Put away your fake Uggs, yoga pants and latest American Eagle/Hollister/Billabong/Roxy sweater and embrace some fall fashion trends. Summer was all about flirty high-low skirts, ripped jeans, sheer tops, and pastel colours, but now autumn has arrived, with a darker colour palette and edgier details; colours always darken in the fall to reflect the changing of the seasons. Just a rule of thumb: a dying leaf provides much of fall colour inspiration. Aside from maxi skirts, this summer was all about showing some skin, whereas fall is about covering up with button-up Peter Pan collared shirts and oversized outer coats. Here are some wardrobe must haves for fall.
Layering
Peter Pan collared shirts and leather-studded motorcycle jackets; a grandpa sweater and a lace blouse; that oversized duffel coat paired perfectly with a jewel-toned cardigan. Fall is all about the layering.
Colour runs deep
The pretty pastels of spring and summer are deepening into jewelled tones for fall. Lavender and cotton-candy pink darken to burgundy, while minty fresh green matures into an emerald green and baby blues darken the sky by turning into midnight navy. Fall fashion tones down the vibrance and freedom of summer, but in no way does it tone down the fun.
Fierce prints
From tortoises (Cynthia Rowley), to pythons (Yigal Azrou‘l), to fish (Cristian Siriano), the fall runways had a very cold-blooded reptilian theme. Medieval and Baroque-inspired flower pattern prints walked down the runway, often with a waxed sheen.
Studs everywhere
Fashion has now demanded that studs adorn everything. Find them on boots, jackets, pants, jeans, shorts, hats, sunglasses: Thank the character of Lisbeth Salander, the tattooed and black-leather clad heroine in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, who spurred this craze. It will continue to grow.
Velvet
Velvet is no longer just for that Wednesday Addams Halloween costume or mandatory Christmas dinner attire: designers from Gucci to Ralph Lauren have endorsed the fabric as the texture of the season.
Oversized outerwear
Now is the perfect time to raid the nearest Salvation Army or Value Village for an oversized wool blend jacket with a herringbone print. Remember, fall fashion is all about “the bigger the better” when it comes to coats.
Collars
Statement collars are popping up everywhere, from the fall runway shows of Derek Lam to any store that claims to be the least bit trendy. The more covered up you are this fall the more fashionable you will be, so button that collared shirt to the top and even layer a fitted sweater over it with the collar of the shirt underneath pulled over top. Those who don’t want to splurge on a full shirt can just go out and buy a detachable collar and wear it with any shirt. The collar is the new necklace and is here to stay.
My friend Chelsea
Every fashion blogger owns a variation of the Chelsea bootŃit’s fashion forward yet comfortable. The boot is defined by its elastic siding and its sleek equestrian lines. Buy a pair in black or brown leather, or pleather.
Don’t forget…
Buy all these trends and layer them all together. An oversized herringbone coat paired with a burgundy velvet blouse and a studded detachable collar with Baroque-inspired floral pants finished off with Chelsea boots? Sounds marvelous.