Bundling up for winter under heaps of thick layers can feel like the sartorial equivalent of losing oneself; even the most whimsical savants can be confined to boring puffers when it’s frigid. Fortunately, the changing of the seasons always marks the opportunity for a fresh start, and peeling back the literal layers of clothes in the spring is a symbol of rebirth.
Fittingly, this spring’s biggest fashion trends are all about role-playing, with it girls slipping in and out of ostentatious characters. The Hailey Bieber-approved CEO-core, for example, is corporate cosplay. In boxy suits, ties, and loose trousers, the boardroom style ensures you look like an office exec, regardless of your job description.
On the softer, more delicate flip side, typically feminine heroines are also big this season: There’s fairy-tale dressing, a hyper-romantic, hyper-dreamy aesthetic inspired by fantasy protagonists; it’s flowy, muted, and elegant. Balletcore is returning with a vengeance as well, only this time, instead of dressing ballerina-adjacent in iterations of ballet flats, the trend goes back to its purest, dancer form. Why not dress like an actual ballerina in pointe shoes, pinks, and tutus?
Ahead, you’ll find all of these and more spring fashion trends you need to shop ASAP to level up your dressing game.
Spring 2025 Fashion Trends
Suiting up has been a boardroom go-to for ages. Unlike former shapely suits, however, the 2025 version is more angular, with ’80s-style boxy power shoulders meant to take up space. Pants, meanwhile, are loose. Fitted isn’t in this trend’s vocabulary.
Lean into the androgynous vibe in an oversized set, like the runways of Saint Laurent and McQueen. You can even throw on a necktie for good measure à la Zoë Saldaña or Selena Gomez. If you’re feeling extra spicy, do as Beyoncé and give your suit a risqué, décolletage-baring twist (aka corp sleaze). Dressing for the job you want never looked as stylish.
Between the Olympics, the chic WNBA season, and, well, Challengers, athletes became fashion’s new crop of it girls in 2024. Come spring, this influence will grow even stronger with the rise of sporty, Rihanna-tested ’fits. Thankfully, you don’t need to be a gym rat to style this trend.
The key is to keep from looking like you’re in workout gear on the way to the gym. For a streamlined ensemble, consider co-ords as seen on the runways of Dior, AVAVAV, and The Attico. You can also incorporate the look in microdoses. Think: a fun sneaker with romantic, frilly pieces or an athletic zip-up jacket with an LBD and pointed-toe pumps like Nicola Coughlan.
Just when you thought balletcore couldn’t possibly go through more iterations (shout-out to the Simone Rocha ballet flat x sneaker crossover), the entire aesthetic pulls an extra 180 and goes back to the OG prototype. Silhouette-wise, designers like Vaquera, Collina Strada, JW Anderson, and Rocha are embracing tutu-esque flared minis. Even Zendaya gave her edgy leather ’fit a ballerina twist.
No need to don the tulle dance regalia, though. Like Taylor Russell, you can go the subtler route by incorporating delicate fabrics and drapes into your wardrobe. A hack? Don powder pinks, the trend’s hue.
In terms of accessories, ballet flats resembling pointe shoes are also going strong, whether in flat form or a heeled lace-up take like Olivia Rodrigo’s Louboutins, which are bound to be the new it accessory.
Fairy-tale dressing embodies the dreamy, delicate naiveté of a classic storybook protagonist. Designers like Chloé, Stella McCartney, and Khaite debuted airy dresses crafted in the most delicate of fabrics and folds.
While fantasy-inspired dressing is a tale as old as time (pun intended), 2025’s version of the trend is risqué. Dreamy dresses are practically all flimsy (see: Hunter Schafer’s) and sometimes see-through, giving looks a not-so-innocent, body-baring reveal. Just look at Emma Corrin’s take — to attend a premiere, she wore a flowy butter gown sans bra for a nip-freeing moment.
If you’re not quite ready to pair delicate with daring, consider accessories that feature tenets of romance: rose-accented lace-up heels or pearl-clad hair accessories. The Grimm Brothers would be proud.
Remember the 2010s, when butts everywhere were cozy in leggings? Well, spring 2025 promises to keep posteriors just as comfy because they’re officially back. Unlike the trend’s first wave, which was an athleisure copout for lazy dressing, this time, leggings are elevated. On runways, Chloé and Balmain styled the stretchy bottoms with evening pieces (statement gold jewelry and silken cowl-neck tops, respectively). Gigi Hadid channeled this cozy-meets-tailored vibe and paired hers with a tuxedo.
Kylie Jenner, meanwhile, harkened to Y2K’s flared yoga pants and gave it a streamlined look. If you’re really looking for an early aughts throwback, however, do like Courrèges and AK Vivienne Westwood and infuse the ’00s controversial styling hack, aka skirts or dresses over bottoms, with the second-skin pants.
If you’ve begun to realize that your grandma’s shabby chic aesthetic has style merit, this trend is perfect for you. Nanacore has slowly been gaining more acclaim, especially after the rise of cottagecore and doily dressing. The latest “borrowed-from-Gran” style? Crocheted garments.
Intricate, nostalgic, and a play on the sheer, mesh trend, the trend encompasses all sorts of knitting techniques. Doilies were seen on Aknvas and Ralph Lauren runways, while Acne and Gabriela Hearst leaned into the classic quilting approach. Even fringe and macrame are on trend. The rule of thumb is if it’s knitted, it’s en vogue.
Should you require further convincing, both Dakota Johnson and Emily Ratajkowski have embraced the looped, handcrafted aesthetic. Enough said.
Pleats have become synonymous with prep school uniforms or tennis skirts worn courtside. Come spring, the intricate folds are about to their versatility. Designers Tommy Hilfiger and Peter Do ran it back to the preppy classics in their Spring/Summer 2025 looks, while the likes of Jason Wu and Miu Miu helped pleats graduate from schoolgirl ensembles to a more romantic, artsy take on layering pleats.
Even celebs love the folded look. Daisy Edgar-Jones mixed dreamy and saucy in a see-through number that exposed her undies, while Pamela Anderson layered two pleated pieces together for a textured moment.
If you’ve ever wanted to try the now-ubiquitous bra-as-a-top trend but are terrified of diving headfirst into the risqué style, consider fashion’s new go-to styling hack: a bra with a jacket.
Look to the Spring/Summer 2025 runways for inspo. Most of the designers who debuted the bra-forward style expertly matched models’ lingerie to their co-ords. Schiaparelli, Alberta Ferretti, and 16 Arlington, among others, outfitted models in coordinated ensembles. Chanel even matched a tweed skirt suit with a tweed bra peering underneath. The streamlined approach is the easiest in making the peekaboo brassiere feel intentional.
However, if you want to embrace the trend by highlighting your intimates, go the celeb route, not unlike Tyla and Simone Ashley, and wear a bra in a different color, fabric, or vibe. You can even mix and match the vibe. Pair a lacy bra with a sporty jacket or wear an edgy leather jacket over a frilly floral bra.
