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Fit check 2025: What to wear now
The good news: Summer’s trends are easy on the eye and pocket. The better news: They have staying power to work all year. Our experts share their best hacks
Everywhere you look now – runway, red carpet, Reel – fashion is sharply changing its focus. At Lakme Fashion Week, the gowns had familiar corsets, but there were oversized blazers and bottoms and sheer skirts. No one was expecting a silver bralette, with intricate chain detailing, as the next big trend. But copies are showing up at local boutiques already. Celebrities were all about deep hues and high slits up until last month. Now, they’re being photographed in butter-yellow blouses, dresses and saris. And on our feeds, pastels have given way to print-on-print, neons, corsets and mesh textures.
Trends are emerging out of Korean pop, Mum’s closet, even the future. We’re in the middle of a churn, says Meghna Goyal, designer behind the label Summer Away. “The look includes sheer layers, mixing sportswear and street style, and eclectic, futuristic elements,” she says. And somehow, “we’re also moving toward softer, playful dressing.”
Goyal, along with Rimple Narulah, (the couturier, costume designer and one half of the brand Rimple and Harpreet), fashion influencer Kompal Matta Kapoor, fashion advisor Kinnari Jain, and content creators Chavi Khattar and Shreya Gulati break down the looks of 2025 that will stay true all year.
Tweed? Lighter than ever
In its OG avatar, tweed was heavy, thick, a bit scratchy, honestly. But the weave now comes in polyester blends that make the fabric easy to pleat, fold and fray at the edges. It means that tweed fits aren’t restricted to blazers and cold-weather formals. They’re in chic sheath dresses, soft tops, cute little skirts and shorts that work for a warm day out. Khattar loves the tweed co-ord sets popularised by Korean fashion influencers. “It delivers on the polished yet playful aesthetic,” she says. Narulah recommends helping tweed’s makeover along by picking unexpected hues such as pistachio. “Keep the blazer cropped for a modern silhouette.”
Crochet? Quirk it up
Granny patterns be gone. The crochet that’s all the rage is a light, open weave, worn as much to cover up as to show off skin at a beach, gig or brunch. Narulah recommends getting a crochet midi-dress in papaya or moss green, and wearing it with bralettes and chunky sandals to create a look that is both structured and soft. Khattar suggests pairing summer’s favourite butter yellow with knee-high socks and chunky loafers for Korean-inspired chic. Want to cover up a little more? There are A-line outfits crafted in thicker crochet. Goyal suggests starting off with a crochet top and layering it up or down to wear all year.
Mesh, crochet’s grungier sister, is trending too. Khattar suggests buying it in grey or cherry red and pairing it with a sports bra and cargo pants for a bit of an edge, or with a leather skirt for a night out. Jain’s tip is to layer a tight mesh top over something smaller and fitted, or as an unexpected inner layer for a corset top. “Try wearing an oversized mesh top over a graphic-printed cropped T-shirt.”
Corsets? For daytime too
Not the Austen kind, not the BDSM kind either. The look is lighter – the corset is added on as an accessory or built into a garment. Khattar recommends corsets in chocolate brown. Bustiers, which deliver a similar shape, are returning too. Pick one with a wide waistband that holds the midsection in and is less restricting than a corset. Gulati recommends pairing corsets with another current trend: The wide-legged trouser, to balance the loose lower half with a snatched torso. The same corset that reins it all in is also part of the cottagecore trend. Wear one over a dress or a frilled top to add femininity and depth to outfits, says Jain.
Halter necks? Go wide
Millennials hated them. Gen Z loves them. They’re the neckline of choice for dresses, tailored work tops, sari blouses and sportswear. A good rule of thumb: The wider your shoulder, the more coverage your halter-neck should have. Get a style with adjustable ties to sort out your shape. Narulah suggests criss-cross halter tops in deeper greens, soft blues, oxblood, or pastels paired with high-waist trousers and a chain belt. Khattar likes pairing hers with “low-rise denim skirts for a fun 2000s vibe or wide-leg trousers for the evening”.
Poplin? Casual, but elevated
Poplin used to be the go-to fabric for formal shirts – it resists wrinkles, looks smooth, is breathable and holds colours beautifully. Naturally, everyone else wanted some of the action. Mass-market brands have been acing printed poplin dresses and skirt styles in the last few years. This year, oversized poplin shirts with asymmetric hems are in, says Narulah. Get them in lavender, matcha, blue, or pastel mint. Or just work two trends in one with butter yellow. Roll up the sleeves at the elbow to keep it casual. “Pair them with mom jeans or shorts,” Jain says.
Trousers? Give them space
We’re done with pandemic-era pyjamas. But denim still feels too heavy. Wide-leg pants are a nice compromise. Just remember to pair them with something that has a sharp fit and shape, says Narulah. Other ways to breathe easy: Fitted styles in stretchy fabrics, smocked maxi dresses, and parachute pants with adjustable waists. Leave an oversized printed shirt open to show a bralette underneath, says Narulah.
Final frills? Go splurge
Matta Kapoor says that if you buy one thing this season, make it a high-quality leather jacket. It adds instant edge to any look. The other key item: Minimalist sneakers – so that they can be worn with eye-catching ensembles without detracting from them. Neutral-tone kicks are the new white.
It’s going to be the season of chunky gold jewellery, prices be damned, says Gulati. Even if you’re not picking precious metal, make sure the pieces are high-quality and simple. The idea is to let the gold gleam, not the ornamentation on it, for it to last season after season.
Jain’s pick is versatile. Work a high-quality scarf that isn’t too shiny into the wardrobe. Of course, it works as a bandana or neck accessory. But “you can also wear it with an oversized button-down shirt” to give it more drama.
From HT Brunch, April 26, 2025
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