Fashion people are our guiding force, and that’s a fact. We always look to what our favorite stylists, editors, influencers, and buyers are wearing and shopping as an indication of what’s cool now and what’s just around the corner. This is all to keep you as up-to-date as possible on the fashion front. Whether I’m stalking their feeds for outfit inspiration or sliding into their DMs for intel on their latest purchases, my fashion friends are my go-to Style source. So as I sit down to consider which direction I want to take my own style in 2022, I thought who better to consult with than these insiders directly.

I asked five of my favorite stylish people to share what they’re pinning to their mood boards for the year ahead. And to my surprise, they over-delivered. If you’re curious about how to create a style mood board in the first place or, like me, are just in the market for some really good inspiration, you’ve come to the right place. So what’s defining this fashion crew’s style right now? Ahead, see all the epic runway, editorial, and shopping references that are influencing them, and peruse their key shopping buys for 2022.

“The only way that I know how to adapt to trends is to ground them with closet staples styled in a way that looks new. Miu Miu S/S 22 collection is stunning, mixing traditional separates and reimagining them through the lens of an early aughts paparazzi magnet. I will have to get creative to execute this ‘fit because I pay Brooklyn rent, and I’m not on Miu Miu’s gifting list yet. I will be taking one of my sweater-vests purchased during an Etsy bender, and I will cut it in half and pair it back to a low-slung trouser skirt with tall boots for transitional weather or gray chunky socks and one of my vintage Prada sandals to add some drama. 

“Another trend that piques my interest is something I can’t even believe I’m saying. The perfect leather bomber or motorcycle jacket feels right to me after years of shunning them. Trying a longline-style leather jacket makes more sense than a shrunken jacket unless it looks like last year’s strong-shouldered version from Vaquera. If you are going to try a more cropped style, it needs to be slightly off and not too reminiscent of suburbanites trying their luck at the door of my boyfriend’s club in the LES.”

“In spring 2022, Maryam Nassir Zadeh and Schiaparelli put emphasis on the chest. For MNZ, it’s all about the micro bikini on top of a casual T-shirt for advanced accessorizing, while Schiaparelli went full-on Madonna at the AmFar gala with a hypnotic cone-shaped bra. Looking forward a bit, Christopher John Rogers’s prefall 2022 put the emphasis on the statement boob, bringing back the bullet bra. I already preordered my CJR bullet bra to wear under cardigans opened up and even layered over thin basics to make a statement. If you want to try a low-key version of this, go for a bra over a T-shirt, or wear a bra in the summer with big trousers for a weather-appropriate high-summer ‘fit.”

“Muted suits are a favorite go-to of mine. It is great how you can build a collection of suiting over time with a focus on strong tailoring and quality. By staying within a color story, you can mix and match throughout the seasons—layering for fall with sweaters and trench coats, paring down for spring with bra tops or suit vests. I love this category, especially because I can wear muted suiting to any occasion and feel chic.”

“This ‘barely there’ draping makes me look as if I washed up on shore and went directly to an elegant evening. The feeling of wearing such a piece is immediately ethereal and sexy, as though I am floating with my martini, only being grounded by a perfect little heel. Currently manifesting warm weather as the frost makes its way through to NYC.”

“Maximalism was a big trend in 2021, and I think that kind of a took a toll on me because I wanted to differentiate myself but instead just became overwhelmed with options and possibilities. I don’t feel like I really ~shined~ last year and had a little bit of an identity crisis, but I think this year I’m starting to find my way again. I’m currently very into knitting and am surprisingly getting a lot of wear out of the pieces I make.

This Prada F/W 17 collection is one of my all-time favorite runway shows. I always reference it when I’m feeling like I’ve hit a roadblock when it comes to dressing myself, styling, and knitting inspo. There are just so many great textures and colors. It’s fun and light—everything that I’m constantly striving for my style to be.”

“I also love this Missoni F/W 18 collection for layering inspiration. I think this year will have a lot of that and playing with colors that I might have been too afraid of wearing before (yellow and dark brown). I think my main goal is to just not overthink anything and not take it too seriously. If I put on an outfit that I love but end up hating it at the end of the day, that should be okay!”

“This theme of the ‘Homme Girl’ is having a big influence on my style in 2022. I’m looking at cool, crisp shirting paired loose pants and lightweight blazers to achieve this vibe. The spring 2022 collections from Victoria Beckham and Prada captured this theme perfectly.”

“Like a lot of other fashion people right now, I’m so excited about ultra-mini mini skirts. The ’90s supermodel minis are officially back and I definitely plan on trying them out this year. Similarly, sophisticated sensuality is also top of mind for me this year and I’m focusing on elements like cutouts, sheer fabric, high slits, and corsets—they’re relatively small details but have an overall sleek feel.”

“For me, 2022 is all about bringing back the low rise bottoms from the early 2000s and making it more elevated and high fashion. On the runway, we’ve been seeing this emerge from brands such as Miu Miu’s and Coperni’s spring 2022 collections.”

“Recently I have been finding inspiration from Asian street fashion especially with the rise of KPOP in America. I’ve been discovering more asian designers and brands on Instagram, such as her366.shop and La Lune, who create amazing and unique pieces. I’m looking forward to pulling pieces from these designers and mixing them in with more classic pieces from my wardrobe.”

Next up: Thanks, It’s New: 22 Items Our Editors Added to Their Closets This Month