At last it’s officially spring, the last few years have taught me not to jinx summer by predicting a good one so I’m just going to say that if it turns out to be anything like the winter we’ve had up here, it would be glorious. Who knows what’s coming weatherwise but new season has landed in the shops and it’s time to look at the Spring fashion trends 2025. There were a lot of different looks on the catwalks for SS25, it almost felt as if designers were throwing anything and everything out there to see what might stick. The stage of the fashion cycle that I’ve always found most interesting though is when retailers sit down and analyse what they’ve seen. I always loved watching the debates between the trend-focused buyers and the sales-focused merchandisers as they argued about what would make the shop floor and window displays look exciting versus what would actually sell. I spent the second half of last week in London assessing the outcome. As always I narrowed my gaze to look past the high trends that are bought in shallow numbers to inspire fashionista headlines until I found the wardrobe refreshes that will work hard in real life. So let me talk you through the Spring fashion trends 2025 – the most wearable looks you’ll find on the high street.
Do trends still matter in midlife?
But first, there’s always a question in a wiser, more experienced woman’s mind that asks, “do I care about trends?” And it’s valid, especially in a time of global uncertainty when everybody instinctively girds their loins by tightening their budgets and there isn’t much appetite for frippery. By midlife most of us have worked out what we like to wear and which styles suit us best but it doesn’t mean we should completely ignore trends.
Fashion is a social currency, it’s a signal that runs through the street, the human equivalent of dogs weeing on a lamppost. There is no clearer illustration of the zeitgeist than the choices we make when we’re cloaking our bodies and the mood behind the trends depicts the way a nation is feeling. So, a bit like being on top of current affairs, it’s an important piece of social communication.
Sartorial reference to current trends says, “I’m still engaged” versus “I’ve checked out”. Or it can be used to say, “I’m different/I disagree” – some people deliberately ignore trends. Think of goths or punks or today’s indies using their style to indicate that they don’t subscribe to mainstream society, that they run with a different tribe. What you wear is visual signalling of who you are, how you feel about yourself and the world at large, it’s up to you to choose what you want to convey.
Like most things human when you break the trends down they can all seem a bit daft, my job here though is to interpret fashion from a midlife perspective. At an individual level I see small nods to trend in an outfit that is otherwise based around what you know works for you as a cut-through for retaining visibility and being seen as a player. Just a clever social reference here and there shows that you’re still taking part in life’s game but… on your own terms. So I guess you need to decide on whether you want to look as if you’re still playing – you don’t have to, it might be that you’re ready to sit on the sides and watch.
That’s a big choice to make though – style is subliminal social interchange and a midlifer who still has her finger on the pulse stands out. It’s uplifting to see an older woman interpreting fashion rather than following it slavishly – I think we all give her a metaphorical high five. So today, rather than giving you a complete rundown of SS25 in all its glory I’m going to pull out the wearable trends and chat through them. This post is here to help you to tweak your wardrobe, to give you ideas of how you can keep looking relevant and engaged with minimal effort and outlay.
A quick run through trickier Spring fashion trends 2025
Before I move onto the most wearable trends though let’s just sweep over some of the other looks that you’ll see in the shops – there’s a return to skirts worn over trousers… remember that in the 90s? I always hated it but it’s there if you like it – there are hybrid pieces around in the shops with trousers that have a skirt-like apron over the front and quite a few skorts around for the hot weather too.
Transparency is bigger than it was last year – there’s plenty of voile and tulle that is designed to be worn with big pants and no bra – it leaves nothing to the imagination but you do you. Or you can even forget the big pants!
The 90s power suit is back – a slight move on from last year’s revival of the sharp tailoring of the 80s although they’re still around too thanks to Rivals. It has oversized, soft blazers with full pleated trousers – very elegant if you have the lifestyle for it.
Hotpants are this year’s mini-skirt, worn super short with cropped tops. And there’s a return to 90s plaid for summer which is a weave that’s always made me grit my teeth, it feels like a poor man’s tartan to me – this look is current at Zara, the very worst of the 90s in my opinion.
Spring fashion trends 2025 – the most wearable
There are two very strong options that are easy to weave into your wardrobe though so let’s move on to those.
Key Trend 1 – The new Boho
For those of us who’ve been through more than a few new seasons, it probably feels as though the Boho trend epitomised by Sienna Miller in the noughties was only yesterday. We remember it so clearly because it was probably the first big look that came as a response to the need for standout on the newly emerging social media channels. Early adopters on there scrambled to have a ‘look,’ defined through the daily posting of outfits that had more drama than the everyday – and Boho caught fire like dry kindling.
W Magazine
But that version of Boho was just a rehash of the original which appeared in the 1960s as a rejection of the formality of the old world. And when you put it into the context of the times we’re living through it makes sense that the same kind of values rejection is being manifested again through fashion. Boho is a repudiation of the stealth wealth display that we’ve seen around us over the last few years, epitomised of course by the wardrobes of the women in the Trump family. Fashion is, as always, being used as semaphore.
Nod to Boho with tan suede
This time around it’s slightly different to the early noughties version, it isn’t as loose and it plays more with texture. I’m sure you can’t have missed the amount of tan suede that’s around and it’s key to the look which is great because it’s a very wearable way of adding a touch of Boho to the outfits you already have. The problem is that the jackets are such a big trend that they’ve sold out almost everywhere already, this is probably the best selection of suede and leather jackets in stock.
I’ve found this one in the sale and it’s still available in all sizes
This is in menswear but it could be worth sizing down to a small
And this is perfect if you have the budget for it. I can say that you do get great cost per wear out of a tan suede jacket – I’ve had mine since 2014 and regardless of trend it’s always one of my first choices for cooler spring/summer/early autumn days because the soft colour and finish work so well with lighter fabrics.
Alternatively you could add a tan suede bag, you’ll probably be surprised by how quickly it becomes your first choice for spring and summer because it works with everything.
Suede shoulder bag with integrated purse
So a suede jacket and/or bag is the easiest way of adding a touch of Boho to your everyday.
Frothy Boho
The full Boho look is very frothy as you can see in the display here…
… and you’ll find this frothiness everywhere this season. Brands have used it to encompass a more wearable version of transparency and they’ve married it with the trend for floral chintz. Floral chintz (also known as grandma’s sofa) is going to be even bigger for AW25.
Teamed with frothiness it’s everywhere for both casualwear…
… and for formalwear…
…. it’s going to be key for graduations, weddings, races.
I’d caution any midlifer to be very careful with it – you’re just a fondant fancy away from the Queen Mother in this kind of look but then I would say that – I’m not a lover of any kind of frill. The thing you’ll notice when you look at all of these dresses is that they’re waisted – the loose Boho buffet dress is nowhere to be seen, it’s one of the pieces that will date your look the fastest this summer. All you have to do is decide whether you care – you can always choose to rock your own style.
One more easy way to nod to the new Boho
There’s one more easy way to add the new Boho to your wardrobe though and that’s with a lace trim blouse in cream or white – pair it with your jeans and suede jacket and you’ve nailed the look without a hint of froth or floral. It’s another wardrobe stalwart which means it’s worth investing in decent quality so that you don’t end up with synthetic lace. Be careful with anything high or round-necked because you can easily end up looking more like a prim Victorian matron than the Boho gypsy you’re aiming for, especially if you have a generous bosom – it’s always better to go for something with a button front so that you can adjust the V to fit your bust.