It seems that the tides of fashion move more quickly with every passing year. Social media has accelerated trend cycles to frankly ridiculous levels, and while we’ve always been advocates for ‘timeless’ style, it’s hard not to get swept up from time to time.

The start of a new year is a good time to take stock. With fashion moving faster than ever, there are new trends springing up on a monthly basis. It’s a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it stops things from ever feeling stale, but on the other, it means that many of the resulting looks have zero staying power.

With that in mind, now is a good time to reflect on the year in trends and decide which ones deserve to be left firmly in 2024.

Massive Trousers

We can’t help but feel like the expansion of legwear silhouettes is reaching a tipping point. Trending trouser styles have gone so far in the opposite direction of skinny that they have become comical, and for the first time, wide-leg and baggy styles are eclipsing slim and skinny fits in mainstream fashion.

It’s not sustainable. At some point, the pendulum will inevitably begin to swing back again, and 2025 could be the year that it finally happens.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: don’t believe the hype. Instead of blindly following legwear trends and then cringing at the memory in years to come, buy your trousers in a classic straight-leg cut and be done with it.

Skinny Jeans

Now, don’t get confused. The downfall of massive pants does not herald a return to the sausage-casing styles of the 2010s. Skinny jeans are still dead, and with any luck, it will stay that way.

If you’re one of the few people still clinging onto theirs, do your testicles a favour and, again, heed the advice on straight-leg trousers above.

Cropped Everything

There will come a point very soon when TikTok fashion influencers will regret butchering all of their vintage tees to achieve a cropped fit. And it isn’t just T-shirts either – lately, it’s felt like cropped cuts have been everywhere, from outerwear to sweats and even knitwear.

We get that it’s interesting to play with proportions in your outfits, but it stops being that way when everyone is doing it. Should you ditch cropped cuts entirely? Absolutely not, but steer clear of basing your entire wardrobe and/or personality around them.

Tiny Sunglasses

While pants have been growing in size, sunglasses have been shrinking down to minuscule proportions. We’re talking noughties-esque styles that barely cover the eyes. Far from practical, anything but timeless, and pretty unflattering to boot.

Don’t get us wrong, we’re not opposed to modestly sized wire frames of the sort made famous by John Lennon, but anything smaller than that can stay firmly in 2024 as far as we’re concerned. Instead, opt for classic, time-honoured eyewear styles, and make sure you pick ones that match your face shape first and foremost.

TikTok Fashion Clones

When it comes to fashion, social media does have its positives. It’s a great resource for discovering new brands and designers, not to mention a valuable source of inspiration for outfit ideas and styling tips.

However, there’s a significant downside, particularly with TikTok, where guys get sucked in by the algorithm and all end up dressing exactly the same – cropped jacket, big pants, loafers, and baseball cap/tiny little cuffed beanie, depending on the season.

It’s become the standard TikTok fashion guy look over the last year or so, and one we’re keen to see the back of in 2025.

Crocs

Need we say more? It’s a trend that should never have been. We get it; they’re comfy and kind of practical, but so are lots of shoes that don’t look like brightly coloured blocks of Swiss cheese.

If it’s house shoes you’re after, check out the likes of Subu, Birkenstock, Bedrock and Suicoke instead.

The Mullet-‘Stache Combo

Ironic or not, this is a male grooming trend that has to die in 2025. Sure, a moustache can look great on the right guy, and, at a push, a mullet can too. But the two together? That’s just too much.

Fair enough if you’re an Aussie bricklayer, but for everyone else, it’s probably time for a trip to the barber.

Jorts

The proliferation of knee-grazing jean shorts was perhaps one of the most surprising fashion trends of the summer. But just because everyone’s wearing something doesn’t make it right, and we’re hoping that people will return to their senses for summer 2025.

A few years ago, you’d have been laughed out of the beer garden for turning up in a pair of these monstrosities. Let’s try to keep it that way.

Loafers With Everything

Loafers are great, but there’s a limit to what they can and should do. Sure, they’re versatile, but lately, we’ve seen this versatility pushed to its limits and beyond.

A pair of brown leather loafers with a nice mid-wash jean? Sure. Teamed up with a grey wool trouser? Of course. But wear that same shoe with a nylon track pant or a pair of joggers, and you’ve probably taken it a step too far.

Stick to wearing loafers with smart-casual pieces, and you can’t go far wrong. We’re all for a bit of sartorial experimentation, and we’re not saying you shouldn’t think outside of the box if you think you’ve got the styling chops to pull it off, but in our experience, loafers taken out of context tend to miss the mark.

Nonsensical Collabs

Crocs x Pringles

We’re all for a good collaboration, but only if it makes sense. When brands with a shared ethos or complementary approaches to design come together, it can produce truly interesting results. Take Barbour and C.P. Company’s 2023 hookup, for example. These are two esteemed outerwear brands from different countries, each with its unique approach to designing coats and jackets. The project took the elements that define each label and combined them to create something remarkable.

Unfortunately, collaborations like this one are in the minority, outnumbered by nonsensical cash-grab releases from brands that have nothing of value to add to one another. Here’s to far fewer of these in 2025 and a hearty dose more of the good stuff.