Part Two of the 2025 style forecast brings Nicole Adolphe, Head of Style at The Iconic, to share her expert insights straight from the fashion crystal ball.
From sheer fabrics and asymmetrical patterns to long sleeves, bold cutouts, and unique hemlines, this episode will have you ready to take on the new year in style.
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CREDITS:
Host: Leigh Campbell
Guest: Nicole Adolphe
Producer: Grace Rouvray
Audio Producer: Lu Hill
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
You're listening to a MoMA Mia podcast. Mama Mia acknowledges the traditional owners of land and waters that this podcast is recorded on. Whoever said orange is a new pink with seriously disturbed laurels for spraying groundbreaking?
Oh my god, you have to do it.
You live for fashion, Nicole. You are back because we did an episode a little while ago about twenty twenty five trend predictions, and there is just so much happening and so much coming and I didn't want to miss anything, So welcome back.
Thanks for having me back.
It is very exciting to hear what we're going to see because you and people in rolls like yours in the fashion industry just kind of know what the future is. It's very cool. It's not until I go into stores or shop online and I'm like, oh, there's buddy yellow, Oh there's buttery yellow, and you're like, duh, I knew that months ago. So let's kick off with some more trends that are coming or are kind of evolving, shares and transparents. I feel like this has been around for while. I've got some sheer bits that I'm wearing my bras under and you know, bits and pieces so what does shear and transparent look like? Now?
Okay, so yes, we have seen it for a while, but it's also like some people, you know, you kind of early adopters will pick it up and then it kind of filters through. Yes, so we've seen it come through and it is tricky to wear. But this time it's going to be a bit more multi layered, so you're not so worried about what am I gonna wear underneath because it's totally see through. Yeah, so it could be shares with like they've got you know, a double or a triple layer type thing.
Okay, like a lining, but intentional in that, like there's a few layers, so you're not just like, wow, there's my bra, how do I layer?
Exactly?
They've thought about the layering for you. They've thought about it for you.
So the sheer skirt but overlay might be sheer, but then what's underneath it might just not be shit?
Okay. I like that It takes the guesswork out because sometimes you look at an outfit or an inspo pick and you're like, gosh, that's amazing, but how do I wear that? Can I wear that? Without you know, feeling really self conscious, but if it's the layerer intentional, you don't have to thoct about it exactly.
And I feel like designers had listened to that. So on the runway you'll see its sheer and it's totally see through, but then like to sell it, there's always something underneath here.
Because we're not all rocking out nips out to the office that way exactly, all right off the shoulder and asymmetrical. I feel like this what do you call it? Neckline? I guess yes is always yes, is always coming and going and it's kind of classic. But it's interesting talk to me about that.
So I think that people must have loved it because it's just twenty twenty five. There's more of it, and we're seeing it not only in tops, we're also seeing in dresses. It allows for that draping, so you know, it's a little bit more forgiving. So I think that's why people are really liking it. It can turn into like kind of a drapy type dress. Yes, it's a little bit sexier when you show a little bit of skin on your one shoulder. Yet one shoulder.
Practicality though, are we wearing a strapless bra then, because you can't really wear a normal bra, I mean one shoulder.
Could I actually wear a strapless under both of those? Because I think that's what you need to really, Yeah, you can't wear anything else.
No, I know skims does a one shoulder bra, but then how do you know which shoulder your dress or your top's going to need no strap? But yeah, just go strapless.
That is true. Yes, I do feel like they're always sort of on the same side. But no, you're right, I did try something on the hour.
Is it always a bear left or a bead right shoulder? And so is the shoulder that is slightly covered? Is that still kind of what we call like a sleeveless like a singlarity top or are we getting any long sleeve?
Oh yet we're getting into long sleeves as well. Okay, so you might see, yes, you might see like it's off the shoulder on one side and maybe it has a long fluted sleeve or maybe it just has a shirt sleeve. I mean you can even do this with if you've just got a shirt at home, you can kind of style it that way as well.
Yeah, it becomes a one shoulder around. So, speaking of those tops, is it kind of just that classic drape? Is there anything different about it?
So there's the classic drape, and there's also I guess like a folded top, so that'll be like more like a square necklimb.
But it's sort of like folded ogami. Yeah, so it's just like a double layer.
Okay, quite long. Actually it might go up to here when it falls over, So starts here comes down to here.
Interesting an address or a top okay, in address and that's tops. Are we seeing skirts? I know we spoke on the other episode about those kind of handkerchief skirts, but are we seeing asymmetric?
We are mine, So asymmetric headlines not only on say, I know we're talking about tops, but just on the top as well. So it doesn't go down the way, Yeah, it goes down asymmetrically. And then also in skirts, which I think is really good because you know, saferends, you don't want to wear a short skirt and you still want to wear a long skirt, but it's kind of like shot on one side, so it's asymmetrical one but you still feel like you're wearing a long skirt.
Okay, So that's more kind of cut diagonal. It's different to that handkerchief hem which is a bit more sort of jagged. This is kind of just longer on one side than the other. Correct, Okay, I couldn't maybe do that in a dress. Tell me about what's happening with pink, because I feel like after the Barbie movie, the whole world was pink and then everyone had pink hangover and it kind of disappeared.
So bubblegum pink, yes, so there might be some thinking, Like trend predictions are kind of telling us there could be a bit of bubble gum pink. So I'm waiting for it to come through.
Not a hot future pink, no, Okay, I got fresh shirt.
I'm like, I guess bright but kind of like a lolly pink. Yeah, okay, I'm gonna call it. And so you might see it in skirts. It might be like in a T shirt, say like it's a graphic T shirt, it's got a print on it, but that base color is bright pink.
I love that pink with denim or with a fresh white.
Yep, they're two good ways to wear it. Definitely.
Okay, I like that. I do like pink. I just had too much of it. The New Grind, what is this all about so.
The new grind, let's talk about. It's like work where meets rebellion. So let's face it. I mean, we all have to work, so we need our staple work wear. So it's shirting or tailoring with a bit of a sexier edge, but then wearing this sort of thing for more party dressing more like, so it's day to night. It's kind of of like work to drinks vibe. So it might be like say on the runway, it'll be like classic officer type and then it's got you know, sexy elements coming through a little bit something sheer on the shirt. Maybe the way it's styled. Okay, maybe there's a bit of lace back with it.
Interesting. I don't think I could do that. I don't understand that one. But that's okay, not all trends for everyone.
There's a few cutouts and maybe undone details. So maybe the blazer that you've got isn't quite finished, like right, you know, it's kind of like got a raw edge, yes, which I think is an easy one.
Like so yes, that's easy, that's entry level, okay, And.
I guess it's like highlighting that a bit more of a provocative approach to like professional wear, So she's kind of looks professional but not really like maybe wouldn't wear it to the office, but you are wearing out tonight, I.
Know what you mean. So if you're a literal lawyer or you're in your doctor's office, you're probably not wearing that. But it's that kind of again, it's a duxtaposition. It's kind of like you know, we've spoke on the first episode about that kind of juxtabe is between feminine and masculine. So this is kind of work which you associate with like tailoring and proper, but then the rebellion side's a bit rough and ready.
Yeah, it's something you might see someone wear out at night, not necessarily in the left really to the office. How everyone was wearing blazes over their dresses, you know last year, then this year everyone to be wearing Oh they kind of got their work wear, but not really it's too sexy for it.
But yes, cool, yeahy coolah and a bit like you don't know where she's been or what she does. YEA love it. I'm so happy with this next one because I see you're telling me trench coats are sticking around. I mean, they're a classic but what's happening with trenches this year?
Yes, I'm very happy too because I've been loving wearing my trench, so it can just be utilized like every year. So basically, it's what you wear under that changes. So last year we were wearing track pants under it. This year we might be wearing our asymmetrical or our shares or our laces onunderneath.
I love a sheer or lace under a train.
But it's still that camel colored classic trench, so yay, we can keep it okay.
And it's trans season all right. You know you can wear it over something that's you know, lightweight or evening or summery, but then in the dead of winter you can still wear your trench.
Yeah, so you know, in the dead of winter you might want to layer with something else. You know what. I two jackets.
I really like two jackets, or like a hoodie under a trench. It looks so cool. I don't think I can do it, or I should practice at home, but I have that look I can, yes for sure, to do with all the necklines, I don't know, and it feels like am I going to the gym? Am I going to be inspector? Gadget anyway, I'm going to try it, but I'm glad trenches are here to stay. So are we going to see a lot hitting websites and stores and just.
Probably soon because as it gets into trans season all that's when the trench coats come out good and you can tell them it with shirting as well, and also like maybe pinstripe sort of coming through and leather as well.
Okay, that will change it as well. That's my favorite so far. So stadium ready, is this another sort of sporty preppy thing.
Yes, it definitely is. Everyone's spawty and you know, off the back of the Australian Open, it's all about tennis core. We'll see whites, mini skirts, more sporty trends coming through. The polo top i mentioned last episode will also come through here. Maybe it's a full skirt worn with it, or maybe it's a straight skirt. Maybe it's a white leg pant, just kind of adding that sporty feel.
Okay, look, yeah, how do you do a bit of stadium or sporty because for me, I'm not sporty and so I'd probably want to mix it back with some more classics. So is it just with jeans and that type of top.
If you wanted to it with jeans, like maybe you could do like look for like a sporty stripe polo top. I think you could wear or would you do a plat skirt or anything like that.
A long one note and I like it though. It's just kind of a nod to that sort of preppy vibe.
Yeah, but you like a midi skirt, I do like ad so you could do like the polo top with a midi skirt. So maybe it's a stripe or a plane polo top, button it up. The midi skirt would.
Be gene interesting. So I feel like twenty twenty four animal print, leopard print, it was back with a vengeance. What's happening with animal print? Is it here to stay? Because I really like my leopard print wide leg jeans.
The good news is yes, staying for another year. So we saw it in twenty twenty four. It was all about mob wife, so it was like, you know, wearing like the big glasses and the big kind of faux for coats and things like that, the boots and everything. Now we're just going animal print. It's just a neutral. So let's call that the new neutral for this episode, a new animal print. Yes, leopard print. So you could get a skirt, just team it with something plain on top. It could be you know swim as well. Oh yeah, good one for swim.
Yes. So when you say neutral, you think of it like a classic piece. So, like I said, my jeans their leopard print for their gene. So I just wear that with my white tea or something simple, and they just replace my blue denim jeans.
Correct. So I call it a neutral if it's something that can go back with quite a few things. So a neutrals like it's like it goes back with black or white, go with chan like anything. It's just like a staple. Maybe it's not so much a neutral, but it's a basic. It's a wardrobe staple.
Yes, Okay, let's make all laffered your wardrobe statefulk twenty twenty I love that, Okay, now something that I'm very happy to leave in twenty twenty four. But you'll tell me if we are not the bubble hymn that came back mini skirts, maxi skirts dresses. Wow, I did not see that coming last year. What's happening without him? In twenty twenty five.
So I think you're going to see more of it.
I hate to say people, you're buying it.
People are buying it, and more and more designers are coming out with it, and I think until everyone has tried it, it will stay for a little bit longer.
Wow, telling matters have to buy one.
I think you just need to try one.
I don't understand the miniskirt thing, but I have seen some longer ones that sort of have like it's almost like a puffy sleeve, like a volume of sleep, but at the bottom of a skirt exactly, it's some air or something.
It's more about the hem.
Like.
You can also get it in tops, but I know what you're talking about those, So the dress might be tighter up the top and then it comes out into a big sort of bubble skirt at the bottom. I think that'll be an easy one to you want to try it, and that's just a great silhouette and you're still tapping into Hey, I'm wearing the bubble hem. I'm not necessarily wearing one of those cute little skirts.
Yeah, it feels a bit youthful for me, and I just have flashbacks of the first time. But it just trends always fascinate me because sometimes when I see things hit stores are hit online, I'm like, that'll go away, and then if it sticks around, I'm like, people are obviously buying.
It, I know. And it's also because it's new to so many girls, so that it's new and exciting. It looks cute, it's kind of sexy, like it's fun.
Okay, it's true and like we say, trends aren't for everyone, and someone likes it and that's good. Romantic trend. Talk to me about what that's all about.
I did mention last time, like the new bohemian this, so I'm this is kind of an extension of that romantic trend. So we're seeing it coming through. Like, so that's the fabrication, so lace, applicate, ruffles, pastels, shoes, kind of light florals, anything that's kind of feminine and really romantic and beautiful.
Okay, I like that, and we're doing it head to toe. Is it like dresses or just a top with a pant or depends on how much you have.
If you're going romantic and girl, you have to like see it through. So it is like whether it's the dress or whether it's the top and skirt. The whole outfit is romantic. You're not really clashing and mixing it with anything else. You're just going full romance.
Okay, I'm into that. Another one I loved in twenty twenty four, so I hope it stays. The barrel Jean. I don't think there has been a style or cut of pants that are more polarizing. I've got a few pairs, now, you do. I love them.
They still don't have a pan o.
I think it's all about where and if anyone is in across it. Barrel jeans, it's kind of like it's fitted but then flares out at some point, oftentimes on the thigh, which I think is not flattering. But if it's a little bit further down, I love them. So are they here to stay?
They are? Yea More and more denim brands are doing them. So the barrel gene not even like a horseshoe show.
Yeah, I would describe it as curved like a horseshoe. Correct, so barrel or even balloon. You'll find if you search term it, this kind of star will come up. Yep, And I find I've done them with flats. But I do feel, particularly for my heart at least a little kitten heel kind of makes this yellowette a little bit better.
I think the kit and hell and I think definitely you have to go tighter on top.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, because otherwise there's a lot of volume. I tried it on with one of my oversized blazers and it just looked like I was scouting at a fab, Like, I'm so glad they're coming. They're like an emphasized mum Jean, wouldn't you say?
Yeah, it's like the new take on a mum Jean for sure.
That makes me so happy. Okay, peep toe heels? What's this about? Like, I mean, I know what a classic peeptoe is, but is it the rest of the shoes quite covered?
Yes, so we saw them on the runway. So so far, I haven't seen many come out yet, but they will, definitely they will. I guess it's your big toe or maybe your first two toes are just kind of peeping out the front. It could be a mule style or it could be Yeah, it could be a sling back or even just like a pump. But it's definitely a heel, peep toe heel.
I'm into that all right? Before we get into bougie and budget. One more thing I want to ask you about. I'm kind of seeing what we guess I would call sort of utility style back or coming back or doing the rounds. What's all that about? You know there was cargo pants a bit last year. What's happening?
I like to think of it. It's probably the hardest working thing in my wardrobe because it's something you can just like wear over and over. So it's about the big pockets. It's utility in the fabric. It's a little bit heavier, so when you think of like, you know, men's work where utility, but it's kind of got that kind of feel to it. So it might be a dress that's belted but it's got great pockets.
So it could also be like cargo skirt. Yes, it's cargo camvasy worktop. Yeah, fabric, I can picture it, but it's obviously designed you know, new, not covered in Greece and for women.
Yeah, I like it.
I love a pocket. Give me a big utility pocket anywhere functional or non usually.
Has would have two. So I have either two up the top or two on the skirts, and even like maybe four might have some with its pair of pants.
Like, wow, two sets of pockets, and I feel like I've seen sort of belts and stuff, which again plays into the utility kind of vibe. Yes.
Yeah, so it just like cinches everything in love. It colors in that a boxy shape. Yeah. Neutrals, definitely, neutrals or denim.
Okay, your khakis, your tankys.
Camels, even black or denim. It's very expensive. How old are these.
Nicole lets? Do? Boogie and budget? I'm going to do trenches because longtime listeners know that I am a trench. I'm not allowed to buy any new ones for a little while because I have so many. And you're going to bring some asymmetrical pizzas. All right, let's start with your budget.
Okay, So budget, I'm going to choose a one shoulder So I'm going for black. It's from atmoss in here and it's twenty nine ninety nine, so it's just a classic kind of one shoulder top. It's a tank top style, which I think would be great for when I'm wearing like you know, my handkerchief skirts and my bubble hems and my barrel jeans. I need something tight up.
Oh, that'd be great with a barrel jean. Yeah, I'm into that, okay. And what color? Black? Black? Okay? I like that. Well. My first trench, my budget trench, is from Zara. They do such a good trench. It's the classic trench coat with belt. One hundred and eighty five dollars. I swear Zara. It does like twenty different styles of trenches each year, but this is a very classic, that sort of beigy color, the lapels, that just very very classic trench style. A little bit longer than what you'd imagine, I guess the Berberry want to be. I like it a bit longer, do you. I don't like it too short.
I think it's good because it just it's got that nice silhouette when it's longer.
Agreed, all right, what's your bouge asymmetric?
Akay, my bougie. I'm going with Camilla and Mark. So it's the Elliott Mini dress. Four hundred dollars. It's black against I'm going classic dollars.
Is good for Camilla and Mark.
Yes, yes, asymmetric at the neckline, but it's got long fluted sleeves and it's cinched in the waist. But it is a mini skirt.
Okay, Evening I would say during the day, you would I could probably wear that to work. Okay, I've got a different job to most people.
I could wear that to work with a flat because it's only really showing skin here. I mean, I guess it's showing my legs. But I'm quite short, so okay, yeah with a flat, yeah, so it doesn't feel like I'm showing too much skin because I am not that tall. Okay, i'd wear at a night with a heel on. I guess a cotton blend.
Okay, yeah, okay, so pretty classic. Yeah, well, surprise, surprise, My boogie is also Camilla re Mark. Because who do you think of when you think of fancy trench coats. Yep, Camilla and Mark. It's the Evans classic knee length trench. When you close your eyes and picture a classic trench coat, it's this. The model's quite tall, so it falls just below her knees. For me, that would be midcalf because I'm not particularly tall as well. Eight hundred and fifty dollars. If you ever do invest in a Camilla and mart trench coat, you're gonna have it forever. I've got a gray one that I got at one of their sample sales. That looks brand new and I've thrashed it so I love it. So that's on my wish list. But do I need another trench?
You always do. I'm not gonna say no. Your mic shop for a living.
Shopping person, Nicole. Thank you so much for your wisdom. It was so good to have you on the show.
Thanks Lee,