Fashion-related events during the 2020s
The fashions of the 2020s represent a departure from 2010s fashion and feature a nostalgia for older aesthetics. They have been largely inspired by styles of the late 1990s to mid-2000s, and 1980s. Early in the decade, several publications noted the shortened trend and nostalgia cycle in 2020s fashion. Fashion was also shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a major impact on the fashion industry, and led to shifting retail and consumer trends.
In the 2020s, many companies, including current fast fashion giants such as Shein and Temu, have been using social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram as a marketing tool. Marketing strategies involving third parties, particularly influencers and celebrities, have become prominent tactics. E-commerce platforms which promote small businesses, such as Depop and Etsy, grew by offering vintage, homemade, or resold clothing from individual sellers. Thrifting has also exploded in popularity due to it being centered around finding valuable pieces of clothing at a reasonable price.
 ;templatestyles src="Template:TOC limit/styles.css" / ;
General trends.
COVID-19 pandemic.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing a face mask became a common and often mandatory practice. The mask shortage, the desire for self-expression, and the ability to quickly make masks without specialized technology soon led to a multitude of mask designs. People quickly started matching their masks to their clothing, selecting masks in different fabrics, colors, and patterns. This change made masks a fashion statement so people could follow health recommendations while yet expressing their own style.
During the pandemic, fashion trends evolved significantly, with a notable shift towards comfort. This change was particularly evident in American public schools and universities, where students embraced more relaxed and casual clothing options. As remote learning became normalized, students in both K-12 schools and higher education increasingly favored comfortable clothing like pajamas, sweatpants, and athleisure wear. The shift toward casual dress codes allowed students to prioritize comfort over formality, even in academic settings. Pajama pants and loungewear became common choices for students attending classes virtually, reflecting a broader cultural shift toward prioritizing comfort, functionality, and ease. In many cases, the rise of remote learning and video conferences further encouraged this trend, leading students to opt for attire that was easy to wear and allowed them to feel at ease while still participating in their academic work. This trend persisted after quarantine, as many students continued to embrace comfortable clothing in American public schools and university settings. In America, it became common for students in public schools and universities to wear pajama-style pants and loungewear, even for in-person classes. Many students, especially in higher education, opted for outfits that combined comfort and practicality, maintaining a casual approach to school fashion even after returning to physical classrooms.
Athleisure and activewear.
The 2010s saw a significant rise in the demand for athleisure, as athletic clothing became not only functional for workouts but also a fashionable choice for everyday wear, a trend that continued into the 2020s. Athletic wear such as yoga pants, hoodies, athletic shorts, Crocs, sneakers, and sweatpants remained staples in millennial, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha wardrobes, although these were generally looser and less form-fitting than the casual wear of the previous decade. Despite the return to maximalism in certain fashion circles, the vast majority of Americans continued to choose comfortable clothing. This preference for comfort and affordability was attributed to the growing emphasis on casual and relaxed styles in everyday life. Additionally, the ongoing athleisure trend reflected a shift toward prioritizing functionality and comfort in fashion choices. Athleisure could be considered the decade-defining style due to its cross-generational appeal and everyday function. While some pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as a catalyst for the prevalence of casual clothing, market research suggested that athleisure never truly went out of style. In fact, athleisure has been gaining popularity for years due to its ability to seamlessly transition from the gym to everyday activities. This trend is further reinforced by the increasing focus on health and wellness, as people seek clothing that allows them to stay active and comfortable throughout the day.
Quiet Luxury.
In the early 2020s, clothing with large, bold logos began to lose popularity in America as fashion trends shifted toward simpler, more refined styles. This change represented a move away from the flashy, logo-centric designs that had dominated the late 2010s. Many consumers started to focus more on the fabric textures, and the silhouette of clothing, placing greater emphasis on the quality of materials and the overall construction of garments rather than their brand names.
As part of this shift, there was an increased interest in understated quiet luxury and "timeless" designs. People began to prioritize clothing that was simple yet sophisticated, with an appreciation for details like fabric texture, color, and silhouette. This trend was also correlated with the rise of the "old money" aesthetic, which is inspired by European fashion houses, and discreet luxury over overt displays of wealth or brand affiliation. By adopting this style, individuals were able to project the illusion of wealth through subtlety, choosing garments that conveyed elegance and status without relying on visible logos or flashy designs.
This trend was further influenced by the fashion choices of wealthy celebrities and public figures, who often embraced minimalist, high-quality garments that exuded quiet affluence. Many consumers, seeking to emulate these figures, adopted similar styles in an attempt to mirror the sophisticated, understated look associated with the elite. The influence of these celebrities helped popularize the idea that wealth and status could be communicated through subtle, refined fashion choices, rather than through overt displays of logos or brand names.
Maximalist fashion and 2010s backlash.
As the decade started, maximalist fashion made a resurgence on the runway, as a backlash against the fashions of the 2010s. After spending time indoors during the pandemic, many fashion designers were drawn to bold, colorful, and creative styles. These exuberant outfits became a way to express individuality and break away from the minimalist fashion of the previous decade. Although maximalism became popular in high fashion and online communities, it was mostly reserved for special occasions or artistic expression, while everyday wear continued to favor comfort and simplicity. The TikTok algorithm repurposed minimalism as a selection of curated aesthetics and "fashion essentials" that appeal to Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
Although they were a fashion must-have in the 2010s, skinny jeans faced a brief backlash at the start of the decade. Many Gen-Z social media influencers on TikTok said that skinny jeans were no longer a symbol of youth culture, causing controversy among fashion bloggers and millennial women. Separating one's hair to the side (side-part) was also considered to be out of style by Gen-Z influencers. The term "cheugy" was coined to describe "tacky millennial fashion."
Internet aesthetics, microtrends and antifashion.
Social media-induced acceleration of fashion trends and microtrends in the 2020s significantly shortened trend cycles and pushed global clothing manufactures to adopt faster manufacturing processes, fueling the fast fashion industry. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest played a pivotal role in amplifying trends, making niche aesthetics go viral almost overnight. The rapid turnover of styles contributed to increased waste and pollution, which drew criticism from environmental advocates.
This fast-moving trend cycle sparked niche revivals of styles from as recently as the 2010s, such as the 2014 Tumblr aesthetic, as people sought to recreate past fashion identities. Gen Z and Gen Alpha played a central role in shaping these trends, as their preferences for individuality and engagement with digital-first fashion disrupted traditional style norms. Additionally, social media contributed to the decline of a "mono-fashion culture," where one dominant style defined an era. Instead, the 2020s saw a diverse array of aesthetics coexisting online, facilitated by platforms like TikTok, which allowed users to explore and share highly specific subcultures. The "anti-fashion" trend remerged online as a backlash to the internet's role in turning microtrends into subcultures and niche aesthetics.
Women's clothing.
Early 2020s (2020–2022).
Late 1990s–2000s revival.
As the decade began, Y2K fashions of the Y2K era (late 1990s and early to mid-2000s) were a major influence especially among social media users. This contrasted with the fashions of the previous decade which took inspiration from early to mid 90s fashion. The early 2020s saw renditions of the underwear-as-outerwear and explicit sexuality. Versace, Gucci and Prada made significant returns to latex-inspired styles. Pornhub sponsored an "osé" fashion collection in Paris. Brands became in demand of a very wide diversity of models (breakthrough of indigenous models). The covid crisis had an impact on fashion continuity, which "Vogue" described as "chaotic, creative mix of idiosyncratic takes on what the post-pandemic world wants right now". Ghesquière explored vampire looks for Louis Vuitton.
From 2020 to 2022, trending shades in the US, Canada, and Europe were navy blue, neon green, electric blue, purple, white, coral, baby pink, light grey, silver, pastel pink, violet, pale blue, lavender, mint green, faded yellow, pastel teal, lemon yellow, orange, red, and brown.
Popular shirts, coats, and dresses from this time included puffer jackets made from upcycled deadstock fabric, sweatshirts, high waisted pants, tucked-in sweaters, camisoles and crop tops, lowrise miniskirts, brocade topcoats, midriff-baring tops, ribbed turtlenecks, garish Ed Hardy style T-shirts with rhinestones, off-the-shoulder knitted tops, science fiction-inspired metallic jackets, loose-fitting shift dresses or blouses, pantywaist tops sometimes with cap sleeves, cashmere cardigans, and oversized 1980s-inspired dog's tooth check jackets popularized by Kaia Gerber and Miley Cyrus.
Desirable shoes and accessories included Crocs, platform sandals, knee-high boots, ballet flats, white sneakers (such as Vans, Keds, Nike Air Force 1s, or Converse), fringed handbags, multi-colored 1980s-inspired earrings made from recycled ocean plastic, white bralettes, chunky cable knit scarves, Chelsea boots, and Doc Martens.
Some women also shifted to fair trade, vintage, and cruelty-free clothing. In Britain, a number of women rejected nylon, acrylic, rayon, new cotton, and polyester in favor of tencel, linen, organic cotton, and recycled polyester.
South Asian Generation Z girls in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka repurposed the sari worn by their mothers, pairing it with sneakers, casual knitwear, crop tops, T-shirts, black Oxford shoes, Y2K-inspired platform sandals, and sportswear. The dresses were often made in contrasting shades of grey, black, and blush pink, often being seen as a modern and corporate look.
1960s influences.
The spring of 2021 saw a revival of psychedelic mid-to-late 1960s fashion in the UK, Asia, the US, Europe, and Africa. Clothing such as miniskirts, slim fit capri pants, denim jumpsuits, flared trousers, lowrise white linen boho chic maxi skirts worn with hippie style sandals or ballet flats, patched jeans, dog's tooth check skirts and mini-dresses, laced Copenhagen blouses derived from Danish folk costume, pastel blue or pink empire line milkmaid dresses inspired by Bridgerton, maxi dresses, gingham or stripy short shorts worn with matching vests or thigh-skimming jackets, and cropped slim jeans were popular pants among younger women from 2021 to 2024.
Other revived styles included prairie dresses with floral embroidery; backless sundresses; floor-length kaftans with jeans; Pendleton jackets; hippie style mood rings popularized by Lorde; tiered flamenco dresses that flare out below the knee; satin slip dresses; jumpers with smiley faces and mushroom designs; satin blouses; checkerboard sweater vests; leather three-quarter length coats; Crombie style wool overcoats; leopard print winter coats; zip collar turtleneck sweaters; zip-up polo shirts with white collar trim; cat eye glasses; teashade glasses; clothing with sunflower print; checkerboard motifs; and diamond and hexagonal prints. Popular colours during this time included brown, sage green, royal blue, hot pink, orange, yellow, and purple.
Comfortcore, cottagecore and coastal grandmother.
The lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic led a whole generation of women worldwide to prefer homely and comfortable clothes to wear at home. From 2020 to 2022, many subtrends emerged from this so-called "comfortcore" movement.
A nostalgia-driven subtrend was cottagecore (grandmacore, faeriecore, farmcore, goblincore) even though it goes beyond fashion to include all designs. The cottagecore subtrend was reinforced by Taylor Swift's 2020 albums "Folklore and Evermore." The cottagecore style was defined by pastel colours and palettes that evoked a romantic, idealized country aesthetic. Typical clothing included prairie dresses, blue gingham mini-dresses, white gypsy tops with multicolour Mexican-inspired floral embroidery, and hippie-style maxi dresses inspired by those worn during the late 1960s. Gingham and austerity-era floral patterns dominated the aesthetic. An urban derivative of cottagecore known as "allotment chic" became popular in the UK during the early to mid 2020s and featured oversized linen gilets, cotton twill maxi skirts, pinafore dresses, chunky knitted cardigan sweaters and earth tones like olive green, brown, sage