11 Trends That Are Going to Be Huge Next Spring, According to New York Fashion Week

By Cordelia Tai

At New York Fashion Week Spring 2020, the players and venues certainly felt fresh and exciting. At the top of our minds are Savage x Fenty’s 40-minute musical-extravaganza-cum-fashion-show at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, the grand finale of Zendaya and Tommy Hilfiger’s two-season collab staged at Harlem’s iconic Apollo Theater and Pyer Moss’ third and final installment of its “American, Also” series highlighting members of the black community’s major (and often unsung) contributions to American culture — reportedly a $400,000 production. But when it came to the season’s overarching fashion trends, we had a serious case of déjà vu.

Still, familiar does not equal understated. From floor-dusting fringe to outsize 80s bubble hems and sleeves to daytime corsetry to in-your-face head-to-toe neon, this season’s trends were anything but a snoozefest. (Fear not minimalists, there were some more “wearable” styling tendencies that emerged, like dresses draped over pants and all-white suiting.)

Click through the slideshow above for 11 trends to take away from the first stretch of fashion month and be sure to check back at the close of the season to see which, if any, had transcontinental legs.

Spring 2020 Trends

  • Dresses Over Pants

    Dresses Over Pants

    Guess what? You don’t have to wait till spring to test drive the week’s most ubiquitous trend — as a matter of fact, you’ve probably already tried it. For Spring 2020, countless designers showed floor-, ankle- and thigh-grazing dresses over clean-lined trousers, straight-leg denim or, in the case of Longchamp, high-rise hot pants. The key to the look is to keep your bottoms relatively formfitting (at least in the pelvic region) and your frock a bit outsize and roomy. And to lengthen your sleeves as the weather demands.

    Sies Marjan Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Dresses Over Pants

    Dresses Over Pants

    Brock Collection Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Dresses Over Pants

    Dresses Over Pants

    Deveaux Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Dresses Over Pants

    Dresses Over Pants

    Hellessy Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Dresses Over Pants

    Dresses Over Pants

    Longchamp Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Dresses Over Pants

    Dresses Over Pants

    Theory Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Dresses Over Pants

    Dresses Over Pants

    Gabriela Hearst Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Dresses Over Pants

    Dresses Over Pants

    Rosie Assoulin Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Dresses Over Pants

    Dresses Over Pants

    Khaite Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Bubble sleeves have been a capital "T" thing for going on five years now. Meanwhile their close relative, the bubble hem, is still a little baby of a trend. But mark our words: it’ll pick up speed once the spring collections hit. As part of the more general 80s revival happening in fashion, New York’s runways were covered in bubbles of all kinds. In addition to the puffy sleeves at Marc Jacobs, Prabal Gurung and more, at Hellessy we saw a massive bubble hem tunic paired with velvet capri pants, at Christopher John Rogers a quilted strapless gown done in safety orange, at Khaite a figure-hugging plaid dress with a bubble hem peplum detail. And that’s just scratching the surface. 

    Hellessy Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Prabal Gurung Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Christopher John Rogers Spring 2020; Image: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

  • Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Khaite Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Oscar de la Renta Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Staud Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Vaquera Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Bubble Hems and Sleeves

    Marc Jacobs Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Fringe

    Fringe

    Fringe, that attention-seeking accent, swayed down the Spring 2020 runways of Christian Siriano, Zimmermann, Jeremy Scott and Bevza, to name just a few. For the most part, designers favored bold, statement-making iterations (see: the flapper dresses at Christian Siriano, the metallic overskirts at Jeremy Scott, Bevza’s would-be car wash pleats). Our favorite take on the trend had to be Gabriela Hearst’s recycled maxi skirt made from rolled strips of her old prints, a standout look at the designer's carbon-neutral show.

    Gabriela Hearst Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Fringe

    Fringe

    Oscar de la Renta Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Fringe

    Fringe

    Jeremy Scott Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Fringe

    Fringe

    Bevza Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Fringe

    Fringe

    Zimmermann Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Fringe

    Fringe

    Christian Siriano Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Fringe

    Fringe

    Khaite Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Fringe

    Fringe

    Area Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • White Suits

    White Suits

    As far as New York designers are concerned, a cool white suit is Spring 2020’s unofficial uniform. Just add a pair of easy sandals (yes, most were shown with sandals) and some glinty earrings and you’re dressed for virtually any occasion. We’re more than on board with this trend: it’s practically impossible not to feel like a powerful, grown-ass woman when wearing a white suit. As long as you don’t spill anything on it.

    Proenza Schouler Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • White Suits

    White Suits

    Barragán Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • White Suits

    White Suits

    Tory Burch Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • White Suits

    White Suits

    Jonathan Simkhai Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • White Suits

    White Suits

    Adeam Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • White Suits

    White Suits

    Tom Ford Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • White Suits

    White Suits

    Gabriela Hearst Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • White Suits

    White Suits

    Area Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Matched Sets

    Matched Sets

    Call it the Euphoria effect, but designers seem to be banking on everyone wanting to look like Maddy "Queen of Coordinating Sets and East Highland High School" Perez next season. Three-piece combos featuring shorts, a bra top and a cardigan or blazer — all perfectly matched, of course — were especially popular.

    Michael Kors Collection Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Matched Sets

    Matched Sets

    Barragán Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Matched Sets

    Matched Sets

    Eckhaus Latta Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Matched Sets

    Matched Sets

    Khaite Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Matched Sets

    Matched Sets

    Matthew Adams Dolan Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Matched Sets

    Matched Sets

    Staud Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Matched Sets

    Matched Sets

    Maryam Nassir Zadeh Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Matched Sets

    Matched Sets

    Anna Sui Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Neon

    Neon

    This is the trend that never ends. At New York Fashion Week Spring 2020, neon was everywhere — in numerous one-off pieces and head-to-toe looks. We thought it worked best when it was colorblocked with contrasting shades, like navy blue at Chromat, or with soft pastels, like at Cynthia Rowley.

    Collina Strada Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Neon

    Neon

    Helmut Lang Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Neon

    Neon

    Maryam Nassir Zadeh Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Neon

    Neon

    Staud Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Neon

    Neon

    Sandy Liang Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Neon

    Neon

    Vaquera Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Neon

    Neon

    Cynthia Rowley Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Neon

    Neon

    Chromat Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Robe Coats

    Robe Coats

    At this point, fashion people have come to be extremely attached to their statement outerwear. What to do when the weather turns warm, making faux fur-trimmed Saks Potts coats superfluous? Enter the robe jacket as Spring 2020’s solution. Defined by Leandra Medine as "long coats applied not as functional outerwear, but as significant improvements to your everyday look," these lightweight, often silky pieces came in soft pinks (Brandon Maxwell, Cynthia Rowley), cool whites (Jonathan Simkhai, Ryan Roche) and, on the more maximalist side of the spectrum, prints to match the outfit beneath (Pyer Moss, Anna Sui).

    Jason Wu Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Robe Coats

    Robe Coats

    Jonathan Simkhai Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Robe Coats

    Robe Coats

    Brandon Maxwell Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Robe Coats

    Robe Coats

    Cynthia Rowley Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Robe Coats

    Robe Coats

    Pyer Moss Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Robe Coats

    Robe Coats

    Ryan Roche Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Robe Coats

    Robe Coats

    Jonathan Cohen Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Robe Coats

    Robe Coats

    Anna Sui Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Polka Dots

    Polka Dots

    Step aside snake print: we’re in the midst of a polka dot renaissance. The trend was big on the streets during haute couture week in Paris and even bigger on the recent New York runways, where designers kept the spotty motif current by playing with color, scale and spacing.

    Marc Jacobs Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Polka Dots

    Polka Dots

    Carolina Herrera Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Polka Dots

    Polka Dots

    Elie Tahari Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Polka Dots

    Polka Dots

    Tory Burch Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Polka Dots

    Polka Dots

    Michael Kors Collection Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Polka Dots

    Polka Dots

    Zero + Maria Cornejo Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Polka Dots

    Polka Dots

    Adam Lippes Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Polka Dots

    Polka Dots

    Batsheva Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Half and Half

    Half and Half

    Indecision is in. The great thing about a split-personality piece — whether it’s a bisected sweater by Chromat, a dual-pattern Badgley Mischka dress or a pair of Marc Jacobs jeans that’s half boot-cut, half booty short — is that it makes quite the statement all on its own. So, if you wish, you can kind of phone in the rest of your look.

    Christopher John Rogers Spring 2020; Image: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

  • Half and Half

    Half and Half

    Badgley Mischka Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Half and Half

    Half and Half

    Chromat Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Half and Half

    Half and Half

    Jonathan Cohen Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Half and Half

    Half and Half

    Dion Lee Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Half and Half

    Half and Half

    Cynthia Rowley Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Half and Half

    Half and Half

    Suzanne Rae Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Half and Half

    Half and Half

    Marc Jacobs Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Boudoir

    Boudoir

    Garters. Corsets. Tops that looked like garters and corsets. All of these were on full display at the New York shows, most notably at Dion Lee where leather garters and shoulder harnesses as well as bustiers featuring fully functional pockets were worn with tight tanks and second-skin knits.

    Dion Lee Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Boudoir

    Boudoir

    Hellessy Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Boudoir

    Boudoir

    Jeremy Scott Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Boudoir

    Boudoir

    Sandy Liang Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Boudoir

    Boudoir

    Brock Collection Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Boudoir

    Boudoir

    Bevza Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Boudoir

    Boudoir

    LaQuan Smith Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Boudoir

    Boudoir

    Priscavera Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Americana

    Americana

    It’s no secret that a large number of New York designers aren’t fans of the current administration, but un-American they are not. This season, R13, Jonathan Cohen, Lela Rose, Michael Kors and more put their patriotism on display in the form of red, white and blue moto jackets, star-spangled shift dresses and coordinating separates splashed with the cityscape of New York. We also saw sartorial references to the cowpokes of the American West and homages to cultural heroes like Barbra Streisand and the lesser-known Sister Rosetta Tharpe, godmother of rock 'n' roll (at Coach 1941 and Pyer Moss, respectively).

    Claudia Li Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Americana

    Americana

    Jonathan Cohen Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Americana

    Americana

    Coach 1941 Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Americana

    Americana

    Pyer Moss Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Americana

    Americana

    Marc Jacobs Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Americana

    Americana

    Lela Rose Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Americana

    Americana

    Rag & Bone Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

  • Americana

    Americana

    R13 Spring 2020; Image: Imaxtree

Cordelia Tai
Cordelia Tai

Cordelia Tai is a freelance staff writer at theFashionSpot. Her work has appeared on Refinery29 and the Huffington Post, among others. Ultimately, she plans to segue into fashion merchandising so that she can (judiciously) online shop for a living.

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