Katherine Lowe: Five fashion trends for 2015

Lorde has been seen rocking crop tops on several occasions. Photos / Getty Images

Opinion

There's no denying it, when it comes to fashion, 2014 has seen a resurgence of the 90s. Think Gwen Stefani circa Tragic Kingdom. Goth-like tattoo necklaces, punk-y hairstyles, crop tops and baggy jeans - think about what you were wearing 20 years ago (if you even existed 20 years ago - God, I'm old) and I'm sure you've seen some form of that on the streets today. It doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon either - here are my predictions for 2014 trends that will last the distance into 2015.

1: Crop tops

Left-right: Fashion Blogger Pernille Tiesbiek is wearing all Chanel, Street Style at The Wilderness Festival and blogger Zina Charkoplia wearing Proenza Schouler. Photos / Getty Images

Bloody Lorde aye, she's a real advocate of the crop top these days isn't she? I can't say she's solely to blame for this year's top trend but she's really selling the style and I don't see it dissipating anytime soon. Whether it's in the form of a cut off, sleeveless tee or it's sport's bra-esque and cutaway at the shoulder, as long as it's baring midriff you're on the money. With summer in full gear, I'm predicting a fair few halter-style crop top bikinis cropping up (had to do it), and with that I'm also predicting a rapid incline in new gym memberships.

2: Culottes

Stylist Laetitia Roukbi wears Ralph Lauren top and culottes and fashion Blogger Sophia Marinho de Lemos wears Paper London top and culottes. Photos / Getty

They're what I wore nearly every day between the ages of 10 and 18, so there's something about culottes that make me feel a little uneasy. That being said, when you boil the style down to its bare bones, we're really talking cropped, wide-leg pants, and for me, that's much easier to stomach. Speaking of, culottes are one eating-friendly dressing option, especially if they sit high up on the waist. They're the pants version of the midi skirt, and while they've quite present in Northern Hemisphere, culottes only just seem to be hitting New Zealand streets now so I'm expecting the trend to carry right through the year.

Katherine Lowe wears culottes by Ruby to the NZ Music Awards. Photo / Katherine Lowe

3: White sneakers/adidas Stan Smiths and Superstars

If there were a sneaker brand of the year for 2014 it would have to be Adidas. If it were narrowed down to styles, it would be these two: the Adidas Stan Smith and the Adidas Superstar. The predominately white lace-up shoes I remember owning back in school had a resurgence and there's little sign of the trend subsiding. The Superstar is the style I'm backing for 2015. Pair with anything - even dresses.

4: Mom jeans

"Mom jeans" is a phrase I kind of hate. Wikipedia considers 'mom jeans' "a humorously pejorative term for a specific type of fit of women's jeans, considered to be both unfashionable, and unflattering to the wearer's figure" which I guess sums up why I hate the term - mothers can dress well too, you know? Despite my disdain for the name, the style is actually a trend that I have personally adopted and will continue to wear throughout 2015 (mostly due to comfort!). Again, they're straight out the 90s - high waisted, with room in the leg. Most popular brand of mom jean for 2015? The Levi's 501.

Swedish blogger Elin Kling in vintage Levi jeans and Linda Tol also in Levi "mom" Jeans. Photos / Getty Images

5. Slides

The slide comes in many forms, and 2015 will produce the widest variety available. Whether they're sporty and worn with socks for a street-wear vibe, old-school original Birkenstocks or beautiful, simple, and leather, the slide has established itself as the sandal of choice for those fashion-inclined. Being so practical and comfortable (and easy - slip-on at its best) the popularity of the slide comes as no surprise - I'm prepared to see them all over the streets in the summer of 2015.

Bonus trend: I'm not sure if this can be called a trend as it's been around for so long, but it needs to be noted that there is absolutely no escaping the cut off denim short, and with festival season just around the corner, be prepared to see them atop white thighs of teenage (and not so teenage) girls everywhere - whether you like it or not!

- nzherald.co.nz