2025 went by much too fast, but within its quick run, we were gifted with some great fashion and beauty highlights. From trends, to events, to your favorite performers and everything in between — here is a roundup of some of the biggest moments in fashion from none other than your very own fashion editor.
January — the rise of the chunky scarf
Don’t get me wrong, scarves have been in since essentially the dawn of time. However, no other year has ever sparked a more practical scarf to wear than 2025, the year of the long, chunky scarf. Starting in Fall 2024 and trailing into early 2025, the chunky scarf came in many different shapes and colors. However, they all had the same premise: a thick, felt-like woven material that was long and wide for maximum coverage and warmth. Though proven to be stylish, their comfort-over-fashion purpose is something we can all appreciate when it starts to get cold.
February — Grammy performance fashion
The looks from some of the artists’ performances at the Grammys stole the show from the red carpet. Sabrina Carpenter and Doechii both had incredible performances that aligned perfectly with their aesthetics, and if there’s something I will always love, it’s commitment to a theme. Doechii perfectly encapsulated her streetwear meets academia vibe and Sabrina Carpenter shocked nobody but pleased everybody as she donned her signature sparkles. If I had a nickel for every time an artist used tear-away clothes at the Grammys this year, I would have two.
March — the Oscars
The awards show season is always fun for people who enjoy to dissecting celebrity fashion, and the Oscars are one of the biggest moments for such fashion analysis. However, 2025 made me agree with an opinion that fashion bloggers have spouted for quite some time: that the looks from the after-party hosted by Vanity Fair are arguably better than the looks from the awards show’s own red carpet. Not being as pinned down by the idea of dressing appropriately, the after-party looks stole the show this year.
April — Coachella
Coachella has always been known for the different fashion styles of its high-profile attendees. Usually Coachella fashion is focused on the attendees, but this year the focus shifted to the performers’ style. Maria Zardoya, Tyla and Megan Thee Stallion were just a few of the performers that showed up and showed out this festival season.
May — the MET Gala
The looks from the MET Gala this year were probably the most on-theme of any from recent years. The theme of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” played into the characteristics of Black dandyism, which Vogue describes as “a vehicle for both self-expression and a subtle form of rebellion against societal norms,” resulting in a plethora of menswear-inspired looks. While a majority of the attendees were impeccably dressed, Lewis Hamilton, Rihanna and Zendaya’s looks were the most memorable.
June — Free the Bush
2025 marked a big shift in women doing/wearing things for their own comfort and preferences rather than the male gaze. Moving over to more of the beauty sphere, 2025 brought about a new movement: the Free the Bush movement. Skims started selling faux bush underwear, leaning into women’s search to prioritize comfort over societal standards.
July — the return of jelly shoes
Nostalgia is everywhere in fashion, from graphic tees that resemble ones I would’ve worn as a little girl to fun barrettes and accessories fit for someone healing their inner child. However, adult-friendly jelly shoes were an unexpected nostalgic remake from this year. Big name brands like Free People, LA Apparel and Urban Outfitters all had mature renditions of the iconic childhood shoe on the market just in time for summer. I won’t lie — they are actually cute.
August — Lingerie in daily fashion
A trend that 2025’s summer saw to combat was the lack of layerable pieces in warm-weather, leading to the the rise of lingerie tops for everyday style. Whether it was peeks of lace under a low-cut top, a mesh top that showed through to a fun bra underneath or bra straps being out in the true Jersey-girl Y2K sense, the fashion girlies took to their undergarments as layering statement pieces. Lace camis have become all the rage, with brands like Skims, Brandy Melville and many more upping their popularity.
September — fashion week
The fashion industry has always been known for its global runway weeks, where every fashion house attempts to put its best foot forward for the upcoming seasons. 2025 had some great shows, but there were a few houses that would’ve come out on top of a Dance Moms-style pyramid. Burberry, with their ‘60s musical inspiration, and Zankov, with their maximalism, stole the show. 2025 brought back patterns, fun silhouettes and sparkle to big fashion.
October — The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
As a child who was probably a bit too young to be observing people walk around in only their underwear, I used to watch the Victoria’s Secret fashion show in awe every year. The glitter runway, the sparkly pieces and the gorgeous models – it was all so eye-catching to me. Though the show had a hiatus and a not-so-great comeback in 2024, the magic was brought back to life in 2025. Veteran Victoria’s Secret models like Adriana Lima and Ashley Graham were joined by runway newcomers like comedian Quen Blackwell and basketball player Angel Reese.
November — “Frankenstein”
In the world of costume design, nothing will ever beat pieces that are not only period-accurate but also unique and breathtakingly beautiful. Though 2025 was a year of some amazing films, the remake of “Frankenstein” was one of the only movies where the costume design had me floored. Not only was Jacob Elordi’s SFX makeup incredible, but every outfit that Mia Goth donned was stunning; with an air of intrigue and complexity, each costume remained period-accurate and true to the character.
December — “Marty Supreme”
Timothee Chalamet’s PR team is possibly the most dedicated team that has ever existed. With the release of his newest film, “Marty Supreme” on Christmas Day, December 2025 was taken over by perhaps one of the smartest marketing tactics of this year: the Marty Supreme jacket. Besides Chalamet and his costars, celebrities all over the U.S. were rocking the vintage-inspired windbreaker sporting the film’s title, including but not limited to Tom Brady, Kid Cudi, Kendall Jenner and even Bill Nye. Where can I sign up to get one?
In a whole year of fashion, there is much to talk about in terms of trends and why they happen. Style, practicality and affordability are all things that determine trends and their prominence. While many trends this year served different purposes, like the jelly shoes for nostalgia, big scarves for practicality (and warmth) and freeing the bush for comfort and confidence, they all had one thing in common: they were not done for the male gaze. Much of women’s fashion throughout the years has been dedicated to what men would like to see, and 2025 has taken that conception, beaten it to a pulp and lit it on fire.
Ava Hebenstreit can be reached at [email protected]