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If the thought of autumn fashion trends, or even touching a jumper right now sends shivers down your spine, feel free to circle back to this story, but for those of you who are actually a little tired of the sweaty commute, then this piece is for you.
Don't get me wrong, I've been incredibly grateful to wear single layers every day and toe-ring sandals that show off my pedicure. And while I'm very much a summer girl (growing up in Southeast Asia does not make one very tolerant of the British climate), I must say even I'm starting to get a little fatigued by the bubble skirts and brat aesthetic dominating our feeds.
Thankfully, fall is just around the corner and the autumn/winter 2024 runways have plenty of sartorial inspo for us to glean from—and even wear—starting now.
Certain prints and patterns prowled the catwalks, and many brands continued to put a vintage spin on looks, specifically a throwback to the ‘40s to ’60s.
“Fashion month was steeped in nostalgia, with many brands harking back to the iconic styles of the '40s – a pivotal era that birthed the fashion show and witnessed a significant boom in the industry,” shares Libby Page, Net-A-Porter Market Director tells us.
We've also loved how “wearable” most looks were that were sent down the runway as designers seemed to embrace practical dressing. There are, of course, quirky accessory trends (hello, bag charms!) too that we can't wait to try out.
So what will be on everyone's wish list the second the leaves hit the ground? Here are the key 2024 autumn fashion trends to have on your radar for the new season…
1. Vintage Leopard
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While leopard print has always been a fashion mainstay, this season it's roaring back into our wardrobes laden with vintage undertones. We're talking the kind you'd see ladies wearing on Mad Men, complete with the beehive and round oversized sunnies, at least that's how the leopard trench was styled at the Dior show. Rowen Rose, a favourite label amongst those who love the mob wife aesthetic, styled the oversized leopard coat with a pillbox hat and gloves. But if a top-to-toe approach to leopard is a little overwhelming, try the trend à la Alaia where the print is a balanced out by textured black accessories.
2. Cool Florals
Florals? For spring? Not-so groundbreaking. But the florals this autumn are a different story. Splattered on quilts (Erdem), asymmetrical mini dresses (Marine Serre), and sharply tailored dresses (Altuzzara), there's nothing prissy about these prints. With darker undertones and reimagined on anything but a frilly frock, these floral prints are for cool weather and even cooler girls.
3. Futuristic Babydoll
Remember the white bubble dress everyone was wearing this summer? Well it went mini for fall. At Coperni, Valentino and David Koma, models wore flouncy babydoll minidresses that were anything but prim. At a bum-grazing length and paired with pointy pumps, there's something that feels more futuristic about this pretty look than cute. It's giving space Barbie and we're here for it.
4. Cape Craze
“Brands like Chloé, Bally and Toteme presented chic capes that invited women to embrace elegance,” says Libby. “For this season, look to invest in capes ranging from daytime coats which feel very 70’s to evening capes and boleros which feel more ladylike and vintage.” The cape craze has been bubbling for a few seasons, but reached peak popularity on the autumn 2024, gracing almost every catwalk with sweeping trains as seen at Chloé or in cocooned shapes at Missoni. Extra brownie points for a trend that keeps us warm!
5. Sheer Beauty
We've talked extensively about the naked dress trend on the red carpet this year and summer saw loads of racy lacy looks, but the sheer trend shows no signs of slowing for fall. In fact, the nudes and whites of summer have been swapped with long, black dresses, worn with just a tiny black belt as styled at Valentino, or with an oversized coat and feathery shoes at Ferragamo. We're calling it now: sheer black dresses will be the unofficial dress code of chic fashion girlies this Christmas.
6. Mad for Plaid
We love seeing how designers reinterpret the fall staple each year and this season's styles certainly didn't disappoint. Plaid has been plastered over cool yet cosy pieces like a long pleated skirt at Burberry and coordinating knit set at Helmut Lang. Even world's hottest brand Loewe blew up the print on a slinky turtleneck gown. “Looks from Chemena Kamali’s stunning debut at Chloé as well as Jonathan Anderson’s Loewe used plaid to show how the British countryside has inspired their collections, evoking a sense of rural charm,” says Libby. “Tartan and check prints, particularly in miniskirts, also featured prominently throughout the shows.”
7. Colour Coded
Just because the leaves are turning brown soon, doesn't mean our wardrobe palette has to. Thankfully, the autumn 2024 runways provided a ton of colourful outfit inspo. Molly Goddard offered her signature flouncy silhouettes in highlighter hues of red, pinks and yellow, while Miu Miu's runway was a lesson in colour clashing, pairing unexpected tones like neon green with mustard and baby pink. If three is two too many colours, stick to one and make it tonal as modelled at Tory Burch.
8. Fuzzy Footwear
Not so long ago, textured bags were all over our feeds, with everyone from celebs to influencers tucking shearling clutches under their arms like tiny toy poodles. Now, it's our footwear's turn to get the fuzzy treatment, with everyone from Erdem to Carven turning their high heels into Havapoos. Blink and you might think two fur babies are scuttling next to the wearer's feet. We're partial to Ferragamo's fluttery stilettos made extra dramatic by the floaty feathers.
9. Bags and Whistles
Now here's one of the autumn fashion trends you can wear now, no shopping needed. One of the breakout accessories trend of Copenhagen Fashion Week, bag charms were spotted dangling from every fashion It girl's bags. Given their strong presence on the Coach, Balenciaga and Miu Miu runways though, we shouldn't have been surprised. Go on, bedazzle your bag to your heart's content.
And let's be realistic… I'll be living in number 8.
