the season. So, what are the ones to know for 2023? Based on what we’re seeing on the runways from trend-shaping brands including Prada, Bottega Veneta, and Miu Miu, there are new spins on low-key, ultra luxe basics I’m predicting will be important to own next year. Ahead, the 7 cool staples to know, from skinny pants to the latest ‘90s-inspired items.
Skinny pants have officially returned for the S/S 23 season, whether you’re ready or not. Endorsed on the runways at Prada and Maximilian Davis’s stellar debut collection for Ferragamo, it’s clear that the pant shape will be returning for 2023. This time around, skinny pant styles are just as fitted as their predecessors but have a slightly looser fit around the ankles and look especially luxe in trouser form.
In the last several seasons, we have seen ’90s minimalism ushered back into the fashion space with the rise of sleek staples including maxi skirts and Prada’s reissue 1995 bag you would have found in the closet of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. Though those items won’t be going anywhere, tube dresses are the piece to know for spring. Rather than bodycon styles, we’re seeing looser midi shapes take hold in a range of finishes from shiny satin to sequins.
Floor-sweeping lengths are a core trend from the F/W 22 collections and that momentum is continuing into spring where maxi skirts are a micro-trend of note. Tibi debuted a collection with beautiful white and denim versions early in the season and we continued to see them throughout fashion month. Add a basic tank for a trend-forward, yet simple, look.
What is new in suiting for 2023? There are several areas of note, but leather sets are a particular standout. At Bottega Veneta, we saw leather pantsuits in buttery shades, while Prada made a case for leather pencil skirts with matching jackets that are slightly more fitted than the oversize silhouettes of recent seasons.
Softly tailored car coats are a standout piece to own for spring. They were heavily endorsed in The Row’s pre-fall 2023 collection that debuted during Paris Fashion Week, where we saw designs with dropped shoulders and knee-length silhouettes in classic black and delicate tawny shades.
2022 has largely been all about the mini skirt, but 2023 is making more space for other lengths, including skirts that fall to the knee. More wearable than the super micro skirts that emerged during a period of revenge dressing, the new pencil skirts feel just as cool as this year’s short short designs. Miu Miu, in particular, nailed the trend, debuting pieces designed with low hemlines, subtle logos, and visible boxers styled underneath.
The ultimate basic? A leather belt with a metal buckle. Though it may sound weird to call this out as a trend, I can’t ignore how prominent the staple is right now, both on the street style scene and the S/S 23 runways at brands including Peter Do and Tibi. This is one accessory you can rest assured will be a great investment for the upcoming season and years to come.
