If you have been here for a while, you know I have talked quite a bit recently about one of the biggest mistakes I see women make when dressing for fall: jumping straight from summer to fall.
I understand the temptation. I am just as ready for a season change as anyone. There is something about the fall wardrobe switch that feels like a reset. The sweaters come out, the boots return, and suddenly all of the pieces that have been sitting untouched in the back of the closet feel new again. But the most stylish part of fall, in my opinion, happens before we get there.
It is those in-between weeks when you are still wearing your summer pieces, but beginning to introduce the textures, colors, proportions and layers that make your wardrobe feel ready for the season ahead.
So I am practicing what I preach: being patient with the wardrobe switch, getting a few more wears out of my summer pieces, and using this transitional period to think intentionally about what I actually want to wear this fall.
Because when I look at my own wardrobe, I am not necessarily looking for more. I am looking for new ways to put what I already love together. And that is really what this fall’s trends have me thinking about.
There are plenty of directional pieces on the runways, but the trends I am most interested in are the ones that can change the way an existing wardrobe feels. A different proportion. An unexpected color combination. A sporty piece styled with something polished. An accessory that takes five seconds to add but makes the outfit look considered.
So, here is what I am actually wearing this fall, and more importantly, why I think each of these ideas work.
01. Black, White + Color
Last fall, I was deeply in love with chocolate brown in place of black. It softened the contrast, felt a little less expected, and created a beautiful foundation for the rest of my wardrobe.
This season, I am moving back toward black, white and bold color.
I love the return of zebra print, which I prefer to the leopard that has dominated for so long. There is something about the graphic quality of black and white that makes it incredibly versatile. Pair it with deep green, turquoise, navy or burgundy and suddenly the outfit feels much more interesting than the traditional fall combination of camel, brown and black.
A lighter, saturated color against black and white feels bold without feeling chaotic. And because the foundation remains simple, the color becomes the point rather than competing with everything else happening in the outfit.
If you tend to live in neutrals, this is an easy way to introduce more personality without becoming a “color person.” You don’t need a closet full of color. You need one or two colors that you know how to pair.
02. The Sporty Piece, Styled With Polish
As a woman who bought her first pair of sweatpants this year, it is safe to say that roaming the streets in athleisure has never been my personal style.
But I am very much here for the sporty-chic era we are seeing.
The track pant is back, but it feels more sophisticated this time around. Elevated funnel-neck jackets are making the everyday layer more interesting, and sneakers continue to be one of my favorite places to play with personality.
But the reason this trend earns a place in my wardrobe is not because sporty pieces are suddenly fashionable. It is how they are being styled.
The most interesting version of this trend is the high-low combination: something inherently casual paired with something polished. A track pant with a structured jacket. A sporty jacket with a tailored trouser. A sneaker with a feminine skirt.
That tension is what makes the outfit feel intentional. It is also a good reminder that function and fashion do not have to compete with one another. In fact, sometimes the most elevated outfits are the ones where the practical piece is what makes the rest of the look feel unexpected.
03. Playful Proportions
It is no secret that I adore a barrel-leg pant and the occasional funky piece. I like clothing that makes you look twice.
And this season, I am leaning even further into proportion as a way to create personality. A dramatic wide-leg trouser. A shaped jacket. An asymmetrical top. A belted leather jacket that changes the shape of everything underneath it. These pieces might create a moment of “I’m not sure about that” when you first see them, but that is often exactly where the interest comes from.
You do not have to wear color or prints to make an outfit feel distinctive. Proportion can do that for you.
This is particularly useful if you naturally gravitate toward a neutral wardrobe. If your color palette is quiet, you can create visual interest through the shape of the clothes instead.
At the same time, we are seeing a return to more feminine silhouettes: cleaner denim, refined tailoring, defined waists and pieces that follow the body more intentionally. I love the tension between the two, especially in tailored pieces for the office.
The point isn’t to choose between oversized and feminine, or structured and relaxed. It is to play with the relationship between them.
A dramatic trouser becomes more approachable with a fitted knit. A shaped jacket can balance a fuller bottom. A feminine skirt becomes more modern with a relaxed jacket.
That is where proportion becomes a styling tool rather than simply a trend.
04. Brooches & Pins
This one requires a little more thought in the morning, which is exactly why I think it is interesting. We are seeing brooches and pins return in a much more structural, intentional way, and I love what they do to an otherwise familiar combination.
A brooch on a blazer. A pin on a coat. A sculptural piece added to a sweater.
It takes five seconds. And yet, it can be the difference between an outfit that is simply dressed and one that looks considered.
You can also use accessories like this to change the shape of a garment. Cinching a sweater or top at the waist with a brooch can create a completely different proportion without altering the piece itself.
This is one of my favorite ways to make a wardrobe feel more personal because there is no “right” way to do it. And that is the point.
The women whose style feels particularly distinct to me are rarely wearing things exactly as they came off the hanger. They are adding something, removing something, pushing up a sleeve, changing a button, cinching a waist, layering something unexpectedly.
05. Texture Does the Work
We saw taffeta take off in a big way, and I think the larger idea behind that trend is going to continue into fall: texture is becoming a way to make simple outfits feel special. Suede. Croc. Jacquard. Velvet. Tactile knits. Rich leathers.
These fabrics add dimension without requiring a complicated outfit. And this is another place where I think the trend is more useful than the individual piece.
You don’t need to buy a head-to-toe suede look. You need to understand what texture does. Take the simplest outfit in your closet: black trouser, knit top, simple shoe. Now change the fabric of one piece. A suede jacket. A textured knit. A croc belt. A velvet shoe. Suddenly, the outfit has depth.
This is one of the easiest ways to make a wardrobe feel more elevated without making it feel more complicated.
When I think about what I am actually excited to wear this fall, it isn’t one particular trend. It is the possibility of making familiar pieces feel unfamiliar again.
That is something I think gets lost when we talk about trends.
We see a woman online wearing an outfit that feels incredibly chic and distinct, and we assume she must have a wardrobe full of clothes we don’t own. That she somehow knows where to find all of the interesting pieces. That she has a natural ability to put things together that we simply don’t have.
Style is much less about having an endless number of options and much more about understanding why things work together. Color creates contrast. Proportion creates interest. Texture creates dimension. A sporty piece can make something polished feel modern. An unexpected accessory can make a familiar outfit feel personal.
And that is ultimately what I am looking for in my own fall wardrobe: not a complete reinvention, but a few new ideas that make the wardrobe I already love feel fresh again.
xx,
