The 6 Microtrends Fashion Editors Are Investing In For Fall

Microtrend is a dirty word. It implies something that is trending but not timeless; something that doesn’t have the same weight as a trend-trend. Microtrends are more often something we see popping off on social media and not necessarily onthe runway. And so people discredit them as not really holding any weight in the zeitgeist. But the microtrends I’m seeing right now feel different than all those that have come before them. The microtrends for fall 2025 actually have longevity.

And that might have to do with the fact that the microtrends of the moment actually have been on the runway too, just not as dominantly as the major trends. From fluffy tail keychains to horse girl-approved riding boots to stripes coming from polka dot’s crown, the 6 microtrends fashion editors like myself actually believe in—and want to invest in.

I recently attended Copenhagen fashion week and wrote about the horse girl aesthetic I saw on a handful of runways there. There was a major resurgence of the riding boot, which is also popular on TikTok thanks to Gen Z discovering a popular pair by Prada sport. We can expect these to become the preferred tall boot of the moment, with everyone subverting the typically preppy vibe by wearing them with anything and everything, from knit polos to fuzzy miniskirts. Horse not needed.

At Tory Burch‘s fall/winter 2025 show I was mesmerized by nearly everything but especially a funny little fuzzy tail charm that hung form model’s belts, dresses and bags. Obviously bag charm culture is huge right now but as the Labubu craze begins to die down, I think we’ll start to see more of this more subtle, but still fluffy, option. There aren’t that many on the market yet—sometimes that’s how it is with microtrends!—but a leather tassel also gives a similar vibe and works well while it’s still too hot out to start incorporating that kind of fuzzy texture.

Once again, bag charms are huge right now. But eventually everyone is going to run out of space on their bag straps for funky little charms. And where will they look to next? Their shoes! On the runway at Cecilie Bahnsen and Coach we saw models wearing shoes with beaded laces or small charms attached. It’s easy to DIY and can give your favorite footwear an instant look that makes you feel like you’ve bought a brand new shoe.

Polka dots are everywhere right now but stripes are coming for the quirky print’s crown. Sandy Liang putting stripes on her Fall/Winter 2025 runway is a surefire way to get every It girl in New York to consider wearing the pattern with more frequency, but you’ll notice it was all over street style in cities like Copenhagen as well. Stripes may be associated with breezy subtle French girl chic, but this fall you can expect it to be worn in a far more eccentric way a-la the Sandy Liang runway.