If recalling childhood memories makes you shed a nostalgic tear, don’t worry; this year, modern trends decided to take a step back and let the 90s fashion style have its moment. The coquette aesthetic is a timeless style that all generations opt for in 2024, and it is the main inspiration for designers’ new collections. The new year comes with a new goal in the fashion industry: blending timeless vintage fashion movements in the modern era. These are the latest trends that encourage you to indulge your inner child by embracing old fashion with a 2024 makeover:
Babydoll dresses
Do you remember those adorable loose-fitting short dresses you used to wear back in the day that made you feel like a real-life doll? Well, the good news is babydoll dresses have their comeback in 2024. This dress was originally designed with the purpose of being a nightwear for women. Still, the fashion industry saw it as a potential lingerie-as-outerwear trend, bringing it into the modern era. Designers worldwide gave it a twist to adapt this dress silhouette for every occasion, showcasing it as the perfect ready-to-wear item for every age. Even if this dress is a statement outfit itself, designers prefer to flourish this old-fashioned clothing piece and create the “it” dress. For instance, Chanel integrated this beautiful silhouette in its spring-summer 2024 collection. It gave its followers a sneak peek on social media, presenting the dress as a way to “romanticise a certain idea of sensuality” crafted with black organza and accessorised with timeless pearls. Despite the different ways designers reinvent this dress, their common goal is to suggest the idea of elegance and sophistication of nowadays women with an innocent touch of childhood.
Polo shirts
Polo shirts are another resurfaced trend in 2024, both for women and men. The collared t-shirts made their appearance on social media to serve the old-money aesthetic that youngsters are embracing to recall the old fashion trends with a twist of modern luxuriousness. The polo shirts were initially adopted by tennis players to improve their movement during their games, but they were quickly adapted to daily fashion. Still, when it comes to the 90s childhood, you might remember this clothing piece as a must-have for your school outfits, matching a yoke skirt. In 2024, polo shirts will have their comeback in multiple spring collections to offer a hint of formality. Moreover, polo shirts are well known for their versatility, as they can easily harmonise both sporty looks and smart casual outfits. For instance, Givenchy reinterpreted this trend by creating a tight and plain black collared shirt, matching an elegant ankle skirt that incorporates the general sophisticated aesthetic of the brand.
Cartoon designs
When thinking about your childhood, you might recall memories of your favourite cartoons. This year, multiple brands embraced the nostalgia trend and created pieces that can give a touch of joy to your outfits. For example, Disney has been part of our lives for decades, and even nowadays, it maintains its popularity; Gucci, for instance, designed tote bags and sneakers that showcase Disney characters for a nostalgic comeback of the beloved cartoon figures. Still, if you are a cartoon lover but designer brands overcome your budget, on the official Loungefly site for Europe and UK, you can find a variety of options for accessories, t-shirts, backpacks & bags with cartoon characters that can enhance your daily outfits and encourage you to embrace your inner child while being on trend for the next seasons.
Loafers and ballerinas
Loafers are considered “school shoes” in remembrance of the 90s era when these shoes were essential in every millennial wardrobe. This year, the fashion industry is focusing on finding new ways to give a modern twist to the childhood classics, including loafers; besides being very versatile, they integrate perfectly in the coquette aesthetic, being usually a statement piece to ensure an elegant touch to your outfits. Moreover, loafers offer versatility for the spring and summer seasons, as Dior suggests in the 2024 collection. Regarding Ballerinas, it’s safe to say that they never got out of style despite all the trends running in the fashion industry; flats are iconic shoes thanks to their silhouette that serves multiple styles and are the impeccable choice for every occasion. For instance, they can be integrated into both elegant and casual looks thanks to their comfortable and versatile design, so, considering that since your childhood, they regained popularity in 2024, we can say that ballerinas stand the test of time.
Bows
Hair accessories have always been the perfect final touch for your look as a kid, but the girly trend reappeared again for grown-ups; still talking about the coquette style, bows represent a hyper-feminine trend and, besides being a timeless hair accessory, they can create a magnificent 3D establishment for dresses, bags and shoes. Bows are a symbol of us trying to cling to our youth; important brands like Miu Miu saw the potential in this trend that reemerged on social media and designed sparkling shoes with satin bows, “living in a modern fairytale” as the designers say.
Ankle socks
Statement socks are trending in 2024. Gen Z declared socks cool again and presented their idea on social media, saying that no-show socks are outdated and unfashionable. They are encouraging fashion lovers to recall this old fashion trend and, besides the sporty style, adopt them to complete fancy outfits. For instance, ankle socks are the perfect match for loafers and timeless ballerinas; you can opt for simple white socks or, to enhance the aristocratic vibe, bows are details that make a difference.
The bottom line
Marc Jacobs once said, “Clothes mean nothing until someone lives in them,” suggesting that fashion doesn’t refer to the textile pieces themselves but their ability to become a part of your life experience and identity. Clothing can encourage you to showcase your emotions, and when it comes to nostalgic feelings, childhood trends can recall a beautiful era of your life in modern times.
