Fashion trends have always been cyclical — we tend to recycle trends from decades ago and modernize them (e.g. the flower crown-wearing bohemian gypsy archetype). Trends can be annoying and hard to keep up with if you’re not especially into fashion.

However, it is important to take note of them because they give us a glimpse into the way cultural landscapes and societal attitudes shift throughout the years. Here are four trends that I predict will take over 2018.

The New Millennial Pink

Pastel colors are probably one of the most recurring trends of spring. In Spring 2017, brands — including Off-White and Supreme — painted entire collections in “Millennial Pink,” a popular shade of pink.

This spring, fashion has shifted its pastel focus over to lavender. Many have labeled this light purple hue as “The New Millennial Pink” because it represents a step forward from years prior.

Call it what you want — lavender, lilac, liseran purple — this pastel color took over the runway during fashion week with designers like Fenty x Puma giving us stellar street styles in lavender and Michael Kors and Victoria Beckham showcasing more sophisticated looks in the pretty purple hue. Pantone, which is considered an expert in color and design, revealed 2018’s Color of the Year as ultraviolet because it symbolizes a “desire for deeper understanding in an increasingly complex landscape and our eagerness to experiment to reach that level.” This shade of purple is more than merely beautiful. It represents originality, ingenuity and diversion from traditional pinks. Its proximity to purple subverts typical ideas of what pink is.

Geometry Intersects with Bold Color

Fashion reflects the society it caters to. As time progresses and societies transform, so does its fashion. With the #LoveWins movement, the rainbow has become not only a symbol of LGBTQ pride, but also a dominating 2018 wardrobe color palette. Shaped into bold geometric patterns, this bright assortment of colors will make for daring and eye-catching ensembles this year.

Dolce & Gabbana, Moschino and Missoni are a few of the designers paving the way for this trend this year by showcasing rainbow stripes and patterns on the spring 2018 runways and spring/summer ad campaigns.

Fringe

Most of us have a love/hate relationship with fringe. It’s usually stylized in lackluster boho-chic outfits during the summer, especially for music festivals such as Coachella.

This year we can expect fringe to be dripping down the layers of elegant dresses and even lining the outer seams of trench coats.

If you want to learn the ropes of this 2018 trend, pay close attention to designers like Calvin Klein, Dior and Loewe, who all added fashion-forward fringe designs to their Spring 2018 collections. With all the positivity and optimism in the air this year, fringe might be here to stay — at least for a while.

Polka Dots

Polka dots, a trend dating back to the late ‘20s, are an essential staple for the both the domestic and working American woman. We fell in love with polka dots when Miss America was photographed in a polka dot swimsuit in 1926 and later with the debut of Minnie Mouse in her darling red polka dot dress and matching bow in 1928. Years following, polka dots came in and out of vogue, each time representing an attempt at reviving femininity.

Due to its timeless pattern, polka dots are commonly associated with domesticity and motherhood. Today, this nostalgic pattern allows feminists to reclaim their power and point a middle finger to the time where stay-at-home wives were valued more than businesswomen. This year, the revival of the trend reveals a glimpse into our shifting political and social climate, with women’s rights in the workplace becoming more of a focal point in conversations and the #MeToo movement opening more spaces for various women to speak out and rebel. Polka dots are now more meaningful and versatile than ever, and can be a huge staple in your closet this year.

We are sure to see tons of other inventive approaches at reclaiming old trends and making them fresh this year. Just by looking at the styles already springing up, 2018 will positively be a year of cultivation, learning, and collective growth — and what better place to start than with fashion?

Email Tianne Johnson at [email protected].