2022 Fashion Trends - What’s Defining This Season’s Resort Wear

Pantone recently announced that their Colour of the Year for 2022 is Very Peri, a new colour they created by blending the qualities of their most popular blues with a violet-red undertone to create a deep, bold periwinkle. According to the Pantone Colour Institute’s Executive Director, Leatrice Eiseman, the colour is meant to reflect a novel perspective, courage, creativity, and joy.

We love the bright, adventurous perspective Pantone has taken for 2022, and it looks like the major trends for the resort season will reflect the same attitude! Here are the defining fashion trends for 2022 and our favourite resort wear pieces leading the charge.

Sheer fabrics are quickly gaining popularity, especially with the rise of the body positivity movement. While the trend has mostly been limited to tops in previous years, summer 2022 fashion is taking it one step further with sheer dresses! Whether you’ve opted for a sultry knit or a feminine lace number, sheer dresses make great statement pieces for a spicy night out or a trendy cover-up to wear while walking to and from the beach.

Trendy Tip: Make sure that you have neutral undergarments to wear underneath sheer garments - for more coverage and support, try a bodysuit.

One of our favourite sheer summer dresses for 2022 is the Brooke Dress from Flook the Label. The simple yet elegant silhouette brings your natural curves to the forefront, while the thigh-high split skirt helps this slinky resort wear maintain its beachy vibe. Throw it over your bathing suit as an easy-breezy cover-up, or dress it up for a sexy date night look.

Neutrals are immortal fashion staples, but summer 2022 fashion brings a new vibe to the whites, tans, and blacks that are probably crowding your closet. The trick to reinventing timeless neutral looks is to opt for light and fresh pieces and accent them with bold, offbeat details.

We’ve seen a huge resurgence in billowing neutrals made from cotton, eyelet lace, crochet, and linen - they’re effortlessly chic and great for even the busiest fashionistas. We’re especially in love with the Charlotte Top and San Diego Skirt from Temptation Positano. This 100% cotton coordinated set evokes a soft, pastoral aesthetic that’s super dreamy! Even when worn apart, the loose, lacy top and skirt are the best thing to add a little Italian summer into your wardrobe.

Cottagecore is the latest fashion craze - if you’re not familiar, the aesthetic is built on soft silhouettes, natural colours and patterns, and pastoral designs like puffed sleeves and corsets. If you would wear it while wandering barefoot through an ancient forest, chances are it fits the cottagecore vibe. One of the mainstays of cottagecore is, of course, the prairie dress.

These simple, light summer 2022 fashion staples can be cut in various ways, making them ideal for almost every body type out there! You can find them in every colour and pattern under the sun, but we’re especially in love with the moody yet feminine vibe of the Allure Maxi Dress from The Story Of. The wide puffed sleeves and tie neckline would fit right in on a farm on the prairies, while the pink botanicals on a black polka dot background bring the prairie dress straight into the chic modern era. And it’s 100% cotton, so it’s sure to keep you cool while you wander the resort!

Bold and bright is the name of the game in 2022, and there’s nothing bolder or brighter than rainbow stripes! Whether you’re rocking a cute rainbow sweater or taking it off the beaten path in a pair of rainbow-striped jeans, the lively pattern adds instant energy and is begging to be worn in tropical settings. It’s by far one of our favourite fashion colour trends of 2022.

If you’re going for a pastel twist on this trend, we recommend the Keya Long Marbella Mix Bloom Dress from Sundress. Sundresses are the ultimate summer outfit, and we’re madly in love with this cute pastel number! The braided belt and delicate drawstring neckline add a distinctly bohemian vibe, while the shimmering fabric is sure to make you stand out in a crowd.

While previous years have foregone volume in the shoulders to add volume at the bust and waistlines, 2022 is The Year of The Puffed Shoulder. Whether it’s a feminine, traditional puffed shoulder blouse or a structured suit jacket with bold shoulder pads, the result is a magnificent silhouette that looks good on various body types. It’s also a whimsical nod to escapist aesthetics, echoing everything from historical garments to science fiction vibes.

If cute is your target aesthetic, check out the adorable puffed shoulders on the Keilly Top From Love Shack Fancy! The soft pink heart pattern combined with the peplum waist and bow details on the sleeves will have you wearing your rose coloured glasses all night long!

We’ve all been stuck inside for quite a while now, and many of us are itching to start going out again. And thus, the “going out” dress trend that was so pervasive in the late 90s and early 2000s is coming back with a vengeance as one of the fashion trends of 2022. We’re talking short hemlines, cutout detailing, backless numbers and flirty prints. Oh, and glitter. A lot of glitter!

For sultry nights at your favourite resort, try the Lumiere Shirt Dress from Oseree. A glimmering twist on the Little Black Dress, the dress is made from a shimmering polyamide that offers a little bit of flattering stretch in all the right places. The ultra-short hemline is sexy on its own, but you can also play around with the buttoned neckline to be as spicy or as sleek as you want! It’s a great way to mix up your normal resort wear and add a little confidence-boosting shine to your evenings.

Miniskirts are making a HUGE comeback in summer 2022 fashion, and we’re not surprised! The bold 90s wardrobe staple is being combined with prints and designs from the 60s and 70s to create modish, offbeat pieces that are perfect for the work from home warrior and the vacationing beauty alike. Pair them with a cardigan and crop top for a cute daytime look, or dress them up with a bodysuit for a night out in the town.

The top of our roster of resort-ready miniskirts is the Como Skirt from Love Shack Fancy! The blue plaid and ruffled silhouette fill us with 90s nostalgia, while the asymmetrical centre ruffle lined with cute embroidered details adds a touch of freshness that can take you from the beach to the dancefloor with no fuss.

The midriff is the cause of most insecurity in women, but the boldness of 2022 fashion trends is starting to inspire many women to show a little tummy! The crop top is one of the hottest trends out there, and the best thing about it is that you can show as much or as little skin as you want. Wear a loose crop and high-waisted jeans to show a little on a day out, or go bold with a higher cut top and low waisted skirts for a club-worthy, showstopping look.

Our fave basic crop top is the Jordan Top from Seven Wonders. The entire bodice is shirred, giving it enough stretch to flatter a range of bust sizes. The cute ruffles and delicate straps are perfect for wearing under a jacket or on their own to give your shoulders - and your midriff - a little well-deserved sun.

Did you spot your new fave look in our inspo for 2022? Don’t forget to tag us at #SawItOnSandDollar!