This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer editorial intern Jordyn Centerwall. Find her on Instagram at @jordyncenterwall. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Micro trends. They’ve come to be almost a dreaded word. Just as soon as you get a grip on the tomato girl aesthetic, everyone else has already moved on to coastal cowboy. The start of September marks nearly the three-fourths mark of 2024, and we’ve seen our fair share of trends come and go. As the posts predicting fall fashion start circulating, let’s revisit the micro trends that have gripped us so far this year.
What is a micro trend?
Before I break down the most pin-worthy 2024 micro trends, how do you spot one? What sets a micro trend apart from just a general trend? The answer I’ve found: it’s complicated. Many creators and fashion magazines have attempted to define the phenomena that sweep through algorithms and Pinterest boards only to disappear into obscurity weeks later.
These trends capitalize on FOMO and often rely on a trickle-down effect like most trends. Celebrities or influencers promote the style, then the masses rush to mimic the trend. The micro trends of the past couple of years have relied more heavily on unique keywords than previous fashion cycles. These keywords put a marketing twist on something that has been done time and time again. For example, Balletcore became the pilates princess aesthetic. Both rely on similar elements of a white and baby pink color scheme mixed with elements of 2023’s clean girl aesthetic.
I’ve found that there has been some debate over whether micro trends are subcultures and that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish a micro trend from a more mainstream trend. In general, the word seems to be applied too liberally. Most sources seem to agree though that micro trends can be both general fashion aesthetics and based on single articles of clothing. This article will highlight mainly the “core” types of 2024 micro trends with references to the specific pieces that are iconic to them.
Pilates Princess
Baby pink, bows, boleros, and girly athleisure. Sound familiar? Balletcore was back this year but with a name change: Pilates Princess. The trend leaned into the hyper-femininity of bows while also extending beyond just outfit aesthetics and into lifestyle as a whole. Like last year’s clean girl routines, pilates princess morning routines and skincare regiments abounded. Brands at the forefront of the trend included Alo Yoga, Glossier, and Lululemon.
Mob wife
January 2024 saw the peak of the mob wife aesthetic after Paris Fashion Week and with the 25th anniversary of the Sopranos. Celebs like Kendall Jenner and Rihanna were some of the first to hop on the trend sporting oversized fur coats, head-to-toe black, gold jewelry, and leather boots.
Bogcore
Bog Core came out of Copenhagen Fashion Week, with Solitude Studios being credited with pioneering the trend. The aesthetic leaned into grunge and swamp core with clothing that appeared to be intentionally fraying. The dilapidated look was meant to resemble nature while relying heavily on layering different textures and patterns.
Office Siren
The Devil Wears Prada reentered the cultural psyche in the form of the office siren aesthetic. The trend revisited elements of preppy and quiet luxury with a corporate lean. Supermodel Gisele Bündchen’s character Serena was often pointed to as the epitome of this sexy, yet polished style that included kitten and sling-back heels, pencil skirts, and Bayonetta glasses.
Cunty Country
The stage was set for the domination of country and western aesthetics in fashion this summer thanks to Beyoncé and Bella Hadid. Hadid has an equestrian background and began adopting the country aesthetic more frequently when she started dating cowboy Adan Banuelos last October. Beyoncé released her single Texas Hold Em’ in February, and later her album, Cowboy Carter, in March. Shortly after, the cunty country aesthetic peaked.
The trend was a revival of the Coastal Cowboy trend from the summer previous. While the softer elements of its previous iteration still made an appearance in summer trends, the cunty country aesthetic leaned into an edgier Western aesthetic with leather, fringe, statement belts, and sparkles at the forefront.
Tennis core
Zendaya served as the catalyst for the return of tennis aesthetics in fashion for a short period leading up to and following the Challengers’ release in April. The preppy sporty elements returned in the form of pleats, tennis dresses, bows, and collared halter necks within a color palette of predominantly white and green.
Coquette
Coquette is nothing new according to Vogue’s 2023 trend wrap-up. However, with the trend having surfaced consistently since 2021, it has certainly stuck around longer than most trends on this list. Bridgeton’s May release of its third season may have given the trend a boost into the more mainstream, but others cite Lana del Ray as the muse for the style’s return.
Achieving the coquette look—similar to the hyper-feminine cottage core and balletcore aesthetics—relies on a white and pastel color palette, with bows, lace, and floral elements also present. Unlike similar trends, coquette brings unique shapes and textures including ruffles and poofs. Some of the most iconic coquette pieces of 2024 include bloomers, bubble skirts, octopus dresses (and more generally ruffle hems). Pops of red also made their way into coquette style adding elements of Americana to the girly aesthetic.
Brat summer
Brat summer represented the return of the party girl aesthetic but with sleeker edges. Charli XCX’s album, Brat, set the stage with its release in June. Hallmark to the style were wife beaters, athletic-framed sunglasses, and of course neon green. Brat summer became more mainstream with the increased use of the term via TikTok and also came to represent a return to pop music. Artists like Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Olivia Rodrigo, and Chappell Roan dominated the charts in an all-in girlhood way reminiscent of the Barbie-centric summer of 2023.
Blokette
Blokette core saw a return in 2024, after dominating Pinterest boards the summer before. Similar to last year, the trend relied on streamlined sneakers—predominantly Sambas again—long flowy skirts, jorts, jerseys, and graphic tees. It’s not surprising that it was here to stay this year after so many Taylor Swift fans became Chiefs fans and tuned into the Super Bowl in February with the launch of her and Travis Kelce’s relationship last fall. This year, though the trend added micro shorts to the mix. Boxers, bubble skirts, bloomers, and lacey mini shorts all found themselves paired with the graphic tees and jerseys of blokecore. Ballet flats and slingbacks with high white socks also brought a new twist to the trend.
What’s next for 2024 Micro Trends?
Now headed into fall, whispers of wine red and suede have started to surface, but a new narrative seems to have come into play. The second half of 2024 has been dominated by a call for finding one’s own “personal style.” Many predict that micro trends may die out as consumers are wearied by the rapid trend cycles and begin to prioritize individuality over fitting in with the latest ‘must have’ style.
What 2024 micro trends made it on your algorithms that missed ours? Comment down below!
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