2008 Fashion Predictions

The blogosphere is a flurry of New Year's news - from resolutions to predictions for politics, fashion and celebrity gossip, you name it! Everyone's looking toward 2008 with their own personal resolutions as well as some ideas for what the future will bring. At TrueJeans, we thought it'd be fun to bring you some of the buzz for the next year in fashion. Will wide leg jeans sweep our closets or will skinny jeans reign supreme? Will boots over jeans suddenly be a mistake? And will we ever see the end of Crocs? Only time will tell, but it's fun to play fortune teller and see what happens!

Men's Denim

The menswear gurus over at styleforum are tossing in their predictions for Spring denim trends. Senior member 'DGP' predicts more emphasis on waxed or coated denims. Other posters respond with praise for the classic boot-cut and straight leg, claiming these staples will never go out of style.

Should You Ditch your Skinny Jeans and Leggings?

Not yet, according to Stevie Wilson of la-story.com. She's found a great article from Fushion Magazine that has taken both the New York and Los Angeles fashion weeks into consideration to come up with some predictions to suit both sides of the country. Leggings and skinny jeans paired with high heels were spotted on the runway, so don't toss 'em out just yet! Of course, if you shy away from the skinny jean/legging silhouette, never fear. With more wide leg jeans hitting the market now, there is a fashion forward option for every body type.

Aim High and Go for the Gold

Stevie Wilson and Fushion Magazine also tells us that the runways are showcasing more and more high-waisted skirts, high heels, and high shine. Shimmery leggings, rich and luxurious goldtone fabrics and shoes, gold accessories, anything with shimmer and shine (without looking tacky, of course...it's a delicate balance) is in for 2008 on the runways. The Budget Fashionista affirms the high-waist trend as well, noting that knee-length pencil skirts, sequins, silks and metallics will all be more popular this year. 

Lose a Half an Inch

On your tie, that is! TheLedger.com's Samantha Critchell gives us a heads-up for the fashion-conscious men out there: "Buy a skinnier tie". In a section of the fashion industry that moves at a slower, less drastic pace, menswear trends move in cycles approximately every 5 years, according to Critchell. It seems only natural, then, that such a seemingly small alteration would weigh just as heavily in menswear as, say, changing from stilettos to flats for women's trends. As trends lean more and more toward the dressy and put the grunge look behind us, men are taking the hint from stars like Justin Timberlake and Kanye West who wear suits as casual wear. Subtle changes like a fitted jacket, casual shoe or a more slender lapel turn the would-be corporate suit into fashionable street wear.

The Bottom Line: It's Time to Grow Up

Style Dash helps put all of these trends into perspective by summing it up for us with an article they found in Fortune Magazine (an unlikely spot for fashion advice, we know!). The trends we're seeing unravel for 2008 all seem to have one thing in common - sophistication. Of course there are playful accents and more casual accessories or garments if you choose, but a streamlined, classy look is something that will never go out of style. It just happens to be particularly in right now! Fortune suggests making use of a scarf as your next major accessory, high fashion sneakers (I'm a little biased to this one. I love a cute pair of colorful sneakers), sheer fabrics, and even industrial fabrics. These fabrics are making their appearance with some more high end designers (Established 1887 is offering a tee shirt with silver anti-microbial chips embedded in it to repel stains and odors...a shirt that cleans itself?)

Whatever you choose to wear this season, what's most important is that you feel good about yourself and love what you're wearing. If you're just not feeling the high-waisted pencil skirt, don't wear it! Thankfully, with more traditional and classy styles on the forefront, this means that all different body types can enjoy feeling stylish and on the cutting edge of tomorrow's trends. As for the Crocs, though I can't say that I'd ever want to wear a pair, I think they'll be sticking around for at least a little while longer. Some even have a fleece lining! I suppose that's an entry for another day, though.

Happy New Year, everyone! Here's to great fashion and great jeans for 2008!