The 8 Leading Trends I Spotted on NYFW's Street Style Set

New York Fashion Week has come and gone, but I'm still thinking about what I saw on the street style scene. Although my job is quite literally to write about fashion, I can easily end up finding myself in a slump, completely lost about what to do with the sea of clothing in my closet. While attending fashion shows is a creative jolt within itself, the street style scene in NYC was exactly what I needed. On social media, things can often feel unreachable. It all looks perfect on a screen, and the clothes can end up looking more like props than something you can wear. But with street style, you're seeing the trends we talk about moving in action. Often, it's not only influencers who are pictured. It's also editors, writers, models, buyers, and more. You see people who may not have thousands of followers, but the way they combine comfort and trends to walk the streets seems like an art form. 

It's easy to report on trends based on what you see online or on the runway, but seeing which trends translate well IRL helps you decide what's worth shopping. While I got to experience the street style scene, I noticed a slew of trends that kept popping up on the fashion set, and I'm sharing them with you below.

1. Punchy Colors

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(Image credit: Claire Guillion)

There was no shortage of color on the New York streets during fashion week. I can often be a little afraid to play with color, but the street style stars convinced me that sometimes you just need to make the jump for it, and it'll look good in the end.

2. Menswear-Inspired Tailoring

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(Image credit: Imaxtree)

I saw a lot of menswear pieces, from relaxed trousers to ties, on showgoers. I thought I'd let go of ties after my Avril Lavigne phase, but I think I'm ready to give the accessory another go in a sleeker and more elevated ensemble.

3. Quilted Jackets

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(Image credit: Claire Guillion)

Instead of solid puffers, many incorporated the quilted trend in their outerwear of choice. 

4. Platforms

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(Image credit: Claire Guillion)

Platforms may not be the safest choice to run around New York City in, but that didn't stop showgoers from pulling out their riskiest shoes. 

5. Maxi Hemlines

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(Image credit: Claire Guillion)

Maxi hemlines were spotted heavily not only on the street style set but also on the runways this season. The midi length has reigned supreme for quite some time, but with minis and maxis leading the charge right now, fashion is currently facing the "all or none" ruling.

6. Headgear

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(Image credit: Jason Jean)

Whether it was shearling bucket hats, balaclavas, or earmuffs, many resorted to different forms of headgear to keep themselves warm and stylish while facing the NYC cold.

7. Carryalls

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(Image credit: Imaxtree)

New Yorkers are known for schlepping things around in many bags, so why not forego tiny bags and opt for a large carryall that'll fit everything you need? Many seemed to agree, as big totes and slouchy shoulder bags were the popular handbags of choice.

8. Leather Looks

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(Image credit: Claire Guillion)
Associate Fashion Editor
Yusra Siddiqui is an editor who resides in New Jersey but bounces between the suburbs and NYC. (She's a Jersey girl at heart.) After interning at Who What Wear in 2019, she found her way to the team after graduating from LIM College in 2022 with a fashion media degree. She's also spent time writing and working for publications such as Fashionista, Coveteur, and Nylon, but she always knew that Who What Wear was where she was meant to be. When she's on the job, she's perusing runway shows, analyzing the latest thing fellow Gen Zers are up to on the internet, and sharing what she can about the modest-fashion market. You can also catch her dabbling in entertainment, talking about the costume choices of the latest Netflix series or diving deeper into how the plotline affects the viewers in a myriad of ways. Lastly, she likes to create content for Who What Wear's TikTok. Her personal time is spent doing similar but also different things—deep diving into almost every new TV show (Bridgerton, Gilmore Girls, and Stranger Things are favorites), planning her next local getaway (whenever that may be), and reading the latest Emily Henry or Sally Rooney novel in one sitting.