Fashion's 12 Most Viral 'It' Items of 2022

These specific garments and accessories dominated the trend cycle this year.

Amid throwbacks to the noughties and a propensity for hot pink (preferably Valentino Pink PP), playful experimentation and forward-thinking collections were alive and well in 2022: The mini skirts were even tinier, the gloves more operatic and the shoes more and more artful. We saw a resurgence of wardrobe staples, some of which were buried in the depths of our closets, like ballet flats and ribbed white tanks. (Did they ever truly go out of style?) Then, there were the newer fashion gems that went from our feeds to our shopping carts, like Luar's Ana bag and Aritzia's faux-leather Melina pants.

Ahead, check out the biggest fashion items we couldn't stop seeing (or thinking about) over the past 12 months.

Miu Miu Ballet Flats

There's something about balletcore that we just can't get enough of. The dainty, ballerina-inspired trend is all about making a statement through fluffy tulle skirts, bow ribbons and satin pieces. But for many, the entry point was something more familiar — especially from the 2010s: ballet flats.

Miu Miu's largely responsible for the footwear style's resurgence. Its riff on the ballet-inspired shoes pre-dates the trending TikTok aesthetic (it was introduced in Spring 2016), but it went extra viral in 2022 thanks to a few stylish celebrities and fashion influencers. The brand was named the biggest of the year by Lyst. And now, it sells many variations on the silhouette, from the original mismatched ribbon style to ones in leather, satin, even embellished.

You can shop the Miu Miu ballet flats here.

Ribbed White Tanks

A white tank top is — and has always been — a closet staple. But there was something about it that fashion couldn't get enough of in 2022.

The reign of the white tank was solidified during the Fall 2022 season, when the sartorial icon usually purchased in a pack of 10 at Target was amped up on the runway at Prada, Bottega Veneta and Acne Studios. It was re-imagined with logos and new fabrications, and elevated with office-friendly trousers or ballgown skirts. And if you're still not so sure of the fashion week impact, stars like Emma Chamberlain are huge fans of the Hanes-inspired classic.

You can shop ribbed white tanks here.

Micro Mini Skirts

Rising from the Y2K time machine is none other than the mini skirt, their hems shrinking to their shortest iteration yet in 2022.

When Miuccia Prada debuted the itty-bitty, low-waisted bottom at Miu Miu's Spring 2022 runway, little did she know (or perhaps she very much did) that the fashion crowd would absolutely eat it up. The skirt was instantly a show-stopper, with supermodels, celebrities and influencers alike wearing it almost straight off the catwalk. It was such a huge success the designer brought it back again the following season (plus an array of micro shorts) — and, yes, that too was a hit. Other brands caught on, and released their own takes on mini skirts soon after.

These days, the very cropped bottoms are styled a number of ways: dressed up with heels, worn casually with oversized tops, belted low at the waist or even paired with bloomers peeking underneath.

You can shop micro mini skirts here.

Luar Ana Bag

Another brand has joined the list of viral "It" purses. First released in 2021, Luar's Ana bag is a sturdy, compact carry-all inspired by the women in his family.

"The handle is kind of a nod to the fifties and sixties, like mod era," Raul Lopez told Fashionista about the design inspiration back in May. "And then the body of the bag was kind of a nod to my mom, with the briefcase era.... It's beautiful that people can carry my story around, which is kind of what I want."

It now comes in an array of sizes from small to large, from deep espresso brown to embossed neons. Oh, and it won Lopez the Accessories Designer of the Year title at the 2022 CFDA Awards.

You can shop the Luar Ana Bag here.

Wraparound Sunglasses

Originally designed for sports performance and trendy in the 2000s, wraparound sunglasses are back in the fashion zeitgeist, thanks to pre-controversy Balenciaga and the general Y2K resurgence.

The futuristic style is almost alien-like, with much of its inspiration coming from the '90s-style Oakley shades. Aside from Demna and his muses, other brands at the forefront of trendy eyewear silhouette include Heron Preston, Maison Margiela, Marine Serre, Rick Owens and Ray-Ban.

Stylus' fashion trend forecaster Katie Devlin told Fashionista that wraparound sunglasses are back in style due to the industry's demand for functional-slash-performance-led design: "We're seeing a kind of a sporty retro-future element, almost like a Matrix-inspired approach to Y2K."

However, this kind of eyewear has also gotten attention for a totally different reason.

You can shop wraparound sunglasses here.

Valentino Pink PP Collection

One of Pierpaolo Piccioli's biggest gifts to fashion in 2022 was his headlining Pink PP, which first made its runway debut in the later half of last year.

Created in collaboration with the Pantone Color Institute, the color then washed over the designer's Fall 2022 collection for Valentino. Piccioli's philosophy was to use a restrained yet powerful color palette to draw the eye to signature motifs he developed at the house.

Naomi Campbell, Florence Pugh, Anne Hathaway and many more have worn PP Pink on the red carpet. Meanwhile, the striking color has fueled the Barbiecore trend.

You can shop Valentino Pink PP here.

Crocs

Crocs has been a re-emerging fashion favorite since as far back as 2018. (Did I just say 2018 was far? Omg.) What makes these cloud-like slippers so in vogue — aside from their comfort — are its sought-after collaborations with designers, artists and pop-culture icons, whether that's Vera Bradley, Salehe Bembury and SZA or franchises like Pokemon and Harry Potter. Nothing seems to stop Crocs from remaining part of the fashion conversation, ever since we fell in love with the brand's all-over strawberry versions in 2020, and, honestly, we hope it stays that way.

You can shop Crocs here.

Chopova Lowena Plaid Skirt

The pleated plaid skirt has always been (and maybe will always be) one of those season-less pieces that doesn't go away. Still, it can be updated and made to feel current and exciting; leading that revolution is London-based Chopova Lowena.

Since the label's inception, designers and Central Saint Martins grads Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena-Irons have created buzz around its signature hardware-focused skirts made from upcycled fabrics, inspired by their 2017 joint thesis collection. There's something about the grunge-inspired piece, ranging from $800 to $1,000, that editors, stylists and celebrities can't get enough of, especially in 2022. Most recently, the brand duo added adjustable waistbands to its most-wanted bottoms, making them all the more irresistible.

You can shop Chopova Lowena plaid skirts here.

Loewe Sculptural Heels

We know Jonathan Anderson loves "trompe l'oeil," but nothing has been quite as impactful as the sculptural heels he introduced as part of Loewe's Spring 2022 collection.

The now-inescapable shoes incorporate "ready-made" motifs — a cracked egg, a squished balloon, a rose, a bottle of nail polish — into slick sandals and pumps. The designs "suggest fragility and spontaneity," the designer said at the time. The cheeky, almost trippy adornments are exactly what people love about them.

You can shop Loewe's sculptural shoes here.

Diesel Belt

Since Glenn Martens took the Diesel throne in 2021, the Milan-based label has risen to the very top of the brands-to-watch list. Aside from its innovative runway looks and ultra-cool denim pieces, Diesel has also re-entered the sartorial chat with a must-have accessory: its logo belt.

Like many others on the market, the original Diesel belt comes in an array of patterns and is adorned with the shiny "D" emblem at the buckle. But what got people really talking this year was its new iteration for Fall 2022 — one so thick, it can be worn as a mini skirt. The currently sold-out piece went viral for its disputed reviews on TikTok. Fashion isn't always the most functional, but that's what we love about it, am I right?

You can shop the Diesel belt here.

Opera Gloves

Shows like Netflix's "Bridgerton" (and ensuring "Regencycore") have helped bring back some of fashion's most dramatic silhouettes, from rigid corsets to opera gloves. The latter's definitely a statement-maker, as it's made to accentuate the movement of your arms and complement your outfit no matter the weather. These days, they're made with fabrics ranging from mesh to leather, and can be styled with anything from an over-the-top gown to a simple top and jeans. A favorite of celebrities like Beyoncé to rising darling Taylor Russell, long gloves have been all over the red carpets, as well as street style.

You can shop opera gloves here.

Aritzia Melina Pants

The rise of Aritzia's Melina pants has been a long build: Back in 2020, the brand's faux-leather pants were trending all over TikTok. But in almost three years, it hasn't caught a break at all.

From the university hallways to the nearest "going-out" hotspots, the Melina pants are practically a necessity at this point. The Wilfred-brand bad boys are coveted for their high rise, straight leg and flexible waistband. Thanks to a combination of the internet's "clean-girl" trend and their sleek appearance, these pants really won over Gen Z this year. When they happen to be in stock, Wilfred offers it in 28 (!!!) colorways, including burgundy red and sage green.

You can shop Aritzia's Melina pants here.

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