Mainstreaming It:
The Fall 2024
Trend Report

The trend towards less experimental and more legible fashion reflects an unstable luxury market, sure, but also a cultural landscape where a trend can begin and end in the span of days. “Demure” can go viral on Monday and be no more by Friday. How can brands keep up? What about consumers? As Noah Johnson wrote in GQ, the viciously rapid cycle of trendformation has not only eliminated vibes (2021), aesthetics (2022), and eras (2023), but possibly trends entirely: “We have an abundance of very nice clothes without any kind of context.”

So, what are you going to do with this information? You still have to get dressed every day—and more importantly, you still have to feel something about it.

Rather than look to the runways, the SSENSE editorial team looked to the world to make sense of the moments that transcend fashion. The propriety of tradlife clashes against the flash photography and rolling around on the floor partying of Brat summer. Old money decorum looks appealing to Gen Z while politicians pander to the middle to reach Millennials and Zoomers. A refined wardrobe of basics where the biggest issue is the rise of one’s jeans is battled by an obsession with over-accessorizing, over-layering, and over-consumption.

Take a look for yourself.

Navigating menswear tailoring in 2024 can feel like an episode of Jerry Springer: Who is the father? Who do you look to for reassuring guidance? Who’s your sartorial father figure this fall? Think of the third husband, twice divorced. The stay-at-home dad. He’s been around the block, but has little to prove. Guys that know enough to style a jacket with trousers, but are no longer obsessed with corporate power and climbing the ladder and all that junk. A blazer or the Carless Coat from mfpen—leave the tie at home. Wider slacks from AURALEE, pared down with sandals or a humble slip-on shoe. For its SS25 presentation, LEMAIRE channeled the look of a commuter—a mix of form, but mostly tailored function. Where are you commuting to? An early dinner, the kids’ soccer practice, a meeting with potential partner number four. A one-size-fits-all look where you’ll never be underdressed but also never trying too hard. This might be the year of the first gentleman; let’s dress like it. —Robby Kelly

Does the anxiety of our global climate make a life of domesticity and leisure sound. . .pretty good? Though you may still have to show up for work tomorrow and pay rent this month, find freedom in your wardrobe by experimenting with a new kind of philosophy in womenswear: dropping out completely and going trad. Retreat from the ills of hustle culture in effortless dresses that recall pastoral silhouettes and bucolic living. Style the weekly farm photo shoot in the flowing White Opa Midi Dress by Sandy Liang. Make Cheerios from scratch in natural-fiber apron dresses, like the Tao Comme des Garçons Off-White Embroidered Tulle Midi Dress in cotton and satin. Grab the tripod and maintain your homestead with GANNI’s White Broderie Anglaise Layer Dress. Provoke online discourse and inspire your loyal followers with the White Christabelle Maxi Dress from Frankies Bikinis. However, ensure to not reveal the work that goes behind your content, or allude to the income it produces. The most fabulous accessory for the gracefully aloof and dutiful is subtext. —Dora Boras

As Nene Leakes famously declared, “I’m very rich, bitch”—and this sentiment is perfectly in tune with the vibe of the season. While the ex-Real Housewives of Atlanta star’s words might seem gauche for those with old money pedigree, channeling the aesthetics of wealth can still be nonchalantly chic, or even rizz-worthy.

The spectrum is broad, ranging from understated elegance to rambunctious eccentricity. On one end, showcasing wealth can be a subtle art—because, as the old saying goes, “Money talks, but wealth whispers.” This is where the notion of quiet luxury—yep. . .it’s still a thing—comes into play, thriving on timeless, minimalist designs that resonate with those in the know (IYKYK, baby). Picture impeccably tailored separates in the most luxurious fabrics. The Row masters this with liquid silk slips, fabulously cut trenches, and ultra-soft leather loafers. Meanwhile, Bottega Veneta achieves this mood with a touch more texture and flair: structured silk-blend shirts, croc-embossed leather coats, swinging linen midi dresses. The key is that, despite the eye-popping price tags, each piece is crafted to stand the test of time and stay relevant for years to come.

On the flip side, an eccentric-yet-wholesome style is waltzing its way into the conversation, inspired by the quintessentially British aristocratic lifestyle—think equestrian hobbies, tending lush gardens, or enjoying a cigar by the fireplace on a chesterfield sofa in a countryside estate. This look resonates with those who cherish the great outdoors, collect rare first editions, and still carve out time for a two-month escape to the Bahamas. But it also draws from the roots of American old-money style, where preppy fashion reigns supreme, even on casual days. The bolder the prints and textures, the more impactful the overall look becomes. Burberry nails this aesthetic—no surprise, given the brand’s long-standing role as a torchbearer of British heritage—with mohair sweaters featuring its iconic house check, paired with khaki pants and pillow loafers. Bode brings a twist with its Americana county fair–inspired pieces, offering a unique blend of offbeat aristocracy through handcrafted tweed jackets, retro print shirts, and crochet berets. Elsewhere, HODAKOVA, led by Ellen Hodakova Larsson, channels her rural upbringing on a horse farm into moody, sculptural designs crafted from upcycled garments, including skirts ingeniously constructed from inverted wool suiting pants. —Alex Kessler

When it comes to the aesthetics of rocking the vote in 2024, it’s a battle for basics. The surprise Harris-Walz ticket made headlines with its camouflage hat—which sold out instantly—and is continuing to promote normal (and normcore) staples like varsity tees and monochrome hoodies. Gone are the sequinned “I’m With Her” midi dresses of the 2016 election or any bold fashion statements at all. Instead, Harris and Walz aspire to look like the most approachable, middling (read: Midwestern), normal-looking people in comparison to the extremism and sloppy memes of the Trump campaign.

What does this have to do with luxury fashion? Despite flourishing micromovements, the reality is in the fall of 2024, most people just want to look normal. (Cue trend pieces about Walz’s field jacket.) Nothing too flashy, too special, or too extreme is what’s in right now for the mainstream consumer: Camo hats. Jean shorts. Riding boots. Retro sneakers. Claw clips. Anonymous brown leather carryall bags. The Midwestern aesthetic is now the dominant look from Fire Island to Los Feliz, prompting the question: Why stick out when you can blend in? Welcome to the Conformalcy. —Steff Yotka

So, we’re doing this again? It looks like we’re doing this again. In 2009, the nerds at n+1 held a symposium entitled “What Was the Hipster?” and one of the first things acknowledged (aside from the title’s pointed use of the past tense) was that the hipster designation existed before, in the late 1940s and ’50s. One definition offered for the then-current iteration, which had its decade-long run beginning in 1999: “The ‘hipster’ is the name for what we might call the ‘hip consumer’. . .the cultural figure of the person. . . who now understands consumer purchases within familiar categories of mass consumption—like the right vintage T-shirt, the right jeans, the right foods for that matter—to be a form of art.”

What some call “indie sleaze” is nostalgia for particular tastes in select familiar categories. “Trucker hats; undershirts called ‘wifebeaters,’ worn as outwear; the aesthetic of basement rec-room pornography, flash-lit Polaroids, fake wood paneling. . .” It goes on. Who is the 2024 hipster? Maybe they rent in Ridgewood but hang around Metrograph and Clandestino. They’re on Letterboxd, leaving one-liners for Edward Yang movies. They listen to Fcukers and they like the memes about SSENSE (and sometimes the memes SSENSE shares). They’re wearing PALY, Doublet, Ashley Williams, Dsquared2, VAQUERA, Marine Serre, and ABRA. You might be one of them. I might be too. —Ross Scarano

The mid-’90s saw Alexander McQueen launch the “bumster” pants, the original harbinger of the low-rise movement. It was through celebrities like Paris Hilton, Christina Aguilera, and Lindsay Lohan that this style became a mainstream sensation. Fast forward and it seemed like every woman on the street was embracing the low-slung look à la Miu Miu’s low-rise skirts and pants. But in 2024, fashion is poised to make a hard pivot as the FW24 runways are leaning heavily into high-rise silhouettes. Where do you want to wear your waist?

Even in the SSENSE office, low-rise still reigns supreme. Not every FW24 runway embraced the high-rise trend—Coperni’s runway, for instance, was all about low-rise. However, we’re witnessing brands like Kiko Kostadinov leaning into mid-to-high-rise offerings, while high-waist pieces from AURALEE and AMIRI are making waves. Perhaps the low-rise era is fading, but it’s not going down without a fight. And let’s not forget about mid-rise—it’s the unsung hero, trend-proof and versatile, sitting just below the navel. Unlike low-rise, it doesn’t demand rock-hard abs, making it the ultimate comfort zone. —Hyunji Nam

Adding the latest It bag to your look is no longer the perfect finishing touch. Bags are no longer for carrying your goods, but for wearing those very essentials on the outside as charms and trinkets. An evolution of the beloved, effortless spirit of Jane Birkin’s highly personalized Hermès Birkin bag, the accessories on the accessory are the star this season. Beaded necklaces, scarves, keychains, and other accouterments take center stage when decorating your decorations. Play dress-up by adding a string of pearls to your bag handle, like the Numbering Silver & White #9099 bracelet or the White Pearl Bag Strap by Simone Rocha. Chunky keychains by Marland Backus do the work for you, combining graphic charms, crystals, and beads. If you’re looking for a more sporty look, the revamped carabiner from Chopova Lowena is sure to steal the spotlight at your rock climbing gym. —Dora Boras

What defines a trend? Is it simply about trending online, or does it require a seal of approval from a Hollywood darling or a niche internet celebrity? But here’s the twist: What if a style emerges that pulls together fragments of trends that appear to have nothing in common? That, my friends, is the trend here. Nonsense dressing. Take Chopova Lowena’s eclectic mash-up of textures, where a pleated carabiner mini is layered over baggy blue jeans, topped off with a pair of sharply pointed leather boots that flirt with medieval energy. Skirt over pants? It makes no sense—exactly the point. Or consider ALL-IN’s bric-a-brac skirt, a mix of sequins, jersey, and lace, adorned with a vinyl tin lid featuring an adorable fluffy white dog graphic. The skirt’s long in the front, short in the back—totally crazy, we know! Worn with slouchy leather boots and a cropped mohair halter neck with a floral appliqué, the result is pure chaos. But that’s the beauty of it. The more absurd the combination, the better. —Alex Kessler