While autumn may be starting slowly, with milder weather in September so far, the seasonal switch is en route, and you’ll want your wardrobe prepped and ready before the temperature change hits.
New season pieces are filtering into stores, making it the perfect time to take stock of your cold weather must-haves already in your wardrobe, what you’re missing, and, of course, what new autumn trends are worth investing in.
A lot of the autumn trends may sound familiar – checks, leather, and trenches are all touted as the new season heroes, but you may already own pieces that tick these boxes, which can be reworked with a few styling tweaks to feel fresh for this year.
Checks are always a cold-weather constant, but this season they are less heritage, country-chic, and more on the cool side. On the Acne autumn catwalks, checks-upon-checks were layered, playing with scale and different tones in a refined clash. Elsewhere, the square pattern was supersized at Celine, re-coloured at Chanel, and woven at Burberry and Bottega Veneta. Checks are one of the standout trends on the high street too, with everyone from Zara to M&S to Penneys decking out trousers, blouses, dresses and coats in the print. Check’s distant cousin, argyle, is also trending across the high street, with the diamond pattern emerging as the IT knit for the season.
Leather is another favourite back again for autumn – it feels amiss to call leather a trend at this stage, as it’s more of a cold-weather staple that keeps returning, with some tweaks each season.
This autumn, designers favoured sleeker, more minimalist leather iterations, both faux and real, looking glossy and polished. Funnel necks and oversized jacket collars are updating the classic, while black is still in, with earthy tones like khaki, chocolate, or wine dominating for a less rocky, more refined feel.
Alongside the familiar, get ready for a bright autumn. From colour washing to colour blocking and colour clashing, saturated hues took over the autumn catwalks. But if bold colours terrify you, take a styling cue from the runways and temper vivid shades with earthy tones.
At Prada, hot pink shirting peeked out from forest green knits; at Givenchy, cobalt blue paired with inky navy; and at Tory Burch, cherry red was styled with chocolate brown. Burgundy, grey, or khaki also make the perfect base for adding a dash of colour and making bright shades feel more cold-weather appropriate. And if you still aren’t convinced, add a pop – a bright shoe, bag, or even a knit is all you need to brighten up the winter days.
On the other end of the scale, if you rather something more low-key, pared-back shades like slate grey, plum, navy and burgundy were in high rotation on the catwalks. An easy route to get out of an all-black slump, without going too statement.
When it comes to cosying up, the autumn catwalks were full of texture, with faux fur jackets, shearling, and tactile fabrics seen at Louis Vuitton and Chanel. In fact, it was hard to find a designer who didn’t show some form of faux fur, from floor-length at Gucci, teddy bear style at Bottega, and leopard at Celine. The message is clear: if there’s one coat you need to keep the chill at bay, make it warm and fuzzy.
Speaking of animal print, it’s not just coats getting the wild pattern treatment. Leopard continues its reign, with zebra and tiger as backup animal prints. Prada trimmed zesty-lemon parkas with cheetah print, Fendi reworked their icon baguette bag with zebra print, and Balmain embraced tiger in slinky skirts and dresses. If you’d rather go more subtle, tap into the animal print trend with a hint of print. An accessory, like a shoe, is a great place to start: snakeskin or even croc adds interest to a simpler outfit.
As for broader shoe trends, there is a lot of carry-over from previous seasons – like loafers, ballet flats, and kitten-heel boots have earned their place as wardrobe workhorses and for good reason. This season sees fresh tweaks to the staples, from ruched, soft loafers to pointed ballet flats, and satin and suede adding texture. Function and comfort are evidently key, and M&S have already won boot of the season with their viral low-wedge ankle boot in burgundy that is practical for everyday wear, looking chic under straight-leg jeans.
