Animal print, dad trainers and tiny sunglasses: ASOS reveals the most popular fashion trends of 2018

The retailer has also predicted what we’ll be buying more of in the months ahead

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As 2018 draws to a close, it seems only right to reminisce about some of the biggest style moments of the year.

Online retailer ASOS has just unveiled its annual report, highlighting the most popular items and trends its customers have shopped this year.

For those in the know, it should come as no surprise to learn that animal print is among one of ASOS’ best sellers with sales increasing by 233 per cent since last year.

Similarly, chunky, orthopaedic-style dad trainers have been hailed as the most popular shoe of the year across both menswear and womenswear.

Earlier this year, so-called dad fashion was named one of the most influential trends of the year in Lysts’s annual Year in Fashion report, which saw online searches surge by 439 per cent since the beginning of 2018.

ASOS also declared tiny sunglasses as the must-have accessory of the summer, having sold an impressive 10,000 pairs in January alone.

Sales of jumpsuits also rose by 70 per cent, while tailoring sales went up 460 per cent and denim jeans by 23 per cent.

Dad trainers have been hailed as the most popular shoe of the year - Nike M2K Tekno Trainers In White, £90, ASOS

The impact of Meghan Markle's status as the new fashion icon to follow had a huge impact on sales for the website in 2018, particularly after the Duchess wore the ASOS DESIGN Maternity Wiggle Dress.

Following her appearance wearing the £38 number in New Zealand, sales jumped by more than 100 per cent, causing the dress to sell out twice.

Meghan Markle wore this exact dress during a recent trip to New Zealand - ASOS Design Maternity Wiggle Midi Dress, £38, ASOS

The retailer experienced a similar shopping frenzy over its Green Ditsy Print Dress which sold out in a couple of days after being re-stocked twice.

For men, floral shirts were up by 131 per cent, with ASOS revealing it sold more than 7,000 units of its Hawaiian-print styles, while sales on Cuban-heeled boots increased by 246 per cent.

Looking ahead to 2019, ASOS has also revealed its predictions for what we’ll be buying more of in the ensuing months.

While cat-eye sunglasses were big for 2018, the retailer forecasts that visor styles will prove the most popular this summer, as will tie dye prints, short suits and reflective metallics.

The shift towards more sustainable clothing is also reflected in the report, with the retailer revealing that 100 per cent of its ASOS DESIGN cotton-based jeans will be made from sustainably sourced cotton in 2019.

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