‘Mob Wife’ and ‘Librarian-Core’ Trends Dominate at Project, Magic

Kate Nishimura
·4 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

In the fast-paced world of modern retail, trends can sprout from a multitude of sources. Those that gain the most traction, however, are driven by “cultural contagion,” according to Wendy Bendoni, assistant professor of fashion marketing at Woodbury University’s School of Business.

In recent years, shoppers have been more driven to adopt styles and products based on the word of friends, family and social media influencers than by what they see on high-fashion runways, she said at the Project trade show in Las Vegas this week.

More from Sourcing Journal

Bendoni, a trend forecaster, said much of the contagiousness of trends takes place online, leaving a digital footprint that retailers should leverage in their decision-making process. Combining that information with search data from web-based search engines and historical sell-through data can create a framework that helps stores decide which trends to buy into, and which to skip.

In 2024, the influences are innumerable. At the Project and Magic shows, dozens of disparate trends could be seen across the showroom floor. Bendoni told Kelly Helfman, president of trade show runner Mmgnet Group (formerly Informa Markets Fashion) that entertainment remains a key driver of trends, pointing to the enduring popularity of Barbie pink, which started months before the Barbie movie’s release last summer.

“Palm Royale,” an upcoming miniseries set in the 1960s in Palm Beach, Fla. and starring household names like Laura Dern, Kristen Wiig, Kaia Gerber and Allison Janney, is bound to bring about a renewed interest in ‘60s garb, Bendoni said. “It’s filmed at a posh clubhouse, and a lot of the styling that we’re seeing is around resort style or what we call ‘ladies who lunch,’” she said.

Color is notably absent from many of the other trends set to influence the next three to eight months in fashion, but “Palm Royale” may invigorate a desire for floral patterns, pastels and brightly hued scarves, she said. Google Trends results throughout Superbowl weekend revealed high search volume for ‘60s styling, Bendoni added. Looks from the late ‘60s and ‘70s, like bell bottoms, faux fur vests, embroidery and crochet were also a mainstay on the Magic floor.

“Challengers,” a film starring Zendaya that’s set to be released in late April, will be centered around tennis, with costumes designed by Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson. The fashion house encapsulates the “quiet luxury” trend, with its highly coveted, minimalist Puzzle Bag among the most talked about on Reddit’s r/handbags subReddit. With America’s obsession with sports like tennis and pickleball going strong, sporty, minimalist apparel styles are likely to be popular both on and off the court, Bendoni said. Meanwhile, a forthcoming biopic about late British singer Amy Winehouse is fueling searches for looks that encapsulate her rockabilly style.

Moving onto trends driven by social media, Bendoni referenced the buzzy “mob wife” look, defined by loads of faux fur, leopard print, body-skimming dresses, sultry makeup and general ostentation. “This was actually an answer to a large community not really embracing quiet luxury,” she explained. “It really is more about this slinky, loud luxury.” Trending on Tik Tok, Bendoni said the mob wife aesthetic is hitting home with consumers ages 25 to 34. Helfman noted that 1980s silhouettes are seeing a resurgence on Tik Tok and called out some overlap with the mob wife trend, including the presence of metallics, shoulder pads and oversized accessories.

As it turns out, Tik Tok isn’t just promoting endless scrolling—it may actually be leading users back to more analog forms of entertainment. “Book talk” has been trending on the platform in recent months, Bendoni said, launching a complementary aesthetic dubbed “librarian-core.” Notably, this look, defined by cardigan sweaters, plaids, pleated skirts, glasses and a twee, feminine aesthetic, was among the most ubiquitous across exhibiting brands.

Elements of the librarian-core trend build upon the popular, hyper feminine “coquette” look, which took hold in the latter part of 2023. Corset-style tops, bows, rosettes, light pastel color ways, gingham checks, lace, crochet and ruffles will be ever-present throughout the spring and fall.

Also prevalent across brands at both Magic and Project were tailored, structured workwear pieces, from pencil skirts to blazers and matching button-front vests. Bendoni dubbed the trend “corp-core,” short for corporate-core, positing that employees navigating a return to full or part-time office work are leaning into more traditional silhouettes with a contemporary twist.