Fall fashion essentials perfect for this season
By Courtney Cohn
October 25, 2020
Image Credit: The Everygirl
As colder weather approaches this October, fall fashion is taking over. Here are some fall essentials you should have in your closet and how to incorporate current trends into your essential categories.
Plaid
Plaid is one of the most common fall patterns and is popular on a variety of pieces, such as flannel shirts, skirts, dresses and jackets. This season, pleated plaid skirts seem to be a popular trend. Also, blazers have become a popular trend recently, and plaid blazers specifically are perfectly suited for fall. They can make an outfit more professional for a business setting, or elevate a streetwear or everyday outfit to make it more sophisticated and elegant.
Jackets
Jackets that can pair with any outfit are definitely necessary for fall. Denim jackets have always been popular, are perfect for the transition from summer to fall, and pair well with jeans, which are also a fall staple. Over the past couple of years, moto jackets have been a rising trend, especially in leather and suede fabrics.
Kassidy McDonald, a junior marketing major and creative director of Monumental Magazine, believes that social media has been greatly impacting fall fashion, especially Tiktok.
One of her main essentials for the fall season is a coat, especially since she is from Boston and is used to cold weather.
“I love coats and outerwear, and stuff like that, like puffer jackets and leather jackets,” McDonald said.
Additionally, sherpa and faux fur style jackets have been popular, since they are functional in cold weather, comfortable and can add interesting texture to an outfit. There are styles with solid colors or patterns that can make a jacket a fundamental addition to an outfit, instead of being simply a necessary piece to throw on.
Ava Cyruli, a junior marketing major and writer for Cosmic Honey Magazine, also believes that having a staple coat that can go with any outfit for fall is definitely important.
“In general, everyone needs a good staple coat that can be dressed up and down and you can throw on whenever, so for me it would be the IAMGIA Teddy Coat,” Cyruli said.
“It might be kind of basic and a lot of people might have it, but for me it’s a staple that I can style in different ways. Mine is in black so it goes with everything.”
Leather
Leather clothing items or accessories are classic essentials in fall outfits. Recently, leather pants and leggings have become popular, along with the typical leather skirts and jackets. Leather leggings are still comfortable while providing an elevated, formal aspect to an everyday or nighttime outfit.
Additionally, since they are very versatile, leather boots have always been a trend and can match with anything. The over-the-knee boot trend specifically has continued from last season, because it provides such a unique look.
Then, leather purses and bags have always been in style, but in recent years, small leather backpacks have become popular. If someone does not feel that a purse fits their style or would like to change up their accessories, these mini backpacks are a great option.
Sweaters
Sweaters are one of the first clothing pieces people think of when they consider fall fashion. Having different kinds of sweaters with different outfits, such as cropped and oversized or various fabrics, allows you to experiment with your style and create many different silhouettes and outfits for different occasions.
Over the summer, cropped cardigans became a huge trend, especially among influencers on social media, and this trend is continuing into the colder months. The popular cropped cardigans typically have buttons or a front tie, and the fits differ greatly. It is easy to find a style of this trend that works for you and it allows you to switch up your typical sweater silhouettes and your outfits that have been around for years.
Also, Cyruli loves the sweater vest trend this season, and has seen ones she loves at Aritzia and Zara, but she recently thrifted one since they tend to be more expensive.
“Sweater vests are so in right now,” Cyruli said. “I just thrifted a gap one for like $10 at Salvation Army. It’s so cute, I’m so excited to style it, and you can wear it so many different ways.”
She explains that if it is warm outside then you can wear it on its own, but you can also layer it as well.
“If it’s a little bit colder, then you put a turtleneck or collared shirt underneath,” Cyruli said.
Loungewear
Loungewear has long been a part of people’s fall wardrobes, including sweatshirts, joggers and leggings, but it has suddenly become a major trend over the COVID-19 quarantine. Since Americans have been primarily staying at home and potentially working from their home, they want to be comfortable.
However, people still want to express their styles and feel put together in these outfits, so many stores and companies have created more stylish loungewear options. Matching loungewear sets have become popular with matching t-shirts, sweatshirts, joggers and shorts. Tie-dye sets are the most popular and trendy loungewear right now for fall. Typically tie-dye is not a well-known fall essential or trend, but this season, tie-dye loungewear pieces are essential for many.
Denim
Jeans are a classic clothing piece year-round, but they are especially trendy during the fall season. As we transition from fall to winter, people trade in their shorts for jeans, and this season, baggy jeans seem to be a rising trend. Many people pair looser-fitting jeans with a more fitted, cropped top in order to create contrast and an interesting silhouette.
Val Jovel, a sophomore computer engineering major and fashion content creator, likes the look of contrasting looser clothes with more fitted pieces, but she likes to switch it up by wearing skinny jeans, even if they may not be this season’s trend.
“A lot of people aren't really into the skinny jeans anymore, but I think it's still an essential because, like when you have a hoodie, you also can combine a tight pair of jeans with a loose shirt or oversized top,” Jovel said.
Also, denim skirts and jackets are always an essential, especially since they are great pieces to wear as the weather is in between summer and fall temperatures. Distressed denim has been a trend for a while now and is here to stay.
These fall essentials are great staple pieces to build outfits around and have in your closet. Also, you can incorporate some new pieces into your outfits in order to experiment with your style and wardrobe, and stay on-trend.
Plaid
Plaid is one of the most common fall patterns and is popular on a variety of pieces, such as flannel shirts, skirts, dresses and jackets. This season, pleated plaid skirts seem to be a popular trend. Also, blazers have become a popular trend recently, and plaid blazers specifically are perfectly suited for fall. They can make an outfit more professional for a business setting, or elevate a streetwear or everyday outfit to make it more sophisticated and elegant.
Jackets
Jackets that can pair with any outfit are definitely necessary for fall. Denim jackets have always been popular, are perfect for the transition from summer to fall, and pair well with jeans, which are also a fall staple. Over the past couple of years, moto jackets have been a rising trend, especially in leather and suede fabrics.
Kassidy McDonald, a junior marketing major and creative director of Monumental Magazine, believes that social media has been greatly impacting fall fashion, especially Tiktok.
One of her main essentials for the fall season is a coat, especially since she is from Boston and is used to cold weather.
“I love coats and outerwear, and stuff like that, like puffer jackets and leather jackets,” McDonald said.
Additionally, sherpa and faux fur style jackets have been popular, since they are functional in cold weather, comfortable and can add interesting texture to an outfit. There are styles with solid colors or patterns that can make a jacket a fundamental addition to an outfit, instead of being simply a necessary piece to throw on.
Ava Cyruli, a junior marketing major and writer for Cosmic Honey Magazine, also believes that having a staple coat that can go with any outfit for fall is definitely important.
“In general, everyone needs a good staple coat that can be dressed up and down and you can throw on whenever, so for me it would be the IAMGIA Teddy Coat,” Cyruli said.
“It might be kind of basic and a lot of people might have it, but for me it’s a staple that I can style in different ways. Mine is in black so it goes with everything.”
Leather
Leather clothing items or accessories are classic essentials in fall outfits. Recently, leather pants and leggings have become popular, along with the typical leather skirts and jackets. Leather leggings are still comfortable while providing an elevated, formal aspect to an everyday or nighttime outfit.
Additionally, since they are very versatile, leather boots have always been a trend and can match with anything. The over-the-knee boot trend specifically has continued from last season, because it provides such a unique look.
Then, leather purses and bags have always been in style, but in recent years, small leather backpacks have become popular. If someone does not feel that a purse fits their style or would like to change up their accessories, these mini backpacks are a great option.
Sweaters
Sweaters are one of the first clothing pieces people think of when they consider fall fashion. Having different kinds of sweaters with different outfits, such as cropped and oversized or various fabrics, allows you to experiment with your style and create many different silhouettes and outfits for different occasions.
Over the summer, cropped cardigans became a huge trend, especially among influencers on social media, and this trend is continuing into the colder months. The popular cropped cardigans typically have buttons or a front tie, and the fits differ greatly. It is easy to find a style of this trend that works for you and it allows you to switch up your typical sweater silhouettes and your outfits that have been around for years.
Also, Cyruli loves the sweater vest trend this season, and has seen ones she loves at Aritzia and Zara, but she recently thrifted one since they tend to be more expensive.
“Sweater vests are so in right now,” Cyruli said. “I just thrifted a gap one for like $10 at Salvation Army. It’s so cute, I’m so excited to style it, and you can wear it so many different ways.”
She explains that if it is warm outside then you can wear it on its own, but you can also layer it as well.
“If it’s a little bit colder, then you put a turtleneck or collared shirt underneath,” Cyruli said.
Loungewear
Loungewear has long been a part of people’s fall wardrobes, including sweatshirts, joggers and leggings, but it has suddenly become a major trend over the COVID-19 quarantine. Since Americans have been primarily staying at home and potentially working from their home, they want to be comfortable.
However, people still want to express their styles and feel put together in these outfits, so many stores and companies have created more stylish loungewear options. Matching loungewear sets have become popular with matching t-shirts, sweatshirts, joggers and shorts. Tie-dye sets are the most popular and trendy loungewear right now for fall. Typically tie-dye is not a well-known fall essential or trend, but this season, tie-dye loungewear pieces are essential for many.
Denim
Jeans are a classic clothing piece year-round, but they are especially trendy during the fall season. As we transition from fall to winter, people trade in their shorts for jeans, and this season, baggy jeans seem to be a rising trend. Many people pair looser-fitting jeans with a more fitted, cropped top in order to create contrast and an interesting silhouette.
Val Jovel, a sophomore computer engineering major and fashion content creator, likes the look of contrasting looser clothes with more fitted pieces, but she likes to switch it up by wearing skinny jeans, even if they may not be this season’s trend.
“A lot of people aren't really into the skinny jeans anymore, but I think it's still an essential because, like when you have a hoodie, you also can combine a tight pair of jeans with a loose shirt or oversized top,” Jovel said.
Also, denim skirts and jackets are always an essential, especially since they are great pieces to wear as the weather is in between summer and fall temperatures. Distressed denim has been a trend for a while now and is here to stay.
These fall essentials are great staple pieces to build outfits around and have in your closet. Also, you can incorporate some new pieces into your outfits in order to experiment with your style and wardrobe, and stay on-trend.
Image Credit: The Everygirl