The Top 15 Trends of New York Fashion Week Spring 2019

Where to begin. New York Fashion Week felt reinvigorated this season. Rodarte transported us to a fairytale princess world of tulle, taffeta and breathtaking silhouettes; Ralph Lauren shut Central Park down with his 100-plus-look 50th-anniversary show, complete with celebrity guests and a speech by Oprah. Rihanna put on a powerfully emotional and inclusive ode to womanhood; Pyer Moss to black life in America; Opening Ceremony to the LGBTQIA+ community. And across the city, the clothes — and styling tricks! — were equally exciting and creative. (Maryam Nassir Zadeh is all over our 2019 mood boards.) As for the main trends that emerged: the runways were essentially a mix of anything-goes, power femme looks (think dresses done in fisherman’s netting, clashy patterns, sky-high slits, loads of lingerie-as-outerwear and denim so expertly Frankensteined it put Vetements to shame) and pieces that are already proven hits (sheer dresses, bike shorts, neon everything). Designers straddled the line between pandering to commercialism and doing whatever the heck they wanted. Of course, when it comes to summing up the runways, pictures say a lot more than words. Click through the slideshow above for the lowdown on the top 15 trends of New York Fashion Week Spring 2019.

[ Next: 8 Hits and 17 Misses From New York Fashion Week Spring 2019 ]

Top NYFW Spring 2019 Trends

Short Suits

Playful suiting has been and will long be a capital-T thing — just ask the trend’s unofficial ambassador, Harry Styles. This season, designers are challenging us to amp it up, go a step further, wear a short suit. To avoid unfortunate 80s flashbacks, try yours with unexpected footwear (think lace-up sandals, flip flops, dad sneaks) and/or rock a sheer shirt underneath. Working Girl who?

Maryam Nassir Zadeh Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Short Suits

Marc Jacobs Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Short Suits

Tibi Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Short Suits

Dion Lee Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Short Suits

Matthew Adams Dolan Spring 2019; Image: Vogue
Marigold

New York’s Spring 2019 runways burst with every single color…but mostly yellow. There was banana, there was daffodil, there was that lemony Hard Candy hue that looks best against warmer skin tones. But trending above all was a vibrant, earthy marigold that reminded us of golden-hour sunbeams (and Chanel’s Le Vernis in Giallo Napoli). It showed up at Pyer Moss, Monse, Brandon Maxwell, 3.1 Phillip Lim and Tome, to name just a few. Make it pop by pairing it with white or other earth-tones. Or just go monochrome.

Pyer Moss Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Marigold

Monse Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Marigold

Brandon Maxwell Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Marigold

3.1 Phillip Lim Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Marigold

Tome Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Mixed Prints

Some people are afraid to push the proverbial envelope on this trend. It is a tricky one. But we (and Escada, Kate Spade New York, Self-Portrait and Zimmermann) say pile on the prints! Throw a graphic shift dress on over logoed tights, pair floral print tops with checked skirts. The key is to pick complementary shades and silhouettes — and wear them with confidence.

Escada Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Mixed Prints

Maki Oh Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Mixed Prints

Kate Spade New York Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Mixed Prints

Self-Portrait Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Mixed Prints

Zimmermann Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Tie Dye

Tie-dye has such warm connotations. It reminds us of summertime, of childhood, of freedom, of Jonah Hill. Apparently, designers feel the same, because for Spring 2019, the hippie-beloved print was everywhere. R13 did stoner-friendly tees and blazers, Prabal Gurung rebellious knits, Proenza Schouler dignified, Frankenstein-ed button-downs. But our favorite look would have to be Paloma Elsesser’s kaleidoscopic Canadian tux at Eckhaus Latta. Worn with sculptural black mules, it was unexpectedly chic.

Eckhaus Latta Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Tie Dye

Collina Strada Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Tie Dye

Proenza Schouler Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Tie Dye

R13 Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Tie Dye

Prabal Gurung Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Crochet

Crochet isn’t just for old ladies. For Spring 2019, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Ulla Johnson, Carolina Herrera and Maryam Nassir Zadeh reworked the old school knit, crafting everything from tank tops to mini shorts to body-hugging dresses to chunky fisherman sweaters. As for styling, be sure to mix and match: Pair a striped crochet tank with a leather belt and spandex bike shorts; a playful knit jumpsuit with a 2000s-era chain belt and embellished knee-high boots.

Carolina Herrera Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Crochet

Oscar de la Renta Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Crochet

Maryam Nassir Zadeh Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Crochet

Ulla Johnson Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Crochet

3.1 Phillip Lim Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Head-to-Toe Brights

In-your-face neon is #trending. A ton of designers showed it for fall — everyone from Miuccia Prada to Marc Jacobs to Maryam Nassir Zadeh — and Kim Kardashian’s been wearing it just about every other day. And based on the Spring 2019 runways, day-glo looks will long be the way to go. Forget “toning it down”: Milly, Sies Marjan, Alice + Olivia and more recommend wearing it head-to-toe. You'll quite literally radiate confidence.

Milly Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Head-to-Toe Brights

Sies Marjan Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Head-to-Toe Brights

Cushnie Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Head-to-Toe Brights

Prabal Gurung Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Head-to-Toe Brights

Alice + Olivia Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Cargo Pants

Perhaps one day the early-2000s will cease to haunt us, but today is not that day. Cargo pants (yes, some of them low-rise), micro-minis, flip flops and even early-aughts queen Paris Hilton turned up at the Spring 2019 shows. Pair the former with a well-crafted knit or heels for a look that’s utilitarian yet upscale.

Sies Marjan Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Cargo Pants

Ralph Lauren Fall 2018; Image: Imaxtree
Cargo Pants

Jonathan Simkhai Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Cargo Pants

Prabal Gurung Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Cargo Pants

Vaquera Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Underwear as Outerwear

Presenting the grown-up way to wear underwear en plein air: slip a lace negligee on under a patent-leather skirt suit; sweeten up the deal with iridescent pastel heels. Or take your styling cues from Brock Collection and Khaite and let a delicate bralette and 60s-style high-waist briefs peek out from beneath a belted, undone coat.

Tom Ford Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Underwear As Outerwear

Sally LaPointe Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Underwear As Outerwear

Khaite Spring 2019; Image: Courtesy of Khaite
Underwear As Outerwear

Dion Lee Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Underwear As Outerwear

Brock Collection Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Puff Sleeves

Good news for those who fell in love with the puffy silhouette this summer: the whole Disney princess look is here to stay. Puff sleeve tops (and shirts) were another huge New York runway trend. Advocates include Marc Jacobs, Rodarte, Brock Collection, Mara Hoffman and Zero + Maria Cornejo, which took a more avant-garde, Issey Miyake-esque approach.

Marc Jacobs Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Puff Sleeves

Rodarte Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Puff Sleeves

Brock Collection Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Puff Sleeves

Mara Hoffman Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Puff Sleeves

Zero + Maria Cornejo Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Reworked Denim

Frankensteined denim was a prevalent theme at New York Fashion Week Spring 2019. It's not for the faint of heart, or the meek. Telfar patchworked his denim with the Budweiser logo, Coach did a mixed material mini-dress with a Western twist, Proenza Schouler had skirts that were both off-kilter and acid-wash (an especially bold move) and Gypsy Sport showed pieced-together denim bustiers.

Gypsy Sport Spring 2019; Image: Vogue
Reworked Denim

Coach 1941 Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Reworked Denim

Telfar Spring 2019; Image: Vogue
Reworked Denim

Proenza Schouler Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Reworked Denim

Matthew Adams Dolan Spring 2019; Image: Vogue
Extreme Slits

At shows throughout the city, slits reached scandalous new heights, conjuring up visions of Angelina Jolie on that Oscars red carpet many moons ago. This’ll certainly breathe new life into the dresses-over-pants trend.

Jonathan Simkhai Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Extreme Slits

Calvin Klein Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Extreme Slits

Hellessy Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Extreme Slits

Claudia Li Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Extreme Slits

Priscavera Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Bike Shorts

The powers that be have decided that bike shorts are here to stay. We saw metallic styles at Baja East and LaQuan Smith, neons at Maryam Nassir Zadeh, Nanushka and Miaou, florals at Rachel Antonoff, racer stripes at Area. How to make spandex elegant? Pair it with sweet cardigans and ladylike heels.

Rachel Antonoff Spring 2019; Image: Courtesy of Rachel Antonoff
Bike Shorts

Baja East Spring 2019; Image: Courtesy of Baja East
Bike Shorts

Maryam Nassir Zadeh Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Bike Shorts

LaQuan Smith Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Bike Shorts

Miaou Spring 2019; Image: Courtesy of Miaou
Fishnet

Forget practicality, forget modesty. Spring 2019 will be the season of the power femme. Pop-star- (and Studio 54) worthy netted dresses will come layered over crop tops and pants or, for those feeling especially daring, just some high-rise briefs. In the age of Instagram, it’s all about getting noticed.

Area Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Fishnet

Dion Lee Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Fishnet

Chromat Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Fishnet

Sandy Liang Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Fishnet

Pyer Moss Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Sheer Dresses

Fun fact: Marie Antoinette once had her portrait “taken” (by painter Vigée Le Brun) in one of the first known sheer dresses, the chemise à la reine. Nowadays, these chemises — better known as “naked dresses” — are everywhere, from the streets to the runways to the red carpet. For Spring 2019, try a billowy, ethereal version, either with a simple slip underneath or over trousers and under a crop top, per the infinitely style-wise Olsen twins.

The Row Spring 2019; Image: Courtesy of The Row
Sheer Dresses

Bevza Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Sheer Dresses

Beaufille Spring 2019; Image: Courtesy of Beaufille
Sheer Dresses

Tory Burch Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Sheer Dresses

Jill Stuart Spring 2019; Image: Courtesy of Jill Stuart
Dressed-Up Tevas

Much like seemingly all controversial shoes — Crocs, Birkenstocks, clogs, dad sneakers — Tevas are officially trending. The defiantly ugly, hiker-beloved sandals showed up at Tome, Collina Strada, Sandy Liang, Nanushka, Area and Anna Sui. Some came in silk, some on colorful platforms, some dressed up with tassels and jewels. The cool kids really aren’t letting the gorpcore trend go.

Tome Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Dressed-Up Tevas

Anna Sui Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Dressed-Up Tevas

Nanushka Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Dressed-Up Tevas

John Elliot Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree
Dressed-Up Tevas

Area Spring 2019; Image: Imaxtree