I didn’t think I’d get around to writing about any key Spring/Summer 2020 trends because a) overall the trends around this year are very, very similar to last year, b) well, it’s no longer Spring and c) albeit briefly, Coronavirus made everything feel utterly pointless. But that’s the beauty of fashion – despite there being a world pandemic, lockdown feeds have given us plenty of fashion inspiration and set off a multitude of trends.
So I thought I’d keep things short and sweet and write about five micro trends that have really caught my eye recently – the good, the bad and the downright questionable. They’re not all trends I like – I think I’m so baffled by some of these looks that I just have to poke a little fun at them, go on a mini rant and help you decide whether they’re a hit or a miss… It’ll also be interesting to see if any of these micro trends actually blow up into big trends for the following season or Spring/Summer 2021 – just remember, you read it here first.
SHOULDER PAD TEES
This probably isn’t really a micro trend anymore, as it’s very much exploded over the past month – but let’s not forget it started off kind of small. Now let’s discuss shoulder pads. As a narrow-shouldered girl, I kind of love them. Sometimes they’re a little much, other times they’re great. It’s a look I’ve always been willing to get on board with, and Spring gave us a fresh take on the shoulder pad with shoulder pad tees. Needless to say I was instantly drawn to them! A lot of them are incredibly oversized – but after a few misses I found myself this cute piece from Stradivarius, which doesn’t swamp my small frame. And no, black wouldn’t normally be my first choice, butย unfortunately the shoulder pads tend to show through the tees if they’re not black.
While this tee gives me all the basketball vibes when teamed with these blue shorts (a joke considering how short I am), shoulder pad tees are ridiculously versatile, looking good with both casual and tailored pieces. And it’s nice to have a slightly broader silhouette!
Hit or miss? Definitely a hit – it’s flattering on a lot of people and can definitely be worn in the long run.
Stradivarius shoulder pad tee worn with Monki cardigan, ASOS shorts, Kurt Geiger bag, Mango earrings, Missoma necklace, Office shoes.
TENNIS SKIRTS
Remember when female tennis players were, sadly, ridiculously objectified because they looked so damn cute in their tennis outfits? Let’s just say those were different times, and thankfully in some ways we have moved on. But as fashion keeps stealing from the nineties and noughties, it was probably only a matter of time before we looked back at tennis court chic. Because let’s face it – there’s something very appealing about white pleated mini skirts.
I 100% blame blogger Lauren Crowe for this trend – she has the ability to make literally anything look desirable. If you’re brave, you can go very literal with this trend and nab yourself an actual micro mini Nike tennis skirt. Personally, I’ll be leaving those for the brave, and am happy with a softer take on the trend. I love this piece by Bershka that I’m wearing in the picture below – it sold like a hot cake on ASOS, I can’t believe I got my hands on it.
But I’m not going to lie, it feels so overtly sexy. Any form of bending down doesn’t really feel like an option. I rarely do sexy – sure, I like my dresses and skirts, but pure, unadulterated sexy has never really been my thing (especially during the day). So wearing something that is so unapologetically sexy is foreign to me – and intimidating AF. Not to mention that I struggled with all the “I’m too old for this sh*t” feels. But ultimately I’ve decided to have more of a “F*ck it” attitude – because why should my age matter?
Hit or miss?ย The shortness of Nike tennis skirts makes me blush – but shockingly it’s a hit for me. Even though there’s a good chance I’ll look back and think “What the f*ck was I thinking”, I’m ready to roll with that.
Bershka pleated skirt worn with Topshop racer vest, ASOS earrings, Missoma necklace, Office shoes.
NIKE SOCKS (WITH UGLY DAD TRAINERS)
One quick look at my blog and you can probably gather that dad fashion doesn’t do it for me – so it’s no surprise that I never got on board with the ugly dad trainer trend. Be it a pair of chunky Balenciagas or New Balance, a chunky trainer is one of the trends I have hated the most over the past few years. And Nike socks (or any kind of sporty white sock) with ugly dad trainers? That really just makes everything worse. So seeing this craze all over Instagram has been… interesting.
To be honest I can totally see why people love this look – it ties in with the now super coveted 90’s tennis look while also having a Lady Di off duty vibe (an unexpected Instagram icon who I just had to include a picture of). It can absolutely look very cute and I’m all for random, ridiculous and unapologetically funny references – fashion is about reinvention and should be fun, after all. But when it comes to dads? Especially 90’s dads? It’s the one look I just can’t get on board with – because I really, really wouldn’t want to look like a 90’s dad.
Hit or miss? It’s a big fat miss for me – but hey, if you love it why not go all out and wear it with a tennis skirt?
Image via Pinterest
HEELED THONG SANDALS
As well as being unsure about the correct term for this ugly shoe trend, I also feel kind of split up about it – it’s difficult when you see really, really cool girls styling these kinds of sandals so beautifully. But I guess it’s just down to the fact that I hate thong sandals and flip flops and, on this occasion, adding a heel doesn’t really make things any better. It’s definitely an improvement though, and I get why people with a clean cut and minimal style might find it very appealing.
Hit or miss? For now, it’s a miss – I wouldn’t be surprised if this trend carries on next summer (it was actually already around last summer), but I don’t see it having any longevity either.
CITY SHORTS
Well, fashion really does come back around. This trend makes me feel a little nostalgic, because I was obsessed with city shorts back in the day (check me out here)! I sadly got rid of the ones I had – I probably struggled styling them and feeling 100% confident back then – but in all honesty I would love to revisit this look, as I feel like 2020 me could rock them so much better now! I’ve seen a few city shorts available with matching cropped blazers (maybe another micro trend in itself), but that would be a little too much for me – I’d keep it simple and style them with a slogan tee or racer vest for a cool summer 2020 take.
Hit or miss? It’s a hit – what’s not to love? They’re cute, chic and a great way to get one’s legs out elegantly if you work in an office (remember those?). However, there’s one take 0n this trend I cannot stand – denim Bermuda shorts. No, no andย no.
Disclaimer: I’m not hating on the fashionistas who are embracing some of these, in my opinion, questionable trends. That’s another great thing about fashion – you can love something on someone else even if it may not be for you. And even though I probably wouldn’t go as far as saying that I love socks with chunky trainers on others, Iย still love it when people defy the limits of what’s considered traditionally stylish. Have you tried and tested any of these SS’20 trends at home / in the park / on your supermarket run?
xxx