The Easiest Spring Trend Works With Every Body, Budget, and Personal Style

A trend that doesn’t try too hard! Mostly. (Unlike all the Y2K vibes that are happening.)

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Every season, there’s a slew of new fashion and beauty trends to try, and this season is no exception. In fact, it actually seems like there are more trends than ever, and I have a hunch as to why. Over the last few years, instead of there being, like, 10 collective themes that most brands and designers seem to reference, things have felt fractured, disparate, and it’s more challenging to see trend patterns than it was a decade ago. Which I love, actually. It means that there’s more individuality, that there’s a less-strict focus on what’s “in” and “out,” which feels more inclusive and creative. But the hard part is making sense of it all.

Recently, I discussed this topic with four of my amazing colleagues on the Who What Wear podcast: Editor in Chief Kat Collings, Editorial Director Lauren Eggertsen, Market Director Bobby Schuessler, and Senior Editor Kristen Nichols. It’s definitely worth a listen!

So what’s the TL;DR? (Or too long; didn’t listen, in this case.)

Well, the noisiest trend is the huge, all-encompassing, inescapable influence of the early aughts, aka Y2K nostalgia. The Miu Miu cropped shirt/sweater and low-rise pleated mini combo, which has been on endless covers—the I-D one with Paloma Elsesser is my favorite—was definitely the front-runner in terms of what fashion people are talking about.

Underneath this umbrella and also sparking loads of chatter: the colorful Balenciaga Le Cagole Bag (the mini in neon yellow is getting a lot of hype; so are the versions with charms), which is the new iteration of the brand’s Motorcycle Bag. (Remember when we called it the Lariat?) If you don’t remember, this style originally came out in 2001, was extremely popular in the mid-aughts, and was beloved by the likes of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and Kate Moss.

And can we discuss the fact that cargo pants are back? Truly. Tom Ford showed several colors for spring, while Balmain also did a version that Zendaya has already worn. Reminds me of the brief moment I wore flared Abercrombie cargos (with wedge Rocket Dog flip-flops, of course) circa 1999. Yikes.

And while I am obviously experiencing some sort of feelings about this trend, that’s not the one I actually want to discuss today!

For my money, the most inclusive trend for the season—and by that I mean it can be interpreted for any body type, budget, and personal style—is dopamine dressing. In other words, dressing for joy through the use of bright colors and patterns. Is this new? Absolutely not; there have been many iterations of saturated hues as a runway, red carpet, and real-life trend, but it’s resonating in a new way these days. (FWIW, this was also going on in the fall 2021 collections and plays nicely with the aforementioned Y2K business right now, and yes, there are still elements going strong for fall 2022, mainly in the purple and green color families.)

Some of my favorite runway looks include the following:

Look 12 from Brandon Maxwell’s Spring 2022 collection: the mini bubble green dress and mini pink cardi are an immediate mood booster, and unsurprisingly given my love of a maxi slip dress, I love the psychedelic pink-and-red iteration from that same show.

Christopher John Rogers’s Pre-Fall 2022 collection beautifully balances bright colors with sophisticated and sleek silhouettes, and I’m still thinking about Look 29. Also, the chunky turtleneck and tonal maxi skirt from his Resort 2022 collection is just delightful.

Even Proenza Schouler—a beloved brand that I don’t typically associate with head-turning colors—offered dopamine dressing options at its Spring 2022 show. I’m not willing to admit how many times I’ve thought about Look 11, its textured knit fringe dress in lemon, which is currently on the cover of Elle Denmark, not to mention the saffron-y cape dress and cobalt-and-bronze zebra midi coat from that show.

Okay, with those references in mind, here’s how I’m currently thinking about shopping and styling these hues.

Accessories are always the easiest way to dip a toe into a trend, and for those who are dopamine-curious, I’d advise you to try a shoe like Mango’s Heel Strips Sandals in Neon Pink, which are fun and won’t blow your budget too much. Zara also has heaps of bright footwear options in a wide range of styles, mostly under $100. Or you could always swap out your old favorite Birks for a bright pair; they come in bright orange suede and bold green suede now too.

I will confess I have thought about Celine’s yellow sunglasses more than once, the hot pink ones too, and Bottega’s green cat-eye sunglasses have turned my head, for sure, but I’m hard on my sunglasses and will probably not invest here. Thankfully, there are loads of bright, affordable options at Urban Outfitters, like this cheery yellow rectangular pair (also available in bright blue).

For me, I always think about how I can execute a trend while staying true to my personal style. I love a 1950s silhouette, so my version of this might be a casual full-skirted summer dress in a happy lilac with a bright bag or sandal. Or a long-sleeved midi dress in a cheery red, perhaps, or even an electric kelly green slouchy blazer, which would look great with just jeans and a white T-shirt. Am I thinking about buying one of Ganni’s candy-colored, crystal-embellished cardigans? Hell yes. Will I wear it with a complementary bright hue for full dopamine execution? Honestly, probably not. I’m more likely to style it with an athletic gray T-shirt from The Great because that’s who I am, and that is fine.

And if all of this scares your minimalist, neutral-loving soul, do not fret. Maybe your version is simply a bright lip—this is the perfect time to hunt down your tube of Schiap by Nars—or a standout purple polish on your toes. (Olive & June makes a great one.) The point of this trend is you can try as little or as much as you want, and isn’t that a refreshing thing?

As always, thank you for being here, and thank you for sticking around. If you have any questions or concerns, or want me to touch on any topics in particular, I’m all ears. Leave a comment on Hi Everyone’s Bulletin or DM me on Instagram—I’m @hillarykerr—my inbox is always open!