As fall approaches, many shoppers start shifting their focus from summer’s laid-back styles to the latest autumn fashion trends. While fall fashion is exciting, figuring out which trends are worth investing in can be overwhelming. Here are some simple ways to stay ahead of the season’s styles.
Fashion websites like Refinery29, TrendHunter, Women’s Wear Daily, and Vogue’s Style.com are great resources for discovering upcoming trends. These platforms cover New York Fall Fashion Week and provide insights into what’s in store for the season.
Fashion Weeks, held twice a year, showcase designers’ latest collections about six months before the actual season. While attending these events in person can be challenging, you can still catch most runway shows online by searching for designers and seasons on platforms like YouTube (e.g., “Michael Kors Fall 2021”).
Designers often draw inspiration from street fashion. For example, Marc Jacobs made waves in Spring 2001 with his Louis Vuitton bags featuring Steven Sprouse’s graffiti designs. Similarly, Juicy Couture’s velour tracksuits resemble the styles worn by early hip-hop artists. Observing what stylish individuals wear in urban areas can give you ideas for incorporating trends into your own wardrobe. Websites like Style Caster, The Sartorialist, and Tommy Ton’s Jak and Jill also showcase street style from around the world.
Economic trends can also influence fashion. Skirt lengths, for instance, tend to rise when the economy is strong and lengthen during downturns. The popularity of leather tote bags grew as more women entered the workforce, needing a stylish yet functional accessory. Similarly, brands like Coach and Jack Spade introduced sleek, masculine bags—often called “murses”—to help men carry essentials like smartphones and wallets.
If you’re looking for personalized fashion advice, hiring a stylist can be a great option. While professional stylists can be pricey, charging anywhere from $50 to $100 per hour, they can help refine your personal style and incorporate seasonal trends into your wardrobe. For a budget-friendly alternative, many major department stores, such as Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue, offer free personal styling services.
By exploring these resources and paying attention to fashion cues, you can confidently embrace fall’s latest trends while staying true to your personal style.