By Maggie Raker
Summer, ever-influenced by the rise of music, movies, and celebrity events, saw its usual fair share of trends. Bold colors, sun dresses, jorts, coquette-core, and more had their time to shine. If you’re like me, summer just means work and time at home; aka significantly fewer outfits. But we’ve made our return to school– seeing friends daily, going out on weekends, switching wardrobes as the weather slowly cools. So, as we return to daily fashion, what trends might be in store this fall?
Let’s start with color. Color is vital to fall both in the natural world and in clothing. As the leaves begin to brown, my prediction is that the colors dominating will be neutral and light. Expect to see browns, off-white, and gray, but also warm tones like burnt sienna and baby pink. Not only do they match the weather, but they’re found in several of the aesthetics making comebacks online right now, such as Western, witchy, office-core, and more.
As for my more specific predictions on clothing trends, the top of my list is denim. This could be the result of the previously mentioned Western influence but is also likely caused by the growing popularity of thrifting amongst students. Thrifted items are often made of more durable materials, so your local thrift might be one of the best places to look for denim. Keep your eye out for denim vests, denim maxi skirts– maybe even try a denim-on-denim look.
Speaking of thrifting, there are also a few trends I see on the horizon which I would credit DIY popularity for. While it might not be quite as trendy, DIY ideas permeate thrift culture. They both originate from a desire for unique, affordable, versatile clothing. To see the light touches of this influence, look for off-the-shoulder t-shirts, hair ribbons and bows, and layered and/or hand-made jewelry.
Most vitally, dress the way you want to. I know many of us enjoy fashion, shopping, and the romanticization aesthetics provide. But trends come and go, and they’re hard to predict. Everything could shift. Efforts rooted in sustainability and personalization such as those influencing trends now are good for the very fact that they should encourage individuality and commitment to oneself inherently. So, take advantage while they’re here– buy what you want, buy what you’ll wear, and let others inspire you, not control you.
