Fall is my personal favorite time of the year…if only it didn’t lead to winter! The clothes feel cozy and warm and I’m a big fan of richer colors.
What you could expect from Fall clothing and colors used to be fairly predictable, but not anymore. Times change. Lines blur. Seasons and styles overlap.
How do you make sense of it all when sleeveless styles are available year round and people wear boots even in the warm weather?
The good news is that there are options whether you run hot or cold or prefer light or deep colors and so on. And, while I live in the snowy northeast, it’s easy to forget that many people deal with a more temperate winter so they don’t need massive layering to stay toasty.
Wherever you fall (pun intended) in all of this and whether you are greeting the Fall like a long lost friend or you miss the heat of the summer, a new season is here!
Let’s take a look at what we can expect so you can plan your Fall wardrobe to make your heart sing.
With beauty, style & grace,
P.S. For those of you who are new to my seasonal trend updates, I divide the trends into three categories depending on whether I think they are delightful/promising (bewitched), weird or ridiculous (bothered) or just plan curious (bewildered). Explore with me and you can see if you agree or have different thoughts.
BEWITCHED
Some of my favorites…
Color
The best news of all when it comes to color is that green is back. You can actually find some gorgeous forest greens rather than just army green (which is usually what they mean when they say green!). I encourage you to grab it while you can – who knows how long the trend will last. For example, here’s a gorgeous shade of green:
Teal is finally popular again as are winter white, jewel tones and neon! And, we’ll still see a lot of blush and beige tones as well.
See other examples of seasonal colors (as well as all the other trends) HERE.
Prints
Prints are everywhere. Leopard, while it has never really gone away is now everywhere! Plaid is always a staple in the Fall/winter. Abstract prints are popular. But one of the most trendy looks is dark moody florals like the one below:
I saw this floral and had to have it – the colors are perfect for me and it is great for when I’m feeling moody and a little intense myself! If you like florals at all, you’ll be happy to know that you can find all sizes, shapes and color combinations. And, if florals are never your thing, they’ll get on your nerves a bit this season because they are everywhere!
Ruffled Collars
This season you’ll see ruffles on everything, but what we are seeing the most are ruffled stand-up collars like the one below. Not for everyone, but if you enjoy this trend, this is your chance to enjoy them.
Floor Sweeping Coats
Floor sweeping is how they are described this season’s new coat trend, but I have yet to see any in the stores. It has been years since we’ve seen coats that go below the knee so for those of you who have missed them, you’ll be very happy (if they ever show up in the stores for real). They come in all styles and colors, but this one was different so I had to share it with you:
You can see more long coats here.
Statement Power Shoulders
Some of you have your own built-in strong shoulders and I have to say I am beyond envious. And that’s also why I am excited to hear that these are back—they’ve actually been coming back for a while. We’re not talking ‘Dynasty’ wide oversized shoulders. We’re talking a little drama and structure AND the return of a more fitted silhouette which has felt like a long time in coming. Not everyone will want or need added strong shoulder styles, but it definitely works for me! That said, you’ll see a caveat to this declaration in the ‘bothered’ category below (under Puffy Sleeves).
Faux Fur
This trend continues to be popular and now there are many different styles and colors including this blush colored faux fur coat (it also comes in bronze).
Jumpsuits
Jumpsuits are hot, hot hot! I have to tell you that back in the 80’s I had an animal print jumpsuit that I wore until it had holes in it…literally. I LOVED it! Yes, dealing with the bathroom is a bit trickier, but, for me, the comfort of a jumpsuit outweighs the momentary inconvenience. They come in every imaginable size, shape, style, fabric, sleeve length, etc. Here’s a pretty one in the season’s green color (it also comes in deep red and black):
Blouses
Button-down blouses have not been around much in the past few years, but they are making up for it now. Following the continuing trend of oversized clothes, some of the blouses you’ll see are roomy. This can be comfy and sometimes hard to style without looking droopy and like a blob. But, there are so many out there that chances are good that if you enjoy this style, you’ll find something you love—whether tailored or oversized. Here’s a very pretty floral bow blouse:
And check out many more here.
Tucking (Is) In
It is not surprising that with the continued popularity of higher rise pants, wider leg trousers and statement shoulders, we now see more tops being featured tucked in—not just French tucked/half-tucked, but fully tucked in. Clearly, this generally works best on someone who has a defined waist so if that is no longer your body shape, don’t worry, untucked styles are still everywhere.
BOTHERED
I roll my eyes at many of these trends. How about you?
Neon
I really don’t imagine this will go much further than workout clothes unless you’re in your teens, but it’s back!
‘Bourgie’ Bourgeois Style
This is the pet name for the 1970’s revival style of the pleated skirt with tucked in white bow blouse and (often longer length) blazer. You’ll look cool if you are young, tall and thin but otherwise you need a super cool (which I don’t possess!) attitude to pull this off without looking frumpy and dated.
Puffy Sleeves
These are EVERYWHERE! While they can help to balance a sloped shoulder they can also lend a tone of sweetness that won’t work for everyone. Be careful.
Loud Color Combinations
Combining loud colors can be fun IF they are done with intention AND they are harmonious with each other AND your natural coloring (that’s a lot of and’s and if’s). Otherwise, they will overwhelm you and just look curious and confusing.
BEWILDERED
These are the trends that have me staring quizzically at my computer screen – or more often than not laughing out loud! You’ll see why…
Logos
I know that some people enjoy wearing visible logos. It just seems to have gone a bit far with logo covered tights!!
Crayon Legs
All colors are not created equal. For instance, this red, less vibrant tone, will be easier to work into an outfit than this vibrant blue color. But it’s all about how you combine it, what your natural coloring is and what your inner beauty dictates.
Tiny Handbags
Extremely tiny handbags are supposedly on trend. Well, maybe that’s true, but I’m not seeing them anywhere and, to be honest, that’s fine. The balance will be weird and what can you actually hold in a bag that small anyway?
Quilting on Everything
Quilting is big this Fall and it goes beyond your basic quilted coat like the pretty one below.
You can see some interesting quilted examples (and much more) here.
Tiered Ruffles
Yikes! Ruffles are taking over the world! You’ll see some beautiful ruffled options (like the one below) as well as some bizarre styles that I can’t imagine anyone wearing. Check them all out here (be sure to look at the ‘skip this trend’ at the bottom for some eye-rolling, hilarious, badly thought out trends).
Brown Coats
I love brown and I miss brown. Every year for the past few years the fashion industry gets my hopes up by swearing that brown is making a comeback. But they lie! What they show us is not a beautiful rich very-wearable brown, but instead they show us a honey brown or faded brown…anything but the shade I know looks good on a lot of people. It will come back…someday. But for now, once again, they have tricked us. I read that brown coats are all the rage for winter, but I’m not sure where they are selling them, because I don’t see them. But maybe as the season continues? I keep hoping, right?
What are your favorite trends? Feel free to comment below or hop over to the private, free Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/YourTotalImageWithGinger/ and let’s chat about them there.
Are you wondering how to combine trends without looking too trendy? Check out the ‘Combined Trends’ category here.
Mostly, have fun. If you live in the north you’ll be wearing your cold weather wardrobe for many months so be sure you love it. And, if you need support and someone to run ideas by or figure out what looks great on you, let me know. There are many ways I work with women to make getting dressed easier and more satisfying! Shoot me an email and we’ll talk.
If you enjoyed this and you want to receive regular updates and fashion tips with ways to solve your wardrobe frustrations, sign up here to get all of that including my ebook (How to Stop Wasting Money on Things You Never Wear): https://totalimageconsultants.com/subscribe/
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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.
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