If 2021 was the year of the Croc, 2022 may well take it a step further. As we’ve already deciphered, slip-on shoes are having a moment, but is this the consequence of a habit that we’ve failed to break out of after spending more time than ever in pyjamas and slippers, or is there something deeper going on here? Whatever the case, wearing your slippers outside is never sensible, which is where the rubber mule comes in. Bottega Veneta has already given rubber shoes the high-fashion treatment with its Puddle boots, and Balenciaga’s branded heeled crocs were one of the most notable shoes of the year, but the rubber mule represents a slightly subtler approach. It’s a comfortable, lightweight and waterproof take on the ugly shoe trend – like headless Wellington boots, even, but much more stylish.

Few sartorial items have stood the test of the time with more gusto than the varsity jacket. Originally making its way around the Harvard campus as the successor to the letterman sweater in the 1930s, varsity jackets are currently undergoing another surge of popularity. Tyler, the Creator, whose preppy grandad style just won him GQ’s best-dressed man of the year, has been wearing them particularly well. And American brands Aimé Leon Dore and Rhude have also been garnering popularity by reclaiming the 1990s Ivy League aesthetic with a streetwear twist. Now, less to do with academic genealogy and more to do with making a statement, a varsity jacket in 2022 is the perfect hybrid of sporty, practical and stylish.

Denim is a perennial wardrobe staple for most men, but Gen Z is livening it up, and TikTok is awash with predictions that customisable denim will be one of the biggest trends for 2022. These are not at all unfounded: thanks to the embroidery nous of BODE, one of New York’s buzziest brands, plus the crafty Japanese label KAPITAL enjoying more airtime recently, there’s a patchwork mood in menswear right now. This doesn’t mean scrawling on your clothes like a school leaver’s sweater, but from hand-painted to stitched and embroidered jeans, there’s a charming individuality to be found with a bit of personalisation.

From skirts, to crop tops and handbags, clothes that have traditionally been confined to the fairer sex certainly made a divisive mark in menswear throughout 2021. Crop tops turned heads at Fendi; silk suits and see-through shirts at Dior; and wavy trims adorned over signature pastel-toned gradients in Casablanca. Not to mention 2021 was defined by key cultural moments such as Kid Cudi’s dress on SNL or Mr Harry Styles’ feather boa at the Grammys – which, according to Lyst, have contributed to the rise in gender-neutral search terms by 33 per cent since the beginning of last year. With all that in mind, it seems the sartorial gender boundaries will only continue to blur throughout the coming year, and although this doesn’t mean it’s crop top or bust, more delicate fabrics like lace and silk will likely become a bigger part of the more adventurous man’s wardrobe.

Although allocating a single colour to an entire year seems like a rather reductive task, Pantone forecasts are built around an array of cultural inputs, taking into consideration what has been happening in the world, as well as colours that have piqued the interest of the public in art galleries and exhibitions. The resulting zeitgeist for 2022? Very Peri, the perfect periwinkle-blue shade that aims to inject newness, optimism and vitality into the coming year. No pressure, then.

Akin to wearing a puffer jacket on your feet, pillowy slippers like the ones above are an unexpected trend to hit the footwear world. With a clear Gorpcore influence, these squishy, insulated mules are comfier than a duvet when the alarm goes off, and though they might feel a bit too slipper-like to wear out of the house, brands are slowly changing that. Nike has introduced the Offline Pack, The North Face has translated its ever-popular puffer jacket into the Thermoball mule and even Prada has given it a go with the Blow puffy boot.

For most of us, 2021 marked the end of another rather quiet, sartorially modest year. Call us optimistic, but with all the doom and gloom around, the time is ripe to start injecting some more colour into our wardrobes. The softer palette of candy-floss pinks, mint greens and lemon-chiffon yellows are a welcome starting point to a more adventurous wardrobe as the world begins to open up again. Appearing in abundance on the SS22 runways of Fendi, Casablanca and Ermenegildo Zegna, punchy colours might not save the world, but they do make it feel a tad bit brighter.