Every year, as the air becomes crisp and we start preparing for the colder months ahead, one iconic fabric seems to always pop up as a trendy option for fall and winter—velvet.
Velvet often comes and goes with the weather, but this year, many fashion-conscious buyers are wondering whether it’s still on trend for 2025.
As one of the best-looking and best-feeling fabrics around, we’re confident that velvet is very much in style for the 2025-2026 fall-winter cycle. But to really understand why, let’s talk about its history in fashion, some recent trends featuring the fabric, and how you can effortlessly incorporate it into your wardrobe this year.
Velvet: In or Out for 2025?
Velvet is definitely in for 2025. More specifically, it is in for the fall and winter, as it’s about as seasonal as fabrics get. Unlike patterns, like polka dots or herringbone, fabric fashionability depends heavily on the temperature and climate. Velvet garments tend to be warm, which makes them ideal for the brrr-months—along with the holidays and awards seasons that follow. In the spring and summer months, when the weather starts to get hotter, it becomes less comfortable.
Velvet also has a rich history of being associated with formalwear (more on that below), so it’s an excellent choice for any winter gatherings where tuxes and gowns are required.
However, there is one thing to watch out for, weather-wise: wetness. Velvet should not be worn in the rain.
Even still, velvet is one of the absolute best textures for winter 2025, according to the experts at Harper’s Bazaar. And it makes sense why: It carries associations of luxury that easily complement the warmth and sophistication of other winter fabrics, like corduroy, shearling, leather, and suede.
To put it simply? Velvet is very much in for the fall and winter of 2025 into 2026.
Shop Vintage Velvet V-Neck with Wide Leg Pant
A Brief History of Velvet in Fashion
Velvet, as a textile, has been around for thousands of years. A Met art history timeline of the fabric highlights its use in Renaissance decorative pieces. It also establishes the fact that linen fabrics resembling modern velvet date back to ancient Egypt. Silk velvet, which is the most similar to our contemporary velvet textiles, was developed in China in the 13th century at the latest. Italian producers then advanced and popularized the textile in the 16th century.
Another major milestone for velvet in fashion happened in the 19th century. In the 1860s and onward, courtiers in the US and elsewhere made luxurious dresses and other pieces almost entirely out of velvet. A retrospective on 1890s velvet notes that the support of European nobles helped smaller garment makers rise to prominence because their dresses often featured the luxurious fabric.
More than a century later, velvet remains a timeless favorite seen on red carpets, evening galas, and even everyday outings as soon as the weather gets colder.
Basically, velvet is a timeless classic that’s never truly out of style—just occasionally out of season.
Recent Trends Featuring Velvet
One of the reasons velvet has such staying power is its natural shininess and beauty. While it’s traditionally been associated with formalwear, people now take advantage of this luxurious fabric in tons of different ways.
Just consider, for example, the contemporary velvet stylings on display at the fall-winter 2024 runways:
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Classic evening and “after dark” looks that pair sophistication with subtle sexiness
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Marfa-inspired retro-elegant daywear that elevates a jacket with shimmery velvet
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Tailored suiting, worn together or as separates, paired with bold metallic accessories
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Mixed-fabric styling that layers velvet with leather and alpaca for an eccentric touch
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Velvet accessories (bags, boots, headbands) for a low-commitment textile entry point
What all these trends share is a willingness to think outside the box.
Another recent trend in velvet is re-interpreting it as an everyday comfort fabric rather than just evening or formal attire. Whether it’s dressing down and deconstructing the textile (i.e., “crushed velvet”) or elevating loungewear with the fabric’s softness, people are now wearing velvet anywhere and everywhere.
And we’re here for it! After all, velvet isn’t just for ballroom gowns anymore.
How to Style Velvet in 2025 and Beyond
If you’re looking to incorporate more velvet into your wardrobe this year, there are many options available to you. One of the best ways to start is with seasonal classics.
Vogue recently highlighted some holiday-specific velvet looks that we think work extremely well:
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Sumptuous dresses in unexpected colors and sophisticated suiting to dress up or down
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Conventional or crushed velvet midiskirts and miniskirts, paired with satin and gold
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Celebratory velvet blouses or other tops mixing textiles with velvet and lace detailing
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Crushed velvet pants in bold, bright colors, or more subdued hues for velvet jeans
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An “investment jacket,” injecting new life into a bomber or other common silhouette
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Elevated velvet accessories, such as shoes or bags, for a touch of elegance in any outfit
As with the trends noted above, these looks tend toward modern, contemporary re-framings of what velvet can be. Changing expectations in this way helps us appreciate the fabric in a new light.
On another level, you could lean into the deconstruction angle and incorporate velvet into your loungewear styling. Velvet is a luxurious fabric, but contemporary versions of it blend comfort with style. Velvet sleepwear is perfect for an elevated date night or an intimate home hangout.
The bottom line? You can and should be wearing more velvet, all across your wardrobe.
Explore Softies Velvet Loungewear Today
As we head into the later parts of fall and winter, you’re going to start seeing more and more velvet. Not only is velvet in style right now, but it’s always in style in the colder months and through the holidays and awards seasons. And, while it’s traditionally been more of a formal fabric, it’s seeing lots more run as an everyday textile you can wear for errands or a fundraising gala.
Softies makes quality lounge and sleepwear featuring velvet and other premium fabrics that will keep you comfortable all season long, without ever compromising on style. Explore our velvet styles today to start building your new wardrobe.
