I’ve said before that I’m interested in those changes in fashion that are slower than seasonal trends and I feel that I’m not alone in that. With the rise of the capsule wardrobe and concerns about sustainability, many people are wondering how to look current without overhauling their entire wardrobes every three or six months. The trends themselves have in fact also slowed down, at least some of them.* These more persistent of them are in turn influenced by macro-trends like greater comfort and practicality, inspiration from sport and street wear and a move towards a looser, more modest silhouette.

This post is about these items that have been round way too long to be called “trends” in the conventional sense, yet aren’t quite the absolute classics the way a white shirt, a trench or a nude pump are (there are of course trends in these, too, but that’s a post for another day). I also predict that everything here will be around for a few more seasons – in case you’ve been considering a purchase…

1. A slim-fitting rollneck. I wrote about the importance of a rollneck about a year and a half ago and nothing has really changed: it’s still a key piece for a modern wardrobe, as useful as a layering piece as it is on its own. I’m still searching for the perfect white one: I’ve got one from Uniqlo that is good under other things, but not great alone. I’m very happy with the black one I’m wearing here, though. It’s by the Estonian brand Feelwear, made of fine, soft merino wool and the quality is great.

2. Cropped jeans. Jeans have been all over the place after the fall of The Skinny, but the most stubborn trend has been the crop. Even skinny jeans look more relevant when cut off above the ankle. There are two reasons I can immediately think of to explain this longevity: cropped trousers work equally well with flats and heels and they offer a flash of skin when jeans tend to be otherwise worn with big knits or blazers, of which more later. Trends don’t exist in a vacuum, the pieces people buy have to work as coherent outfits. For example, the change in shoe shape is often reflected in the length of the hemline or the other way round.**

3. Loafers. I know everybody is sick and tired of me talking about (Gucci) loafers, but I must. While the popularity of flat shoes has been one of the biggest stories of fashion in the last decade, loafers have certainly been the poster child for this trend, at least after the demise of The Ballerina (making a tentative comeback these days, I sense). Loafers are both comfortable and rather formal, which makes them very versatile. Epecially if one can bear to splurge on a designer version, it will automatically add confidence and polish to a look while still looking relaxed. I think we have reached peak loafer by now, but they aren’t going anywhere for a while.

4. A simple silk shirt. You could say that the silk shirt should belong to the real classics list and you’d be right. I’m including it for a specific reason, however, because I still remember when you would have gone for a blouse rather than a shirt. This hasn’t been the case for years now, your silk tops should be very simple shirts without any details except pockets (you can also go for a – simple! – camisole).

5. Sneakers. You don’t have to look far to see why we have reached peak loafer: it’s the sneakers. This takeover has been years in the making with Converse, Stan Smiths, Vans and minimal Scandinavian takes all making an appearance. I’m sure you remember the time every fashion person seemed to be wearing white sneakers. It has kind of exploded now with the dad sneaker trend, but don’t be fooled – while this particular interpretation might seem silly, sneakers are the new handbags. I suggest finding a style you like.

6. A midi skirt. Fashion works in mysterious ways: who would have thought that midi skirts would be going strong for years? I’m especially astonished that pleated midis are still a thing – I thought they were over in 2013 (Whistles Carrie skirt was launched in 2011…). The truth is, I’ve got 5 pleated midis in my closet this very moment and almost every other skirt I own is midi as well, no matter whether fitted or loose. If pleats aren’t your thing, a (faux) leather version is another good bet.

7. A masculine blazer. Another ancient trend, by the standard of trends. Sure, there are small changes: one season, double breasted versions are preferred (as they are now), then it reverses. Sometimes they are more oversized, sometimes less. Currently, the main thing is to pair the jacket with matching trousers for a full suit. But generally speaking, as long as your jacket is of a neutral colour, with a moderately structured but relaxed shape and worn with sleeves pushed up, you’ve been good for years.

8. A slip dress. This nineties staple is a more recent addition to the list, exactly because it was so popular about 25 years ago. It takes time to recover from overexposure. But like its most famous wearer, Kate Moss, the slip never lost its charm entirely and now it’s been firmly back in our style vocabulary for several seasons. There are very few things that can be both cool and elegant. A simple silk slip dress – in black, white, silver, blush – can manage that and I therefore predict we’ll be wearing it for years to come.

9. A slouchy knit. If recent years have had a uniform, it’s been jeans with a t-shirt, worn with a blazer on top, dressed down with flats or up with a statement heel (you can get away with a rather flashy shoe when the rest looks so chill). OR you could replace the blazer with a big knit. I believe the UK fashion bloggers alone must own about three billion slouchy knits. Despite my sarcasm, I’m in favour of big, cosy knits, not least because they are warm. They can also feel luxurious and sumptuous, without necessarily costing the Earth. Before buying one, just make sure you can fit the sweater sleeves into your coat sleeves – in case you’re interested in this sort of mundane considerations.

10. Slogan/logo t-shirt. Did it start with the Gucci tee? I think not, but cannot remember what came before. Not that it matters, the ‘meaningful’ t-shirt is here, like it or not. It can be the discreet Saint Laurent logo, Ganni’s Love Society or, my favourite, Zadig & Voltaire saying that girls can do anything (for a great woke alternative to t-shirts, check out Lingua Franca). Again, uniforms need a little something to look less basic, a luxury logo or witty slogan will add that.

11. Very fake fur. Real fur has become less and less acceptable over the recent years while faux fur is everywhere. The key thing here is that it has to look fake, nobody wants to make a morally correct decision and still face the scorn of the world. What is the point of doing the right thing without getting any credit! Hence the popularity of faux fur in every possible colour: candy pink, bright yellow, pale blue, lavender, mint green or any combination of these. There is probably a limit to the popularity of neon fur coats, but fake fur can be used in many ways and we’ll certainly see quite a few of those.

12. Cross-body bags. Although the reign of it-bags is over, a designer bag is still the easiest way to add some polish and luxury (and status) to your look. These days, fashion lovers simply expect that the bag will deliver this to them also five years after the purchase. Hence the popularity of Chanel, Louis Vuitton and other very classic brands, even Hermes. There is another more specific trend, however, that many (although not all) popular bags have in common: they can be worn cross-body. After WAGS, nobody wanted to wear anything in the crook of their arm, on the shoulder looked too pedestrian, clutching under the arm was cool, but simply not practical. So the cross-body trend was born*** with the Chanel Flap and Boy bags the perfect modern classics.

You could of course make this list much longer, these are just items that came to my mind first. In hindsight, I realise there are no fabrics (velvet!) or colours (millennial pink!), but one has to draw a line somewhere, if one is interested in having readers. What would you add?

* I was glad to see my thoughts on this validated by one of my favourite fashion-writers in The Guardian.
** The jeans I’m wearing here aren’t the classic crop style, but roll-ups are just a variation on the same idea. The exaggerated shape is also something rather new and not necessarily super flattering, but I’m really feeling this almost balloon-like leg at the moment.
***Frankly, I have no idea how it was born, I’m just making it up.

Rollneck by Feelwear, jeans by Essentiel Antwerp, loafers by Gucci. Pictures Laura Nestor, MUAH Grete Madisson.