Weekly Trend Report: The Return of Personal Style 👡
Shoe jewelry, maximalist beauty, and Pisces szn.
Sarah: The past few weeks have felt like a Twilight Zone episode—never-ending winter, unreadable news, and my vitamin D levels at an all-time low. The real feel may be 6 degrees, but mentally, I’m already in Spain, stretched out on a beach. February? Never heard of her. Wiarton Willie says spring is coming early, but Punxsutawney Phil and Lucy the Lobster disagree—because, of course, even the groundhogs can’t align. Meanwhile, PETA is trying to replace Punxsutawney Phil with a vegan weather reveal cake (real), and honestly, I respect the chaos. Either way, I’m choosing delusion: winter is over, and warmer days are right around the corner.
Kristin: I did a fun photoshoot with my partner for one of my social media clients Farmana, saw friends from out of town and have been doing a daily sauna and cold plunge at Pause. I tried their NAD+ IV drip for the first time on Sunday, which is supposed to be good for natural anti-aging and whole body wellness and ended up with a migraine the next day. Not sure if it’s related…have you tried NAD+? Getting into the biohacker stuff lately.
This week’s trends spotlight the movement toward mindful consumption—less excess, more personal style. It’s all about curating what truly suits you.
The End of Microtrends and the Return to Personal Style. For the last few years, fashion has been moving at the speed of TikTok—every few weeks, a new core would surface, burn bright, and disappear just as fast. But in 2025, the pendulum is swinging back. Consumers are stepping off the microtrend treadmill, returning to personal style and investing in pieces that actually work for their lives, not just their feeds.
The breakneck cycle of TikTok trends wasn’t just financially unsustainable, it also lost its appeal. Now, seasonal collections are becoming less about fitting into a single trend and more about adaptable styling. Blouses with cottagecore and coquette-inspired details are evolving—styled with oversized tailoring at Coach, paired with slouchy trousers at Altuzarra, and layered into Anna Sui’s maximalist vision. The takeaway? Consumers want flexibility and authenticity, favoring pieces that outlast the latest algorithm-approved trend cycle. Dressing for the internet is fading; now, it’s about dressing for real life. -S
Another Runway Trend, Another Social Media Steal. First, it was sneaker charms. Now, it’s full-on shoe jewelry. What started as Gen Z’s DIY approach to customizing their Sambas—pins, ribbons, and charms breaking up the sea of sameness—has officially been co-signed by the runway. Dries Van Noten and Louis Vuitton are decking out shoes with pearls, chains, and sculptural hardware, while Simone Rocha took it a step further with her Croc collab at LFW, proving even the most utilitarian footwear isn’t safe from embellishment. This isn’t the first time fashion has taken cues from social, and it won’t be the last. What was once a trend born out of personal style is now designer-approved, making individuality feel just a little more manufactured. The message? Your shoes should be conversation starters. And in 2025, the more detail, the better. -S
Bag charms are still having their moment, and Coach just made sure they’re not going anywhere. Spotted on the NYFW runway, the brand embraced yet another TikTok-loved-first trend of accessorizing bags with playful, personality-packed charms. Theirs featured hand-crafted charms like fuzzy teddy bears, whimsical knitted carrots, and other fun shaped bags. -K
Leather Gloves Are the It-Accessory at Fashion Week. Oversized jackets and killer boots may be NYC’s winter uniform, but one accessory is stealing the street-style spotlight: chic leather gloves. From classic black and brown to statement shades like tomato red, fashion insiders are using gloves to add a polished, nuanced touch to their looks. Time to dig out those vintage driving gloves and give your outfit a sophisticated, street-style-approved upgrade. -K
Collabs Worth Noting. As always, there are collabs launching left and right, so here’s a quick roundup of the ones worth mentioning.
Rocky Barnes just became an investor and advocate for Exponent Beauty, started by Erin and Sara Foster.
Feels obvious in the best way. If any brand was going to collaborate with Saturday Night Live, it had to be New York or Nowhere.
The most inevitable crossover of 2025—Nike’s looking for new audiences, Skims is looking for even more dominance, and this will sell out in minutes.
Apotheke and BonBon’s candy-inspired candle collab actually makes sense—sweet, but not too sweet, like a good perfume with just the right amount of indulgence.
Patrón and BonBon’s tequila and candy collab? Fun in theory. I’m a big tequila girl, but I can confidently say this one’s not for me.
Poppi just officially collaborated with The Lakers with a new grape flavor in limited-edition cans sold in local LA stores.
NYFW Beauty: More is More. If there was one rule at NYFW’s Fall 2025 beauty looks, it was everything, everywhere, all at once. Luar’s Terry Barber summed it up backstage: “Everything but the kitchen sink.” And he meant it. We saw beauty spots at Marc Jacobs, Isamaya French’s feathered lashes at Thom Browne, and Dick Page’s cheetah print makeup at Collina Strada. Hair was equally extravagant: cone-assisted updos at Christian Cowan (Mars Attacks vibes), sculptural waves at Thom Browne (conceptual birds), and elaborate trackside twists at Christian Siriano, courtesy of Lacy Redway. Even nails got the high-drama treatment—Naomi Yasuda’s extra-long feathered nails at Luar and Julie Kandalec’s quill-like accents at Cowan turned fingertips into full-on statements. Beauty in 2025 is not about playing it safe. The clean-girl era is long gone—this season, makeup, hair, and nails were about individuality, character, and a refusal to blend in. -S
Is The Allure of Beauty Fading? Beauty looks are going strong at NYFW, but actual consumers aren’t buying it. In the past couple of weeks, industry giants Estée Lauder, Shiseido, and Coty all reported fourth-quarter sales declines, signaling a broader slowdown that’s shaking up both mass and luxury markets, according to BoF. Even once-unshakable brands like CeraVe and Drunk Elephant are feeling the pressure, while legacy names like Tom Ford and Shiseido struggle to maintain momentum. e.l.f. Beauty, a longtime market darling, saw its stock drop over 20% after reporting a sluggish start to 2025. The slowdown isn’t just a China problem anymore—weak demand in the U.S. is adding to the industry’s concerns. Even skincare-obsessed Gen Alpha seems to be pulling back on their spending. Is this a temporary reset, or have we finally realized that we don’t need 10 products in a skincare routine? -K
Fragrance Hauls Have Turned Into Downsizing Videos. The fragrance world is shifting from maximalism to mindfulness as collectors, influencers, and casual wearers rethink their buying habits. While social media once fueled blind buys and massive collections, a new wave of fragrance minimalism is taking over. The focus? Curated, personal, and meaningful scent wardrobes over sheer volume. From TikTok’s #PerfumeDeclutter to real-life fragrance swaps, enthusiasts are downsizing, choosing signature scents over fleeting trends. Financial mindfulness, sustainability, and social media fatigue are all driving this shift. The takeaway? Less is more—and your fragrance collection should be just as intentional as your wardrobe. -K
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Pisces Szn is Here: Go With The Flow. From February 18 to March 20, Pisces season invites you to surrender, trust your intuition, and embrace the unexpected. With major cosmic shifts—Mars direct, Venus retrograde, the start of eclipse season, and Mercury retrograde—this month is anything but ordinary. The theme? Flow. The more you release control, the more magic unfolds. What to do this season: stay adaptable and lean into change, trust your intuition and signs pointing you in a new direction, and finally, set boundaries to protect your energy and prioritize what truly matters. -K
What We're Wearing
Kristin: I love the brand Skin for its organic, comfy clothes. I found these coral stirrup leggings on sale for less than $40, and I can’t stop wearing them.
Sarah: The balaclava I picked up years ago. Can’t find a link to mine, but I love these from Ganni and Damson Madder.
What We're Buying
Kristin: Not too exciting, but I got a new glass waterbottle from Amazon for my workouts. I wanted one that also had a glass spout rather than plastic, and this was the only one I could find, but I love it—it’s cute.
Sarah: Finally getting my hands on Phlur’s Amber Haze body mist—I’ve been eyeing everything from this brand for a while, and one of the best parts of my job is testing products I think people will love, so this one feels like a strong contender.
What We're Watching/Reading
Kristin: Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix about this Australian influencer who faked having brain cancer and beating it. Feels like a mix between Ingrid Goes West and Anna Delvey. Though it’s interesting, I know a lot of characters have been fictionalized in a bad light and it’s taking away from the importance of eating well and also using natural remedies. The Balanced Blonde has a lot of negative things to say about it.
Sarah: Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman—came highly recommended. Someone even stopped me at Great Jones Spa just to say they read and loved it too.
The opening line sings to me - "The End of Microtrends and the Return to Personal Style". Quality over quantity, always + in all ways.