London is one of my favorite cities in the world and when it comes to their influence on the fashion world, they’re even higher on my list. The epicenter of European style and grace, London is full of trend-forward locals that take effortless fashion to another level. With a population of over 10 million people, you can’t narrow down just one aesthetic. Like any other big city, there are a plethora of shapes, personalities, and daily activities that contribute to one’s personal style.
When visiting this past November, I spotted a number of streetwear trends that seemed to be a favorite amongst Londoners. As we get deeper into the winter months, colder temperatures require a major style adjustment. To get a better understanding of what’s trending now, I enlisted the help of styling duo May and Melinda. Identical twin sisters, these fashion lifestyle content creators are based out of London, focusing on pear-shaped styling.
Courtesy of May and Mel
East African-born, naturally pear-shaped, and lovers of fashion, they always found it difficult shopping ready-to-wear items that fit their shape. Beginning their careers a little over a year ago, they started May Mel out of frustration and wanting to help others who were also left out and ignored while bringing the latest trends to our social media feeds.
Like many parts of the world, the colder weather in London has May and Mel gravitating towards layering, which the fashion lovers say is a major key for staying warm without sacrificing style. The duo notes that plus knitwear and "good duvet coat" as winter wardrobe essentials. They tell xoNecole, "You have to start with a good base layer like a Merino turtleneck and thermal leggings. You can layer [them] with almost anything.”
In addition to Uniqlo thermal leggings, May and Mel also recommend "the ease and coolness" of a pair of oversized pants. "We recommend buying mid- or high-waisted pants for our curvy girls. This is for a better fit, plus the illusion of a slender hip and an elongated body frame.”
Courtesy of May and Mel
One way that May and Mel like to keep things sexy and cozy during the winter months is by introducing form-fitted items to accompany more oversized outwear. "If you follow our accounts you know we love a knitted midi bodycon; it is sexy, cozy, and classy. Playing with shapes, especially oversized outerwear, and fitted innerwear is an absolute favorite in the colder months. For instance, an oversized blazer paired with a tank or crop top and bottoms gives sexy and shows off your shape, whilst keeping you warm."
When it comes to UK winter fashion, there’s a mix of classic staples and throwback items seen on the streets every day. Keep scrolling to read what’s trending in London this season according to these ready-to-wear experts.
1. Shearling-Lined Jackets
Perfect for below-zero temperatures, I saw this cozy suede coat all over London. From street style to my Instagram feeds, this is one of the stylish winter items that look just as good as it feels warm.
2. Denim Corsets
The fashion girls love to layer and what better way to stay chic than with a denim corset as the final addition to a day or nighttime look? May and Mel suggest, “Corset tops with denim or cargos (or denim cargos). Still very Y2K, these are fun and look uber-feminine, paired with heels. Styling trick for our pears: try a corset with vertical stripes to help elongate your frame and lift the bust to give you a fuller-busted appearance.”
While fashionistas may have ditched this look opting to stay warm during the day, it's still a sexy staple for date night or out for drinks with the girls.
3. Tracksuits
Tracksuits are the cozy co-ord sets that are worn best with sneakers and a puffer coat. The key to surviving the below-freezing temperatures while boarding the London Underground or walking along Oxford Street, this is the go-to daytime look to stay warm and cozy while out and about.
4. Longline Wool Coats
One of my favorite winter staples is a longline coat, transforming a subtle casual look into a major statement. May and Mel explain, “Londoners are great at taking simple and classic items and elevating them with trendy pieces like chunky knee-high boots or cargo pants.” They continue, “For pears, we’d recommend a belted wool coat which is uber chic and flattering, creating a balanced proportion between the shoulders and the hips, emphasizing your cinched-in waist.”
5. Headphones
The epitome of early 2000’s style, headphones are officially one of my favorite accessory trends of 2022-2023. Reinvigorated by Gen Z, headphones are no longer for just listening to music but have been adopted as part of the latest London cool girl aesthetic. Specifically, Apple’s AirPod Max has seemingly replaced ear muffs as the cozy girls' fashionable attempt to stay warm and antisocial.
6. Cargo Pants
The utilitarian trend can be spotted absolutely everywhere, reinforcing the oversized cozy look that is taking over the streets of London. Dressing the pants style up or down, the versatility is endless. “We’re obsessed just like every other fashion lover and most of London. Easily one of the biggest trends of the year, you can’t help but see them everywhere you go,” states May and Mel. “These are just too comfortable and cool not to own. We bought a pair from Local European that we love and wish we could live in them as they fit so well with their cinch-able waistband.”
7. Chunky Knit Sweater
Oversized knits are a necessity when bracing for winter London weather. With negative temperatures, the only way to stylishly embrace the cold is by layering cute and functional items. “This is an absolute staple in all Londoners’ wardrobes. We’ve seen a lot of bold and jumper-style knitwear this winter, alongside classics like turtlenecks,” says May and Mel. “This sweater style is the perfect addition to statement pants layered with a heavy-duty coat, running sneakers, and a crossbody bag. “We love a chunky knit, great for adding volume on the upper body; especially bright and textured knits like patterned fleeces,” they add.
8. Knit Dresses
Knit maxi dresses are the perfect balance of sexy, chic, and cozy. “We’ve seen lots of knit dresses; as they’re so easy, versatile, and chic. A winter staple, these dresses are perfect for any event, day to night, and suit everyone.” May and Mel continue, “For our fellow pears, we recommend styles that are belted at the waist or patterned on the top half. This is to draw attention to your smallest part and show off your curves.”
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Featured image courtesy of May and Mel
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So, we handpicked one hundred It Girls who embody that palpable It Factor moving through us as young Black women, the kind of motion lighting up the world both IRL and across the internet.
It Girl 100 became xoNecole’s most successful program, with the hashtag organically reaching more than forty million impressions on Instagram in just twenty-four hours. Yes, it caught on like wildfire because we celebrated some of the most brilliant and influential GenZennial women of color setting trends and shaping culture. But more than that, it resonated because the women we celebrated felt seen.
Many were already known in their industries for keeping this generation fly and lit, but rarely received recognition or flowers. It Girl 100 became a safe space to be uplifted, and for us as Black women to bask in what felt like an era of our brilliance, beauty, and boundless influence on full display.
And then, almost overnight, it was as if the rug was pulled from under us as Black women, as the It Girls of the world.
Our much-needed, much-deserved season of ease and soft living quickly metamorphosed into a time of self-preservation and survival. Our motion and economic progression seemed strategically slowed, our light under siege.
The air feels heavier now. The headlines colder. Our Black girl magic is being picked apart and politicized for simply existing.
With that climate shift, as we prepare to launch our second annual It Girl 100 honoree list, our team has had to dig deep on the purpose and intention behind this year’s list. Knowing the spirit of It Girl 100 is about motion, sauce, strides, and progression, how do we celebrate amid uncertainty and collective grief when the juice feels like it is being squeezed out of us?
As we wrestled with that question, we were reminded that this tension isn’t new. Black women have always had to find joy in the midst of struggle, to create light even in the darkest corners. We have carried the weight of scrutiny for generations, expected to be strong, to serve, to smile through the sting. But this moment feels different. It feels deeply personal.
We are living at the intersection of liberation and backlash. We are learning to take off our capes, to say no when we are tired, to embrace softness without apology.
And somehow, the world has found new ways to punish us for it.
In lifestyle, women like Kayla Nicole and Ayesha Curry have been ridiculed for daring to choose themselves. Tracee Ellis Ross was labeled bitter for speaking her truth about love. Meghan Markle, still, cannot breathe without critique.
In politics, Kamala Harris, Letitia James, and Jasmine Crockett are dragged through the mud for standing tall in rooms not built for them.
In sports, Angel Reese, Coco Gauff, and Taylor Townsend have been reminded that even excellence will not shield you from racism or judgment.
In business, visionaries like Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye and Melissa Butler are fighting to keep their dreams alive in an economy that too often forgets us first.
Even our icons, Beyoncé, Serena, and SZA, have faced criticism simply for evolving beyond the boxes society tried to keep them in.
From everyday women to cultural phenoms, the pattern is the same. Our light is being tested.
And yet, somehow, through it all, we are still showing up as that girl, and that deserves to be celebrated.
Because while the world debates our worth, we keep raising our value. And that proof is all around us.
This year alone, Naomi Osaka returned from motherhood and mental health challenges to reach the semifinals of the US Open. A’ja Wilson claimed another MVP, reminding us that beauty and dominance can coexist. Brandy and Monica are snatching our edges on tour. Kahlana Barfield Brown sold out her new line in the face of a retailer that had been canceled. And Melissa Butler’s company, The Lip Bar, is projecting a forty percent surge in sales.
We are no longer defining strength by how much pain we can endure. We are defining it by the unbreakable light we continue to radiate.
We are the women walking our daily steps and also continuing to run solid businesses. We are growing in love, taking solo trips, laughing until it hurts, raising babies and ideas, drinking our green juice, and praying our peace back into existence.
We are rediscovering the joy of rest and realizing that softness is not weakness, it is strategy.
And through it all, we continue to lift one another. Emma Grede is creating seats at the table. Valeisha Butterfield has started a fund for jobless Black women. Arian Simone is leading in media with fearless conviction. We are pouring into each other in ways the world rarely sees but always feels.
So yes, we are in the midst of societal warfare. Yes, we are being tested. Yes, we are facing economic strain, political targeting, and public scrutiny. But even war cannot dim a light that is divinely ours.
And we are still shining.
And we are still softening.
And we are still creating.
And we are still It.
That is the quiet magic of Black womanhood, our ability to hold both truth and triumph in the same breath, to say yes, and to life’s contradictions.
It is no coincidence that this year, as SheaMoisture embraces the message “Yes, And,” they stand beside us as partners in celebrating this class of It Girls. Because that phrase, those two simple words, capture the very essence of this moment.
Yes, we are tired. And we are still rising.
Yes, we are questioned. And we are the answer.
Yes, we are bruised. And we are still beautiful.
This year’s It Girl 100 is more than a list. It is a love letter to every Black woman who dares to live out loud in a world that would rather she whisper. This year’s class is living proof of “Yes, And,” women who are finding ways to thrive and to heal, to build and to rest, to lead and to love, all at once.
It is proof that our joy is not naive, our success not accidental. It is the reminder that our light has never needed permission.
So without further ado, we celebrate the It Girl 100 Class of 2025–2026.
We celebrate the millions of us who keep doing it with grace, grit, and glory.
Because despite it all, we still shine.
Because we are still her.
Because we are still IT, girl.
Meet all 100 women shaping culture in the It Girl 100 Class of 2025. View the complete list of honorees here.
Featured image by xoStaff
So, we handpicked one hundred It Girls who embody that palpable It Factor moving through us as young Black women, the kind of motion lighting up the world both IRL and across the internet.
It Girl 100 became xoNecole’s most successful program, with the hashtag organically reaching more than forty million impressions on Instagram in just twenty-four hours. Yes, it caught on like wildfire because we celebrated some of the most brilliant and influential GenZennial women of color setting trends and shaping culture. But more than that, it resonated because the women we celebrated felt seen.
Many were already known in their industries for keeping this generation fly and lit, but rarely received recognition or flowers. It Girl 100 became a safe space to be uplifted, and for us as Black women to bask in what felt like an era of our brilliance, beauty, and boundless influence on full display.
And then, almost overnight, it was as if the rug was pulled from under us as Black women, as the It Girls of the world.
Our much-needed, much-deserved season of ease and soft living quickly metamorphosed into a time of self-preservation and survival. Our motion and economic progression seemed strategically slowed, our light under siege.
The air feels heavier now. The headlines colder. Our Black girl magic is being picked apart and politicized for simply existing.
With that climate shift, as we prepare to launch our second annual It Girl 100 honoree list, our team has had to dig deep on the purpose and intention behind this year’s list. Knowing the spirit of It Girl 100 is about motion, sauce, strides, and progression, how do we celebrate amid uncertainty and collective grief when the juice feels like it is being squeezed out of us?
As we wrestled with that question, we were reminded that this tension isn’t new. Black women have always had to find joy in the midst of struggle, to create light even in the darkest corners. We have carried the weight of scrutiny for generations, expected to be strong, to serve, to smile through the sting. But this moment feels different. It feels deeply personal.
We are living at the intersection of liberation and backlash. We are learning to take off our capes, to say no when we are tired, to embrace softness without apology.
And somehow, the world has found new ways to punish us for it.
In lifestyle, women like Kayla Nicole and Ayesha Curry have been ridiculed for daring to choose themselves. Tracee Ellis Ross was labeled bitter for speaking her truth about love. Meghan Markle, still, cannot breathe without critique.
In politics, Kamala Harris, Letitia James, and Jasmine Crockett are dragged through the mud for standing tall in rooms not built for them.
In sports, Angel Reese, Coco Gauff, and Taylor Townsend have been reminded that even excellence will not shield you from racism or judgment.
In business, visionaries like Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye and Melissa Butler are fighting to keep their dreams alive in an economy that too often forgets us first.
Even our icons, Beyoncé, Serena, and SZA, have faced criticism simply for evolving beyond the boxes society tried to keep them in.
From everyday women to cultural phenoms, the pattern is the same. Our light is being tested.
And yet, somehow, through it all, we are still showing up as that girl, and that deserves to be celebrated.
Because while the world debates our worth, we keep raising our value. And that proof is all around us.
This year alone, Naomi Osaka returned from motherhood and mental health challenges to reach the semifinals of the US Open. A’ja Wilson claimed another MVP, reminding us that beauty and dominance can coexist. Brandy and Monica are snatching our edges on tour. Kahlana Barfield Brown sold out her new line in the face of a retailer that had been canceled. And Melissa Butler’s company, The Lip Bar, is projecting a forty percent surge in sales.
We are no longer defining strength by how much pain we can endure. We are defining it by the unbreakable light we continue to radiate.
We are the women walking our daily steps and also continuing to run solid businesses. We are growing in love, taking solo trips, laughing until it hurts, raising babies and ideas, drinking our green juice, and praying our peace back into existence.
We are rediscovering the joy of rest and realizing that softness is not weakness, it is strategy.
And through it all, we continue to lift one another. Emma Grede is creating seats at the table. Valeisha Butterfield has started a fund for jobless Black women. Arian Simone is leading in media with fearless conviction. We are pouring into each other in ways the world rarely sees but always feels.
So yes, we are in the midst of societal warfare. Yes, we are being tested. Yes, we are facing economic strain, political targeting, and public scrutiny. But even war cannot dim a light that is divinely ours.
And we are still shining.
And we are still softening.
And we are still creating.
And we are still It.
That is the quiet magic of Black womanhood, our ability to hold both truth and triumph in the same breath, to say yes, and to life’s contradictions.
It is no coincidence that this year, as SheaMoisture embraces the message “Yes, And,” they stand beside us as partners in celebrating this class of It Girls. Because that phrase, those two simple words, capture the very essence of this moment.
Yes, we are tired. And we are still rising.
Yes, we are questioned. And we are the answer.
Yes, we are bruised. And we are still beautiful.
This year’s It Girl 100 is more than a list. It is a love letter to every Black woman who dares to live out loud in a world that would rather she whisper. This year’s class is living proof of “Yes, And,” women who are finding ways to thrive and to heal, to build and to rest, to lead and to love, all at once.
It is proof that our joy is not naive, our success not accidental. It is the reminder that our light has never needed permission.
So without further ado, we celebrate the It Girl 100 Class of 2025–2026.
We celebrate the millions of us who keep doing it with grace, grit, and glory.
Because despite it all, we still shine.
Because we are still her.
Because we are still IT, girl.
Meet all 100 women shaping culture in the It Girl 100 Class of 2025. View the complete list of honorees here.
Featured image by xoStaff