I’m not sure how it got to be Fall in our neck of the woods so soon, but it’s here and in full swing. I have to say that I am cautiously optimistic about the shopping season ahead. We are seeing a bit more color – even SOME green – and the styles are not quite so oversized and sloppy looking (although there’s still plenty of that to be found).
If you are new to my Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered fashion update you’ll see that I divide the top fashion trends of the season into those categories and explain why. I think you’ll see some surprises below and, thankfully most of the styles fall into the Bewitched category. Even then, however, it’s important to choose wisely and I’ll go into more detail about that as well. A promising style can fall apart quickly if the pieces don’t fit together nicely.
To that end I’ll help you decipher the trends and give you insights (both in the email below AND in the connected catalogue of curated fashions) as to why I chose what I did.
Enjoy the exploration and happy Fall shopping!
Bewitched
Color
The colors for Fall are a mixed bag as I’ll explain. The usual Fall colors abound, but there are some surprises. Pink, for instance, is everywhere. A bright pink is the surprise, although I’m not currently seeing as much in the stores as they had predicted. And, blush pink that has been so popular recently is still out there.
They have been heralding the arrival of green, but I’m really not seeing as much as I had hoped. Of course, they have taken a broad view of what constitutes green and some of it is not flattering on a lot of skin tones – there are a lot of gray greens that are faded and drab on the wrong skin tone and some khaki greens that veer too much to warm, muddy tones for most people to pull of successfully.
And, of course, enjoy the gorgeous deep reds, plums and blues that are featured this season!
Velvet Pants
Yes, it is not unusual to see a lot of velvet around in the colder months, but this season the focus seems to be on velvet pants. This gets a bit tricky. Why? Because you want to style velvet pants in a way that looks fresh rather than frumpy. There are two options:
- Wear high-waisted, wide leg velvet pants with a short top or top tucked in. For anyone who feels self-conscious about her tummy, this won’t be her first choice.
- Wear skinny velvet pants (even in a beautiful color) with a slightly longer top. Here are two options:
Of course, this is not to say that these are the ONLY ways to style velvet pants. If this trend appeals to you, have fun with it and find what works best for you. You can also see a pretty pair of cropped velvet pants HERE. (I’m not sure that cropped velvet pants will fly here when the temperature dips below freezing, but you never know!)
White Boots
I have included white boots in the ‘bewitched’ category because they could be fun. But, they are certainly not for everyone AND they need to be styled in a way that has attitude or a bit of quirkiness. Otherwise, they can look a bit forced or dated – for those of us who are not 20 years old. If they intrigue you try a pair and see what happens. Check out this fun pair:
Ruffles
Ruffles aren’t really anything new except we do tend to see more of them in the spring and summer than Fall/winter. This is one of my favorite ruffled pieces for the fall:
And you can go HERE to see more beautiful (but not overdone) ruffled garments including a spectacular blue dress.
Gray jeans
Gray is not always an easy color to pull off (even though there’s lots of it out there), but a nice pair of medium or deep gray jeans can be perfect, especially if black tends to be too intense for you. Here is one of my favorite pairs in a great shade of gray and with a long enough inseam to work for nearly everyone (at a time when everything seems to run too short)—yes, you might have to shorten them.
And, I even found a pair of bootcut gray jeans. Check them out HERE.
Plaids and Checks
When has there been a Fall when we don’t see plaid as a go-to fashion trend? Not in recent memory, that’s for sure. This season it is everywhere and while it’s not for everyone there can be fun ways to sneak a bit into your wardrobe.
Picture this fun pair of plaid ankle boots with your new charcoal gray jeans. To see more than 12 other ideas for plaids (not just shoes), go HERE.
It’s a fun nod to the trends without it being over the top.
Strong shoulders
For about the fifth year in a row they keep telling us that ‘strong’ shoulders are popular, but they aren’t really making their way to the stores around here. And, by strong shoulders they do not mean giant shoulder pads. It’s more about structural detail…some of which is too cutesy for those of us over 25 to wear with a straight face. And, of course, while my narrow, sloped shoulders are perfect for a strong shoulder design, those of you who have been blessed with broad, square shoulders won’t need to go anywhere near this trend.
I did find one design that I thought was beautiful and wearable (although, sadly, the color is not right for me).
Prairie Tops and Dresses
If you have a bohemian vibe to your personality, you’ll enjoy this trend. Here’s a vibrant prairie-style dress.
And, I’ve included a number of other pretty dresses in a variety of colors and some tops that have a subtle prairie feel to them if you want to play a bit with this style. Check them out HERE.
Animal Print
Once again leopard print is the top contender for animal print of the season. This trend is always around, summer, winter, spring and fall and this year is no exception. We are seeing a bit more of it than in recent seasons and I’ve found a number of fun pieces to share with you. While the traditional print is everywhere, I fell in love with this fun twist on the theme.
And, of course, you can see all the examples HERE.
Bothered
Tweed
Ahhhh, I bet you are surprised by this. Tweed jackets in the ‘bothered’ category? Why would that be? It’s not that I have anything against tweed jackets. I don’t. I simply put it here with a word of caution. Tweed has not been particularly popular in recent years and while it can look elegant, classic and timeless, it can also slip into the frumpy and dated category in a heartbeat. So just be careful that you are wearing it in a way that feels beautiful to you—color, fit, styling…all resonating with who you are. Tweed does not have to bulky or dark. Here’s a pretty option and much more in the catalogue I created for you.
Colored tights
Colored tights can be fun, but they are VERY colorful right now. So, if you like this trend, be sure to choose your outfit with great care. They can have a fresh, fun feel when everything pulls together nicely. When in doubt keep the overall outfit simple and go with a deeper, rather than brighter, color like this pair.
Oversized sweaters
It has come to the point where my clients groan every time I tell them that oversized sweaters are still in style. Of course, now we are also getting oversized cropped sweaters…oh, dear! And, not that there’s anything wrong with oversized sweaters, but could they maybe give us some other choices as well? Eventually the tide will turn and more fitted options will prevail and I will announce it with great fanfare. In the meantime, having one or two oversized sweaters can feel cozy on a cold day when styled over something more fitted so play with it and see what happens. Here’s one option:
And you can go HERE (to the Bewildered & Bewildered–Styles to Avoid section (scroll to the bottom)) where you’ll see two oversized sweaters that I can’t imagine look good on anyone!
Bewildered
Brown
I fall for it every Fall…color forecasters saying that brown is back. No, it’s not! At least not the shade of brown that is flattering on the most people. Go ahead…go to your favorite online retailer. Search for ‘brown pants’ and see what comes up—everything from beige to taupe to chocolate to camel. There’s very little deep, rich brown…the most wearable brown. I wish they’d learn what shades of brown are most flattering and show us more of that…maybe someday! Oh, well…it will resurface eventually so don’t give up if it’s one of your go-to colors.
Cropped Wide Leg Pants and Jeans
Are these still around? Unless you are very tall and slim with long legs or you have the perfect ‘cool’ attitude, they are very challenging to wear and look good.
Long oversized slouchy blazers
Why they insist on bringing back the worst of the 1980’s is beyond me. Oversized, slouchy jackets are very tricky to wear without looking like a square blob. I’m not sure I looked good in it 30 years ago, so I doubt I’ll try it again (although I never say never). As of right now, however, it is not on my ‘to buy’ list this season. If I change my mind you will be the first to know. And, if you rock the style I hope you’ll share your success, too!
See all the ‘Bewildered & Bewildered–Styles to Avoid’ as well as the ‘Just because…’ section HERE.
As always, have fun adding some new items to your Fall/Winter wardrobe. It’s a long, chilly season so having a few fresh outfits can make it more fun.
And, feel free to share your successes in my free private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/YourTotalImageWithGinger/
Go HERE to find about 150 carefully selected styles for you to peruse along with explanations about why I chose each one. And be sure to take a look at the ‘Just Because’ section – there are a handful of very wearable pieces I found while searching specifically for trends although they do not necessarily fall into any of the specific trend categories. Enjoy!
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A Note About the Clothes: All of the garments pictured here (and in the catalogue) are vegan (made from fabrics that did not harm any animals). Please note that I am passionate about ending animal suffering and choosing cruelty-free clothing is just one aspect of a vegan lifestyle. If you have any questions about being vegan or what fabrics are vegan please let me know. I am happy to help and will answer any questions with kindness and compassion.
Some of the affiliate links may generate very small commissions for Total Image Consultants. This helps offset the cost of the special software used to create these catalogues.
