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

By Andrea Cheng
Updated: Dec 22, 2016 @ 10:44 am
Christian Vierig/Getty

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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1 of 13

Giant Super-Sized Earrings

Christian Vierig/Getty
$219 Annie Costello Brown available at anniecostellobrown.com Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

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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2 of 13

The Cult Gaia Ark Bag

Matthew Sperzel/Getty
$88 Cult Gaia available at cultgaia.com Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

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

3 of 13

Vans Old Skool Sneakers

Christian Vierig/Getty
$60 Vans available at vans.com Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

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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4 of 13

Aquazzura's "Wild Thing" Sandals

$785 Aquazzura available at barneys.com Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

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

5 of 13

The Loewe Puzzle Bag

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$2,350 Loewe available at nordstrom.com Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

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. 

6 of 13

Street-Chic Hoodies

Melodie Jeng/Getty
$1,050 Vetements available at net-a-porter.com Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

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. 

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7 of 13

Vintage Levi's

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$265 Levi's available at shopredone.com Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

The pre-reqs for jeans in 2016: high-waist, straight-leg, vintage, and made by Levi's. 

8 of 13

Chanel Mules

Christian Vierig/Getty

Chanel's back with another in-demand shoe: cap-toe mules—the updated version of last year's famous slingbacks. (Not available online, sorry guys.)

9 of 13

Roxanne Assoulin's Rainbow Chokers

ROXANNEASSOULIN/instagram
$120 available at roxanneassoulin.com Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

2016, the year of the choker comeback. But the favorite among editors? Roxanne Assoulin's happy, mood-boosting spectrum designs.

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10 of 13

Johanna Ortiz One-Shoulder Tops

Christian Vierig/Getty
$850 Johanna Ortiz available at net-a-porter.com Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

Johanna Ortiz's playful, voluminous one-shoulder silhouettes—the answer to off-shoulder saturation. 

11 of 13

Gucci Loafer Slides

Christian Vierig/Getty
$595 Gucci available at nordstrom.com Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

OK, so we had Gucci's famous slides in last year's line-up, but these really picked up traction this year. 

12 of 13

Justin Bieber Tour Merch

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$18 Forever 21 available at forever21.com Opens a new window SHOP IT Opens a new window

The year that street-style stars came out as die-hard Bieber fans.

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