NEW YORK, Dec 23 ― This New Year's Eve, the countdown to midnight could have all the makings of a rocket launch. Fashion is going retro-futuristic for the holidays, drawing inspiration from space exploration, all framed in a mood of extravagance. Rhinestones, sequins, feathers, fringes and shiny metallic colours are all the rage this year, in total contrast to last year's more understated holiday looks.
It's hard to find the perfect outfit for this year's end-of-year celebrations, with the Covid-19 pandemic making a resurgence. From the Christmas sweater to pyjamas to glamorous get-ups, men and women seem to have made their choice, drawn towards something they haven't known for months and months ― chic styles laced with extravagance. The global fashion search platform Stylight* has seen a surge of interest in pieces that are both retro and space-inspired ― a trend it calls “Retro-Galactica.” Buckle up, fashion fans!
Sparkle overdose
New Year's Eve festivities inevitably bring to mind glitter, gemstones and sequins ― a must for this time of year. But it seems that, after spending several months in sweatpants and slippers, men and women are ready to really go to town and turn heads. Lashings of sparkling details will be seen on pieces with both retro and futuristic inspirations, oscillating between the glamour of the 70s and 80s, and modern space exploration. All that may sound hard to follow but, rest assured, there's something for everyone. Really!
Those still wavering between comfort and glamour can cut to the chase with a shiny or sparkly jumpsuit, a piece that's going down a storm around the world. Stylight reports a 928 per cent increase in clicks for the category this year-end, compared to the same period last year. Glittery details seem to be on the agenda, so why not go for a head-to-toe look? Pantyhose with glitter and gems are the centre of attention online, with a 392 per cent increase in clicks on the global platform. Space exploration also means metallic shades, which are proving very popular, with a 122 per cent uptick in clicks for metallic items of all kinds.
Feathers, fringes and face gems
Often associated with the Roaring Twenties, feathers ― symbols of lightness ― are looking popular for the party season (+146 per cent for feather dresses), not to mention fringing (+223 per cent for fringed dresses), which was all over the Fashion Week catwalks for spring-summer 2022.
As for accessories, we can forget sneakers ― too casual for seeing in the new year. If you want to turn heads, go for platform heels (+105 per cent) that will take you a step back in time. The most daring will wear them with socks ― yes, honestly! ― a trend that has been on the rise for several weeks now. But the hottest trend of the moment is none other than face gems, a viral hit on TikTok, and something that's on the radar of many beauty forecasters for 2022. It simply involves finishing your make-up look by adding stick-on gems to your face. Search interest for face gems tripled in November 2021 on Google. ― ETX Studio
* This report is based on Stylight's internal data collected from its 120 million annual users across its global platforms. Clicks were analysed across products for the period November 1-25, 2021, compared to the same period in 2020. Data is also based on Google Trends figures, beginning November 2021, compared to the same periods in 2020, unless otherwise stated.
