Podcast Summary: Let's Get Dressed

Episode: She Predicted 2025’s Biggest Fashion Trends — Here’s What 2026 Has in Store For Us
Host: Liv Perez
Guest: Mandy Lee (aka Old Loser in Brooklyn)
Date: January 5, 2026

Overview

In this dynamic kickoff to 2026, Liv Perez welcomes fashion trend forecaster Mandy Lee—the TikTok and Instagram sensation known as "Old Loser in Brooklyn." Mandy, renowned for her uncannily accurate trend predictions and cultural insight, breaks down the seismic shifts in fashion witnessed during 2025, and, with her signature analytical flair, looks ahead to what 2026 may bring. Key topics include the anatomy of a fashion trend, specific predictions (from “freaky footwear” to phalange fanaticism), and a lively discussion about the evolving intersection of clothing, culture, and technology.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Mandy’s Background & Rise as a Trend Forecaster

• Early Career: Mandy explains how she started in corporate planning and forecasting (mostly in beauty), which taught her the analytical skills now applied to fashion.
  • "My background was in corporate planning and forecasting. I mostly worked in the beauty industry, though." (06:56)
• TikTok Origin Story: Losing her job during the pandemic led to starting her TikTok account with the quirky handle “Old Loser in Brooklyn.”
  • "I was feeling like the biggest loser ever... I had just lost my dream job. And, yeah, it sucked. But it's also a blessing because I wouldn't have made TikTok had that not happened." (06:37)
• Filling a Gap: Not seeing the kind of fashion content she wanted online, Mandy began posting short-form trend reports to fill that void.

Approach to Forecasting & Anatomy of a Trend

• Theory First: Mandy’s process is rooted in “theory”—examining the political, economic, and cultural forces that drive fashion, before getting granular about items.
  • "Fashion is a mirror of our culture, essentially." (07:54)
• From Culture to Catwalk: Trends manifest as society’s appetite for novelty, authenticity, and signaling—yet often are shaped and accelerated by factors outside traditional fashion circuits.
  • "You can totally be yourself and be basic... you don’t have to be peacocking all the time." (09:31)
• Perfect Storm for a Trend: Availability, timing, and cultural appetite must align. Trends often start as subcultural whispers before hitting mainstream.
  • "It starts with a whisper. It doesn’t always have to be on the Runway." (23:02)
• Role of Data vs. Instinct: While data is important (sales stats, search queries), Mandy argues human intuition and cultural observation are irreplaceable.
  • "What I love about my job is it's not completely data-reliant. It's kind of 50/50." (25:49)
  • "Only a human can do that, really... a machine certainly can't predict the future either." (26:43)

Major Fashion Shifts & 2025 Trend Review

Mandy’s Correct Predictions for 2025

• Fur & Hair Details: Unexpectedly, “pubes” as a motif went mainstream (Skims launched a merkin).
  • "The pub merkin thing, like, really shocked me... I didn’t think it would get that big." (10:33)
• Conservatism & Extremes: Increased modesty in silhouettes clashed with rebellion; elements like exposed bras surfaced on runways in non-sexualized ways.
  • "It reminded me of the... 2014 For Love & Lemons lace bras with the scooped T-shirt. It's very that but for this more modern consumer." (13:06)
• Freaky Footwear & Toe Shoes: Mandy predicted toe shoes as early as 2022. Became a huge phenomenon.
  • "Even when I made that video, I did not think it would get as big as it did." (14:19)
• Animal Prints: Alternative animal prints were everywhere, particularly at Tory Burch.
  • "That specific... it wasn't like a zebra. It's called the Flame. I'm obsessed with it." (16:27)
• Logo Mania & Accessories: Celine’s logo and brooches/pins had a major moment.
• Designer Moves: Predicted designer shuffles like Jonathan Anderson leaving Loewe.

How Trends Move & the Influence of Street Style

• Runway vs. Street: Mandy sees an increasing parity between designers and real people in trend creation:
  • "Right now it's kind of 50/50 [Runway vs. street style]." (24:12)
• The Role of Small Marketplaces: Trends are often visible first on platforms like Etsy, not Pinterest.
  • “I'm pretty anti-Pinterest for style inspiration, to be honest… they're using AI to do it… it's more of a report and a rapping.” (25:18)
• Backlash & Reception: Not every prediction is embraced immediately; examples include backlash to “bloomers” and ballerina sneakers.
  • "I got death threats for that video." (21:31)

2026 Predictions: What’s Next?

Key Trend Predictions for 2026

• Phalange Fanaticism
  • Hands and feet as accessories: Gloves, hand motifs on bags and belts; toe rings, and ornamental socks.
    • “Not just gloves… [hands as] alternative accessory. Not even on your hands… I'm seeing some themes of hands and gloves as motifs.” (31:01)
    • “The foot was the hot body part of 2025.” (30:40)
• Surrealism & Grotesque
  • Appetite grows for the odd, surreal, and artful in fashion—examples include Thom Browne’s hand motifs.
    • "Grotesque things are actually what people are being drawn to because it's special, it's weird, it's unique, it's unusual." (30:06)
• Functionality, Protection & Utility
  • Demand for clothes with real purpose—multifunctional, weather-resistant, wearable wellness (e.g., sun-protection, warmth).
    • “Providing solutions for your customers, especially if you’re a luxury brand... It’s going to need to be above and beyond.” (40:36-41:46)
    • "My big words for this sort of theory are protection, purpose, multifunction, and wearable wellness." (42:24)
• Technical & Utilitarian Accessories
  • Examples: Aviator hats, aprons, bandanas with technical qualities.
    • “Aviator hats... so much potential in these categories for technical wear. Chanel and Simone Rocha... both showed raincoats.” (41:46)
• Aprons & Everyday Craft
  • Aprons become both fashion and a celebration of hands-on craftsmanship, not just “trad wife” nostalgia.
    • “It's the kind of positive spin on the apron... craftsmanship and workmanship and real life jobs.” (36:04)
• Bright Color Futures
  • Bold colors, especially jewel tones, teal, greens, and purples become anchors for fashion, with skepticism about Pantone’s “Cloud Dancer” pick.
    • "Pantone... it's a pathetic corporate gimmick. Boo." (32:05)
    • "WGSN's prediction is... a deep blue green. Almost like emeraldy... more jewel." (34:02)
• Expansion of Trend Cycles
  • Revivals (twee, indie sleaze) continue to resurface but are always subtly reinterpreted.
    • "Every time I reference a revival, it never will look exactly like that." (37:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fashion as Reflection of Society
  • "Fashion is the most tangible expression of what's happening in culture and humanity... it's literally holding the mirror up to what's going on in the world.” – Mandy Lee (28:41)
  • "If you want to learn about fashion, you have to learn about everything around fashion: art, politics, music." (29:52)
• On the Limits of Data-Driven Forecasting
  • "Only a human can do that really. And again, we can't predict the future. I can't predict the future. And a machine certainly can't predict the future either." – Mandy Lee (26:43)
• On Designer “Musical Chairs”
  • "Jonathan Anderson leaving Loewe, which happened in March. Sad. I know." – Liv Perez (15:54)
  • "Oh, I did not like writing that." – Mandy Lee (15:57)
• On Forecasting Getting Personal
  • "[After the first bloomers and ballet sneakers video]… three people messaging me on Instagram being like, 'Kill yourself. You're delusional.' And you know, fast forward three years, guess what the most popular shoe style is?" – Mandy Lee (21:32)
• On Pantone’s Color of the Year
  • "Cloud Dancer. Yeah. What is that? I have a lot of thoughts. It's not... that's not the color of the year for me... It's a pathetic corporate gimmick." – Mandy Lee (32:05)
• On the Democratization of Fashion
  • "Fashion is actually that deep… It's the beigeification of the world, which is… It is a fascist indicator. I hate to get that deep into it, but it is that deep." – Mandy Lee (35:07)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Intro & Mandy’s Background: 00:00–06:56
• The Theory Behind Forecasting: 07:54–10:04
• Big Wins from 2025 Predictions: 10:24–16:48
• The Development of Trends (Runway vs. Street): 17:00–26:43
• The Anatomy of a Trend: 22:10–25:18
• Predictions for 2026 & Discussion: 27:40–42:24
• Fashion’s Future & Conclusion: 42:24–End

Closing Thoughts

Liv and Mandy deliver a vibrant conversation foundational for fashion lovers, or anyone interested in the ever-shifting culture of style. Mandy’s mix of data, intuition, and cultural literacy underscores that trends are never just about clothes—they’re about us. As 2026 unfolds, look for bold colors, utilitarian flair, and a continued embrace of the beautifully bizarre.

Follow Mandy Lee (@luzerinbrooklyn) on Instagram and TikTok for real-time trend insights.

Prepared for those seeking a comprehensive yet breezy guide to the pulse of fashion in 2026—and beyond.