The year that was in style: Our year-end trend wrap-up

The year is coming to an end, and it’s the perfect time to look back at the decisions we’ve made during 2018—style-wise, that is. Which trends have defined the stylescape of the past 12 months? And which ones do we think we should all hold on to for the new year? Here’s our trend wrap-up.

The whites
We’ve tackled how the whites made noise in 2018 and how designers were serious in paving their runways with this “color-shy” color. From flamboyant silhouettes to sports and casual wear, here are some of the white looks from spring/summer 2018 that inspired us this year. – Jerico Villamonte, fashion and grooming editor

Turtleneck tops
I bet one too many of your officemates, or even you yourself, have worn a turtleneck top this year. If 2018 had an anthem, it would be this high-necked fall/winter trend. And who’s to blame for joining in on the bandwagon? In every event, we’ve seen it worn with a blazer or underneath a shirt, and somehow, as constricting it might feel in our climate, this piece instantly elevates a look. Here are our Get the Look picks, plus others from our favorite designers. – JV

Boxy t-shirts
One short-term goal this year? To get that Uniqlo boxy shirt in every color! I know a lot of folks who are making this a staple in their closets, most likely as a uniform piece for everyday. It is a little basic-looking, but it’s a one step up from your regular t-shirt, as we’ve demonstrated in our Get the Look post dedicated to it, and as these designers have shown. – JV

Stripes
This classic pattern made its strike this past year in blocks and laser-thin forms. While far from being a novel idea, what made stripes special this year was how everyone reveled in its redundancy. Suits and coordinates in uniform stripes flocked the runways, and a play on the variations of the pattern was applied on even basic pieces—something you can easily spot in most retail stores. The good news is that the world will never run out of striped items, making it easy for you to exploit the trend even after it dies down (for a future resurrection, we’re sure). So really, the key to making the most out of this trend, not just for the rest of 2018 but also beyond, is how you style it. — Yzza Hablado, style associate

Logomania
Whether you loved it or hated it, the logomania trend successfully continued on in 2018. It was a sub-trend brought to us by the comeback of the ’90s in fashion, and became a hit, especially on the streets. More than the repetitive logos printed on clothes, blown-up images of designer brands’ names printed on simple, basic t-shirts (except they aren’t basic) became hotter. Almost everyone who wanted to be in has been spotted wearing Gucci and D&G t-shirts and made them into chic streetwear staples. — YH

Checks
If there was a pattern that put on a major show this year, it would be checks. Tartan, plaid, windowpane—name it, its variation is out there, big time. But can anyone really question the versatility of a pattern that can go from punk to scholarly? You spotted it on bomber jackets, cigarette pants, coats, messenger hats, and bags this year, but let me tell you now that you might see more of it in 2019. So, fancy buffing up on more plaid? — YH