NYC Fashion: Top 5 Shirt Styles Paired with Trousers and Denims
In the bustling fashion scene of New York City, 2025 has seen a resurgence of iconic shirt styles that reflect the city's dynamic mix of influences from streetwear, high fashion, and eco-conscious trends.
Kerane Marcellus, a New York-based writer who joined the platform team in 2025 after writing for Essence Magazine and freelancing for other arts and culture publications, has been observing these trends.
One of the most prominent trends is the comeback of polo shirts. Championed by influencers and celebrities like Rihanna, brands such as Miu Miu, Lacoste, Gucci, and Loewe are credited for the resurgence of this classic piece. This season, polo shirts are being paired with baggy jeans and trousers, adding a modern twist to the timeless design.
Another trend that aligns with nostalgic and bold design trends is the ringer tee. Basic tees with contrasting collar and sleeve bands lend a retro sporty vibe, and are being worn with slim-fit trousers by the fashion-conscious crowd.
Shirred tops are also among the trends observed in NYC. Featuring gathered, elastic textures, these tops add unique surface detail and femininity to outfits paired with simple bottoms.
The '90s and early aughts favorite, puff-sleeve tops, have resurfaced among the fashion crowd, bringing a sense of nostalgia. These tops, with their exaggerated sleeves that create volume and a fashion-forward silhouette, are widely seen in NYC street style scenes.
Halterneck tops offer a chic neckline option popular for summer and transitional seasons. They are a go-to for the fashion inclined in NYC, making otherwise plain jeans or trousers cooler.
Additionally, trendy graphic tees have seen a notable rise in popularity, especially among younger demographics. These tees cater to bold, personalized statements and seasonal limited editions, supporting individual expression.
These shirt styles emphasize texture, neckline details, retro revival, and sustainability, reflecting NYC’s vibrant fashion landscape. The styling tends to combine these shirts with jeans or trousers to elevate otherwise basic bottoms into more fashion-forward looks.
Streetwear videos from NYC neighborhoods like Soho and Bushwick show these trends in action, with strong influences from Millennial and Gen Z styles, as well as post-New York Fashion Week 2025 looks.
For those looking to incorporate these trends into their wardrobe, brands such as ASTR the Label, Madewell, ZW Collection, Reformation, MANGO, H&M, and DÔEN offer a variety of polo shirts, ringer tees, shirred tops, and puff-sleeve tops.
[1] Kerane Marcellus, "NYC Fashion Trends 2025: A Revival of Iconic Shirt Styles", NYC Features, 2025. [2] "NYC Fashion Trends 2025: Graphic Tees on the Rise", NYC Features, 2025. [3] "NYC Streetwear: Soho and Bushwick 2025", NYC Streetwear Videos, 2025. [4] "New York Fashion Week 2025: Post-Show Trends", NYC Fashion Week, 2025.
- Kerane Marcellus's article, "NYC Fashion Trends 2025: A Revival of Iconic Shirt Styles", highlights the resurgence of classic pieces like polo shirts, ringer tees, shirred tops, and puff-sleeve tops, which are being paired with jeans or trousers to create more fashion-forward looks.
- In the article, "NYC Fashion Trends 2025: Graphic Tees on the Rise", it is noted that trendy graphic tees have seen a significant increase in popularity, especially among younger demographics, offering bold, personalized statements and seasonal limited editions as tools for individual expression.
