Year of Wearable Fashion

Trends forecasters herald 2020 as the year of wearable fashion. Styles you can wear day in and day out are key in fashion and accessories.

Accessible and re-creatable, the trends are simple to incorporate into current wardrobes without too much fuss or imagination hails whowhatwear.com. InStyle describes 2020 fashions as surprisingly easy to follow and embrace.

Popular colors channel power and peace, and preferred silhouettes pull away from the body “to better enable life to happen”, defines the trends forecasting firm, MintModa. It finds consumers want fabrics and silhouettes they can live in: relaxed shapes, fluid drapes, a casual dress code that’s timeless.

The trend in jewelry signals the same in designs that are easy to layer in with existing styles, allowing wearers to customize their own looks, finds the luxury trends forecasting firm, The Futurist for The Plumb Club. Popular silhouettes are elongated, sometimes voluminous, with negative space to keep it light and easy to mix in styles.

Everyday jewelry is hands down the biggest trend for women, cheers Dana Cali, marketing and communications for the New York based, Mastoloni. “We’re seeing how important it is that jewelry is versatile enough to wear morning, noon and night and for any occasion, whether it’s work, black-tie, or Sunday brunch.”

Women today want jewelry that speaks to and enhances their outfits, not only for special occasions, but also on a daily basis, says Allison Peck for the New York-based Brevani brand. “When we think of fashion overall we think about apparel and jewelry falls under that same fashion umbrella. Women are having fun with their wardrobes, now more than ever, mixing unconventional colors, silhouettes and patterns. Why should jewelry be any different?”

Live In Jewelry
Among the favorite design directions, The Futurist points to fluid and lightweight styles, such as open bands, bangles, cuffs, collars, and hoops with diamond accents; dangling diamonds; diamond pavé, micro to organic and irregular settings; off-set stones and clusters of stones; and diamond baguettes.

Links and pearls are cited as leading design elements by multiple trends trackers. The trend for layering chains and lengths of chains was seen extensively at recent fashion shows, hearkening back to the 1980s and ‘90s, tells Gloria Maccaroni, director of brand development for Silver Promotion Service.

Pearls continue to be a key trend, with looks ranging from simple pearl necklaces and stud earrings, as adorning Dior and Celine to ornate pearl chokers and large hanging pearl earrings accessorizing Chanel, Burberry and Tory Burch. Maccaroni sees pearls paired with silver popular. Cali concurs that both classic and modern styles fall within the everyday versatile trend for self-purchasers. But for Mastoloni, yellow and rose gold is dominating the trend, with greater interest in unique pearl shapes and colors.

Brands like Brevani are seizing on the layering trend, by creating a unique, patent-pending clasp that allows the wearer to wear one, two or three layers at once, and even take existing necklaces and integrate them. Also popular is the brand’s Spiral Spryng rings, and new flex bracelets and hoops.

The art of layering extends beyond the neck, finger and wrist to explore the ear that has become a canvas for stacking styles from drops and hoops to studs and cuffs. Earrings remain a top accessory, and Maccaroni says that for 2020, their styling is more about the abstract — think geometric, modern art.

The trend for “wearable style” came into play with the generation of self-purchasing women who are practical, but still want to make a statement, describes Theresa Namie, merchandise manager for the Minneapolis, Minnesota based manufacturer, Ostbye.

Among the key design directions she has spied include yellow gold with textures, chokers you can layer on to create a statement look, and the staple of stacking rings and bracelets. “Our jewelry tells a story and when we go out, it can be a conversation piece. Women are looking for that story behind their collections.”

Everyone wants something unique to them, which is why personalized products remain center stage, reports Cora Lee Colaizzi, marketing director and senior merchandiser for Quality Gold in Fairfield, Ohio. Among the market’s bestsellers are engravable choices; signet and monogram styles; and charms.

Quality Gold cites all colors of gold trending in its Italian Gold category, particularly an expanded range of styles in rose gold with different diamond-cut finishes and its 14K-gold stretch collection. Ever popular is the manufacturer’s Sterling Shimmer Collection crafted in silver and CZ, delivering Red Carpet style at attractive prices, including an assortment of hoop and dangle earrings, classic Riviera necklaces, bangles, bracelets, and rings.