SS23 Trends I Love

70s Style Suiting

Would a list of my favorite upcoming trends be complete without a little 70s inspiration?

Flared pants, velvet blazers, and pussybow blouses are staples in my closet, which is great since 70s style suiting will be trending for this season. You can reuse some of the velvet and corduroy suiting you may have acquired for the winter by pairing it with spring florals or light, whispy blouses.

60s Mod Inspiration

Because fashion trends are cyclical, the 60s are due for some love. Embracing the 60s mod style means a lot of mini skirts, shift dresses, patent leather coats, and tall go go boots. Think: a modern day Twiggy or Edie Sedgewick.

Denim, Denim, Denim

From 70s flares to y2k low rise, there’s denim for every decade. This season, denim everything is on trend. Now is your chance to rock the Canadian tuxedo.

The Bigger, The Better (Bag)

I never really hopped onto the mini/micro bag trend. It seemed stupid to spend money on a bag so small you couldn’t even put your phone in it. The pendulum is now swinging the other way and bigger bags are trending again. If you’re not a tote bag person, a daybag would work well too.

Dark Romance

The dark romance trend is a nice juxtaposition of hard and soft. Pair lace with leather, florals with studs, ballet flats with a motorcycle jacket. It’s an easy way to incorporate winter and spring pieces together in one outfit.

My Favorite Spring 2022 Trends

Spring is usually a season I don’t really care about. I’ve never been into tons of florals or lace or the stereotypical “spring” trends. However, since it already started hitting 85 degrees in March here, I’ve caved and started looking for more spring pieces. I’ve listed a few Spring 2022 trends that I love and will be wearing this season.

White Suiting

A white linen suit is a classic spring piece. It’s such a blank canvas that it’s easy to fit into your personal style. I have the Marlowe blazer from Rat & Boa and to make it a little more edgy, I usually style it with black leather sandals, metal-framed sunglasses, and lots of jewelry.

If you’re looking for a white suit of your own, opt for warm weather-friendly fabrics like linen, cotton, and satin.

Fringe

I’ve always been a massive fan of fringe. I love the movement it gives and makes a plain piece so much more interesting. I’m also a big fan of the nod to 70s fashion. Besides fringe on jackets, I’ve been really into fringe detailing on pants.

For something more glam, look for rhinestone fringe. For something more edgy and vintage, look for fringed leather.

Bralette Tops

Bralette tops have been popular ever since the 90s became on-trend again. Underwear as outwear became huge in the 90s thanks to girls like Courtney Love. A play on the traditional crop top, it’s not a shocker that bralettes are one of my favorite Spring 2022 trends.

There are plenty of bralette-style tops out there, but I personally just like to wear an actual bralette. The lacey lingerie style of real bralettes gives my edgy outfits a touch of femininity. I would also definitely pair a bralette with something super high waisted so it doesn’t feel like you’re walking around in your underwear.

Shopping Small & Independent This Black Friday

I generally dislike Black Friday since it’s so overhyped by every retailer out there. I also think it’s tragically ironic that the holiday where you’re supposed to be thankful for what you have is directly followed by the most consumer-focused day of the year.

But if you are going to get your holiday shopping done on Black Friday this year, I definitely suggest opting to shop from small and local business instead of big retailers. COVID has wreaked havoc amongst small businesses so your patronage is more important than ever.

I’ve listed a few of my favorite small and local businesses to shop from this year:

Clothing + Lingerie

Strange Ray Vintage: a boutique ran by Rachel Valentine that features highly curated top shelf vintage. It’s the perfect place to find vintage tees, 70’s dresses, and tons of leather.

Pretty Attitude: an online boutique ran by Christine and Maria, it carries brands you already know (like YRU, Matisse, and Daydreamer LA) as well as its own private label. Its Black Label is perfect for girls who celebrate Halloween all year round, and its White Label is full of 70s rock n roll vibes.

Hallow Collective: a brand featuring music-inspired graphic tees as well as a premium label. They love working with other independent designers, artists, photographers, and bloggers (like me!).

Backbite: a female-owned brand that features ethically made slow fashion as well as some great vintage finds. Everything they make is totally badass and I’m a huge fan.

Solstice Intimates: handmade lingerie made by Nat Maddon and friends. They carry sizes XS-3X and have all the amazing velvet pieces you could ever dream of.

Rebel Soul Collective: a Latina-owned and operated graphic tee brand that is ethically manufactured and screen printed right in Los Angeles. They donate to various organizations including the ACLU, Color Of Change, Planned Parenthood, and Reclaim The Block.

Jewelry

Maiden Voyage Jewelry: independent jewelry designer Megan Rugani creates beautiful works of art through her hand-engraved fine jewelry. Her use of gold and fine stones turn biker-inspired pieces into future heirlooms.

The Great Frog: a family owned brand established in 1972, it has a long history of providing a rock n’ roll alternative to mainstream jewelry. They’ve done collabs with iconic musicians such as Motorhead, Iron Maiden, and Slayer and also recently branched out into fine gold jewelry.

Beauty

Strawberry Hedgehog: owned and operated by Tracy Perkins, the brand features vegan eco-conscious soaps. The boutique location in Phoenix, AZ also features other 50 small makers and artists alongside the brand.

Rituel De Fille: founded by three sisters, the brand features cosmetics that are free of parabens, phthalates, synthetic dyes or synthetic fragrances. They are Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty-free and are perfect for anyone looking for cosmetics with some edge. The recently did a collaboration with Chelsea Wolfe.

Witch Baby Soap: founded by Chelsea Selby in 2013, this brand is a fun and spooky take on vegan and cruelty-free bath products. You’ll find everything from black coffin bath bombs to astrology soaps to crystal-infused body butters.

Home Decor + Art

Real Fun, Wow!: freelance illustrator Daren Thomas Magee creates beautiful art inspired by nature and the supernatural. A lot of his work definitely gives me midcentury desert vibes.

Pueblo: two adorable queer-owned and inclusive plant shops located in Phoenix, AZ and Venice, CA. They have a bunch of beautiful plants and their staff is always there to answer all your plant parent-related questions. They only work with reputable growers who ensure fair labor practices and always occupy historic buildings to reduce their environmental footprint. I refuse to buy live plants from anywhere else.

Gold Bug Gallery: a family-owned gallery and shop located in Pasadena, CA, they also have some inventory available online. They value community and aim to nurture artists. It’s the perfect destination for unique finds for your home.

Desert Collective Co.: the best source for dried palm leaves, flora, and cacti that I’ve found online. All dried goods are hand selected and harvested only after they have naturally started to naturally wither and brown, so no plants are harmed. Their packaging is also biodegradable.

White Hot Fire Mirrors: super rad hand-etched mirrors. They all have a rock n’ roll biker feel and some even features bands like Motorhead, Black Sabbath, and Thin Lizzy.

Still can’t decide? Check out Wolf & Badger. The store was founded by two brothers in 2010 looking to disrupt typical high street shopping. The store has physical retail shops as well as a large online boutique. It features independent designers and brands, ethical sourcing, and slow fashion. It has tons of vegan leather and fur options as well.

I’ve picked some of my favorite items from their online boutique: