Summer 2024 fashion ins and outs

A rundown about what is hot and what is not this summer

It’s July in Toronto and we all know what that means: time to take allergy pills and hope our clothes from last summer still fit! 

If they don’t fit, fear not, as you now have an excuse to go on a shopping spree. Perhaps you can check out the Eaton Centre or even Kensington Market! 

That said, you can’t go on a proper shopping spree without brushing up on this summer’s hottest trends and knowing what we’re leaving behind. Summer 2024 is all about being cute, comfortable, and conscious of money because financial literacy is hot. Anyways, let’s dig in! 

What’s in

1. Biker shorts

As a society, we need to talk about chafing more — and how frickin’ painful it is. So, for our first fashion “in” on the list, we need to give cycling shorts their flowers. I know they can be a little bit ugly at times, but Lord knows biker shorts are life savers for us thick-thighed hotties. 

To style biker shorts in a cool and sexy way, try hiding them under a maxi jean skirt and pairing them with Doc Martens. You will thank me later. 

2. Low-rise jeans for the girlies; high-rise jeans for the guys

This may be a little controversial, but the girls and femmes might want to consider getting more acquainted with low-rise jeans. On the other hand, the boys and the mascs could bring back the trend of high-waisted denim. 

Let me explain. In 2024, we girlies are rocking our tummy chub because it’s sexy and empowering! You can’t fully embrace your stomach chub if you hide it behind high-waisted jeans. Plus, let’s be honest, high-waisted jeans are not optimal to sit down in. 

But I think high-waisted denim is so cute on guys! It’s so ’80s and unique, and it really elevates men’s fashion. Besides, I am tired of accidentally seeing a man’s boxers because his pants are too low-rise. 

3. Stretch marks

Another thing we are going to rock this summer is stretch marks. This goes along with the low-rise denim trend, as low-rise denim can expose stomach and hip stretch marks. Stretch marks are not some shameful secret, but something to be flaunted! If you do not want to showcase your stretch marks, that is perfectly okay but if you do, go for it. 

What’s out

1. Frivolous spending on fast fashion. 

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, fast fashion is defined as, “clothes that are made and sold cheaply, so that people can buy new clothes often.”

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love cheap clothes. But how much money are you truly saving if you are just going to discard said clothing item a year or month from now? 

This summer, we are going to spend our money wisely by purchasing items we can reuse for years to come. A key way to achieve this is to buy things less impulsively and steer away from poor-quality items, though sometimes poor-quality items are the only thing we can afford and that’s okay.

A general rule of thumb when distinguishing between poor-quality and high-quality items is to pay attention to the thickness of the fabric. Keep in mind the integrity of the stitching too, as poor-quality clothing items are often thin, translucent, and fray at the seams. 

Some of my wardrobe staples that I wear every summer are tennis skirts, ripped jeans, thrifted lingerie tanks, and t-shirts. Thrifting is such a great way to obtain quality items at affordable prices, though it is important to watch out for the urge to buy things we do not actually need. 

2. Clothes that no longer fit

For summer 2024, we are purging moth-bitten clothing items that have been rotting in our closets for who knows how long. We are getting rid of clothes from the past summers that do not fit. Donate that vintage denim skirt from when you were two sizes smaller — it’s okay. 

As humans, our weight can fluctuate and our bodies can change. There is nothing wrong with something not fitting the way it used to. Besides, you can make room for newer, better clothes by purging old ones!

Summer standouts

To end off, I am going to list some of my favourite trends that I have seen this spring. 

Capris and Y2K fashion are so fun. Bows add flair to your hair or outfit, and dresses, and skirts over jeans are eccentric. White chunky sneakers and some corduroy or denim shorts look so good on men. Vintage vests are always a great way to spice up a t-shirt. Crop tops are undeniably cute regardless of how you present yourself, I promise. Tasteful jewellery should be incorporated into everyone’s personal style across all genders. Braless looks are cute and perfect for the heat — nipples are natural, everyone has them, and they’re cute! 

This summer, we U of T students are going to be the hottest versions of ourselves yet. We will prevent thigh chafing, appreciate stomach chub, and fall in love with our stretch marks. Who said that the nerdiest students in Canada couldn’t look this good?