Even if you don’t care much for fashion, you’ve surely heard of “fashion week.” Models, designers, and celebrities descend on a city for fun fashion shows and glamorous parties. Yet, fashion week doesn’t just happen once. The “Big Four” cities each have a designated fashion week twice per year.

It all began in New York in 1943 because most of the European houses were affected by World War II. In 1945, right after the war ended in Europe, Paris held their first couture shows. A decade later Milan established their fashion week, and London joined the fray in the 1980s.

Paris actually has laws establishing when their fashion weeks are, January and July, and the other three schedule theirs around Paris. Ultimately it ends up being a month-long celebration of design, fashion, and feeling good about yourself -- aptly named Fashion Month. 

Fashion Month lends us much inspiration for what to include in our wardrobes for upcoming seasons. This year is no different. Be sure to keep an eye on these three trends:

When it comes to the style of bygone eras, there are the standout designs and the laughable fashion risks that don’t age well. What makes the style of the 1980s unique is that, somehow, they manage to pull off both at the same time. This was extremely evident for Fashion Month 2018. For example, how every women’s wear blazer has giant shoulder pads. It seems a little ridiculous, but you can’t deny the look somehow just works. 

Hedi Slimane’s debut at Celine featured a number of big shoulder pads to great controversy. Yet, at time when 1980s nostalgia is high and it feels like an age of women’s empowerment, the big, intimidating shoulder pads might just be due for a comeback.

Other designers like Stella McCartney or Marco de Vincenzo didn’t take as big of a risk. Instead they relied on things like stonewashed denim, accessories, and even shell suits. Controversial then, controversial now, it can only add to the allure of the look. Still, love it or hate it, no one can deny that there is just something fun and carefree about the fashion of the 1980s. 

Of course, some era-defining looks are associated with a specific time, but really are just a kind of iconic fashion cycle that pops up again and again. In this case, we’re at another even-numbered decade: the 1960s. It was a time of disruption and upheaval, and this look startled people at the time.

Today? They seem like time-honored classics, that both fit in with and stand apart from modern fashion sensibilities. There is the black-and-white mod styles showcased at Dries Van Noten, Balenciaga, or Louis Vitton. These designs seem to realize the best versions of those “fashions of the future” things they used to do back then.

Of course, the other 1960s style featured in a number of shows is the bohemian look. Loose, layered floral patterns and natural fibers were everywhere. Chloé, Altuzarro, and Etro were just some of the houses hearkening back to the height of hippie fashion. 

Normally, a given fashion week showcase focuses on menswear or women’s fashion, as did Fashion Month. However, increasingly, shows featuring fashion for both happened. In some cases it’s just the little details. Menswear with subtle bows or ruffles. 

In other cases it’s more explicit, such as Vaquera’s hot-pink, ruffled half-shirt for men. Other designers like Maison Margiela and Courrèges make playful choices with their designs. It all signals that our ideas of what separates men’s and women’s fashions from each other are about to change.

Of course, this is not really a new concept. The pants worn by men in the 1950s were a similar cut to those favored by women in the 1970s. The tight slacks that dominated women’s fashion in the mid-1960s are the skinny jeans and pants for men of today. It’s the old “a kilt is not a skirt” argument. These designers are suggesting, it seems, we just stop arguing about it and wear what you like best. 

Fashion is a spooky art. You want to be expressive and unique, but there are rules both written and unwritten. Yet, this doesn’t mean you have to choose between risk-taking and chasing trends. Think of the above trends from Fashion Month as the sandbox in which you get to play. You can dress like an extra from Stranger Things if you’d like. Or, you can just add a few 1980s-influenced items to your current fashion profile. You can walk into work looking like an Earth Mother who wants to just give peace a chance. Or, you can just add a floral-print scarf or skirts and boots combo to your outfit rotation. Remember, fashion is mostly about how what you wear makes you feel. So have fun with it and take chances. 

What do you think? Which of the three trends from Fashion Month are you mostly likely to try? Tell us your thoughts, ideas, and experiences in the comments below. Don’t forget to share the article with your friends on social media if you liked it.

Related Article: Fashion Faux Pas to Avoid No Matter Your Style Preferences