Fashion for Moms: Winter 2024

My husband and I went out for a morning lunch, just the two of us, for the first time since our fifth baby was born. I had been watching some fashion videos and looking up what was trending on Net-a-Porter, a site that hosts high-end fashion (that I like to “window” shop). Sitting in that stylish lunch spot, I was happy to note all the fashion trends were as I predicted. I must admit it’s all a bit repetitive this year, maybe even a bit dull, but I’ll explain in a nutshell how to style for this winter 2024 and show some photos below.

I’m very excited to tell you that I generated images for the first time using Chat GPT. My husband is into AI and suggested that I try it out and I had so much fun coming up with outfit ideas for virtual “models.” A major glitch I came across was that most of the women pictured were extremely thin! I did my best to encourage the artificial intelligence to create images of “average-sized” women. But some still turned out extremely thin. Another glitch was that sometimes the outfits would look like they came from videogame sci-fi! But as I worked and honed the images I got more and more of what I was looking for and in the end, I was quite happy with them, I hope you also enjoy the AI fashion!

Plain Jane

The first big thing to say about fashion this winter is that it is very plain. Neutrals are still a fad, with beige and grey, and of course the ubiquitous white-washed blues. On the other hand, butter yellow is starting to hit the mainstream—I noticed this when my friend’s husband came over wearing a butter yellow polo! And our waitress on Saturday was wearing a sleeveless, butter-yellow cardigan.

But for the most part this year is as plain as it gets—no logos, not a lot of colour. (Some sites argue bright colours and apres-ski funky prints are in… I simply have yet to see a lot of it on the street in my small hometown).

The basic uniform is thus a plain sweatshirt with a pair of jeans—and the ubiquitous lug boots.

Anti-Virtual

An overall trend that encompasses most of what I describe in this article is texture. From shearling coats to heavy knit sweaters, waffle knit shirts, embroidered jeans, leather, and crocheted or fuzzy handbags. It’s as if we are sick of the digital world and are craving the sensory. If you want to find something trendy, make sure it has an interesting texture and I’m sure it will become your statement piece.

In the restaurant where my husband and I were having lunch, I couldn’t help but notice how much texture played a role in the decor as well. There was velour cloth covering the booth seating. The bar was decorated with bumpy blue ceramic tiles. Lining the white walls were many plants with large, smooth leaves. The chairs we were sitting on were textured as well—a kind of fake wicker.

Cardigans and Jeans

When I perused the trendy clothing store next to our lunch spot, I noticed that it was contained in summary two items in various configurations: cardigans and jeans! Think of a large, oversized cardigan with two or three buttons. They are usually short to accommodate the highrise pant trend. I have one oversized sweater, it doesn’t have buttons, but it is made of a good quality material and I can throw it on to any outfit to make it look trendy. Large, oversized sweaters without buttons are useful for pregnancy, and for breastfeeding.

Of course I also love a comfy, jacquard sweater with a pair of jeans—who doesn’t? And now that it’s trendy I don’t have to relegate this timeless outfit to walks in the woods or my cozy indoor days. I still like a fitted sweater, since tucking sweaters in is not exactly convenient when you’re nursing! But I see many ladies find ways to make oversized sweaters work for them.

How to mix it up: a large sweater with a pair of faux slacks or “trousers.”

Coming down the fashion pipe: flared leg or bell bottoms!

Leather

Sweaters and cardigans can be jazzed up with a leather skirt. And this year, leather is everywhere, as a jacket (oversized or a tailored motorcycle jacket), pants, skirts, and even leather blouses! You can pair leather on leather even. Or find a good pair of tall leather boots and pair them with a midi skirt or maxi dress.

Midi Skirt

There appear to be three kinds of midi skirts that are the most popular: flowy and flowery, jeans with a slit, and structured leather. I have seen all of these paired with fluffy sweaters and they look great and comfortable.

I don’t have any midi skirts in my wardrobe right now, but I do have a designer pleated skirt that I’ve held onto for years and years. So I paired for the first time the oversized sweater with the pleated skirt and my husband gave me the thumbs up (he’s my fashion reference when in doubt!).

Mix it up: Pair a colourful turtleneck with a jean skirt. Add a belt for definition.

Nylons

I almost gave away all my nylons last year, thinking they would never come back into style, only to find out this year that they are back… and I’m glad I held onto them! I have heard that colourful tights are here, but so far I have only seen sheer black nylons, which in any case I really love. Again, going with the texture theme, these add another great sensory appeal to any outfit.

Winter boots

Ankle-high, flat-soled boots are still trending though I have seen some knee-high boots coming up again. The so-called “lug boot” continues to have its moment and can easily be paired with jeans to dresses. I do see that the trends may go towards the dainty foot again with some pointy-toed shoes that I’ve seen popping up in trendy markets.

Jackets and Coats

Shearling jackets and jean jackets are still having their moment, as well as oversized plaid jackets. As far as winter jackets, the definite trend seems to be the puffer jacket—in black and white especially. I still like a tailored look for the most part, but the oversized jackets are great for pregnancy! Another trend that I have seen is the house-coat-as-a-coat look. Think of an oversized wool coat, cinched at the waist with a tie-belt.

Makeup

Blush is having a comeback. And when I see it being used, it is not being put on sparingly! A full contour of the cheek in pink with a shiny rather than matte finish. As well, eyebrows are still being emphasized. I saw some girls with their eyebrows exaggerated with the hair brushed upwards to enlarge their eyebrow size (and again—texture!). I like a more muted face; I have also noticed some ladies wearing darker shades of lipstick with an emphasis on the eyes and only a little blush. In any case, if blush is your thing—this is your season!

Hair

Long and straight or long and wavy are still trending where I live. I find a more urban look from the larger cities tends to be the shoulder-length blunt cut. Another thing I noticed on my day out was ponytails—where the hair was slicked back tightly with the help of gel. And finally—yes—blonde. It’s a post-Covid thing for sure but not too surprising—everyone is happy to get back to the salon! I’m a more natural-colour kind of person; I love that I can get away with just brushing my long hair and walking out the door. It’s great to live in an era and culture where hair is just that easy.

Jewellery

One surprising addition to this winter’s trends is brooches—yes, brooches. And to think I just sold my only brooch at a garage sale this summer, only to find out it was having its heyday this winter! But with plain-jane clothing, it makes sense that we are finding ways to jazz things up a bit.

Other than brooches, I continue to see that metallic jewellery is still a thing, with delicate earrings, necklaces, and bracelets still trending. They make an ironic contrast with the oversized clothing. I like the small metallic hoops and find they add finesse to even a plain outfit.

Also in fashion are chunky and cuff-like bracelets. These I haven’t seen too much but I do love the look.

Accessories

I saw one Australian designer advertising fanny packs that you sling over your shoulder instead of fastening around your waist. I thought they wouldn’t be trendy here in Canada, but I was wrong—as my husband and I strolled through our downtown I saw a number of people wearing over-the-shoulder fanny packs. Although the Australian one advertised was a bright orange (I think bright colours tend to be more trendy there!) the Canadian versions were more subdued, in a variety of neutrals (I want to say as usual, our trends here are less showy).

Finally, another great trend I can get behind is the oversized scarf—or blanket scarf. I find that this accessory is not only practical, it works great to offset the size of my belly when I’m pregnant! Match it with your shoe colour and it makes for a stylish statement every time you walk out the door. Another thing I think this scarf pairs with nicely are a pair of dainty leather gloves, also in vogue this year.

fashion in the future

It will be interesting to see how much 3D printing may influence our style in the future. I’m looking forward to shoes that fit my feet exactly right! But as I mentioned earlier, I do think that texture will continue to have its heyday, so if you’re buying a new piece, look at the quality of the material. Anything chunky, woven, soft, or fuzzy will fit right in. You don’t need a lot of it to make a statement. One lady walked into the store I was in holding a fuzzy purse. It added so much fun to her outfit (don’t we all need a bit more of that?)

I hope you enjoyed this season’s summary of fashion trends!

references

Lydia Tomlinson: Maximising Your Everyday Wardrobe

Fashion trends this year are leaning towards comfort and timelessness…

Justine Leconte: Ethical Fashion, Lifestyle, and Trends

“[With the] 50s inspired waist… is this a move towards more gendered clothing and away from the asexual oversized look?”

Fashion and Style Edit by Jess

“It’s all about the above the knee boot…”