A Year in Review: The Fashion "It" Items That Defined 2016

By Andrea Cheng

Updated Dec 21, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

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Blame it on fashion for delivering coveted items that we, irrationally, have to have, year after year. In 2016, these “It” must-haves arrived in the form of Gucci fur-lined loafer slides (a design so good that not even celebrities could resist wearing them over and over again), vintage Levi’s jeans (specifically, the 501s and 505s; here’s how you can shop for the perfect pair), Cult Gaia bamboo clutches (that became a viral hit through Instagram), and Vans Old Skools (interestingly, the most snapped sneaker to come out of Fashion Month ever since the Stan Smith’s claim to fame). And since 2016 will forever be known as The Year of The Choker, there’s, of course, one on this It List: Roxanne Assoulin’s rainbow-happy spectrum tiles, a design that's found a home on the necks of A-listers and street-style stars alike.

There was a big demand for tour merch (Bieber and Saint Pablo, specifically), along with street-chic hoodies—and coming in from the opposite end, incredibly ladylike Chanel cap-toe mules (the latest iteration of the cap-toe slingbacks that made it on our list in 2015). Scroll through to see the 12 buzziest fashion items of 2016.

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Giant Super-Sized Earrings

Credit: Christian Vierig/Getty

$219

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anniecostellobrown.com

So long, teeny-tiny studs. Incredible over-the-top earrings dominated the spring 2017 runways, and in turn, the street-style scene. A favorite? These sculptural creations by designer Annie Costello Brown.

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The Cult Gaia Ark Bag

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$88

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cultgaia.com

The bamboo clutch that dominated our Instagram feed for the better half of the year. Actually, make that all straw bags.

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Vans Old Skool Sneakers

Credit: Christian Vierig/Getty

$60

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vans.com

It looks like Adidas Stan Smiths finally have a rival. The most snapped sneaker of Fashion Month were the black-and-white Vans Old Skools (even Kendall Jenner is a fan).

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Aquazzura's "Wild Thing" Sandals

$785

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barneys.com

Fringed, tasseled, fun—these were the sandals of the summer. And once Rihanna wore them, their fate was sealed.

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The Loewe Puzzle Bag

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$2,350

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nordstrom.com

Sculptural, deconstructed, geometric—there's a reason why the Puzzle bag (one of designer Jonathan Anderson's first designs for the Spanish label) was such a hit.

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Street-Chic Hoodies

Credit: Melodie Jeng/Getty

$1,050

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net-a-porter.com

With the rise of buzzy streetwear designers (Demna Gvasalia of Vetements, Virgil Abloh of Off-White, etc) arrives the demand for streetwear staples, like hoodies, oversized denim jackets, and sweats.