9 essential fashion trends you need to know for 2019

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 08: A model walks the runway at the R13 show during New York Fashion Week on September 8, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Albert Urso/Getty Images)

Free-spirited

The 50th anniversary of The Summer of Love was last year. That nostalgia could have contributed to the many ’60s and ’70s hippie vibes that showed up on the runways for 2019. And there’s always been an allure to California specifically: sun, beach, laid-back feel, health-consciousness, Earth-consciousness, and the illusion that you can be someone else.

San Francisco in 1967 was a particularly popular destination for dreamers, escapists, idealists, lovers, activists, artists, and even those who got caught up in the darker side. An estimated 100,000 people converged on the Haight-Ashbury area that year, where a deep sense of community was established. Sex, drugs, and self were all explored. The Monterey Pop Festival also took place, which hosted well-known acts like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Grateful Dead.

There are still many people who identify with the ideologies of this counterculture, or at least the free-spiritedness of it. Fashion plays a huge part in expressing yourself, so what you’re wearing often speaks for what you’re wanting to say.

So many designers – like Michael Kors, Chloé, and Paco Rabanne – sent pieces down the runway that featured throwback details such as tie-dye, crochet, and fringe. There were also some added chill California surf vibes, seen in the form of bohemian beachwear and actual wetsuits. Etro, Calvin Klein, and Marine Serre nailed this.

R13 did an awesome job of mixing all of the hippie details – tie-dye, bell bottom pants, and fringe – with Cali surf prints and pieces. There was even an added element of rock n roll/grunge thrown in, featuring leopard print, blazers, and biker boots.

Mix and match, and be sure to wear flowers in your hair.