If you're a die-hard fashion fanatic, the changing of seasons has nothing to do with the weather and everything to do with what's next up on the sartorial trend cycle. Now that we're passing the middle mark of summer, it's customary for editors and influencers alike to start thinking about fall trends, but we would be crazy to think that this season will be the same as last year's.
As we continue to grapple with the current pandemic, we must admit and accept that trends just won't hit the same as they used to, but that doesn't mean we aren't allowed to talk about them.
If there's anyone who I trust to turn what could easily feel like a dire situation into a hopeful one, it's my fellow stylish New Yorkers. I reached out to both New York–based editors and influencers to tap their gifted little minds on the fall 2020 trends they are predicting will be huge, even despite the current state of the world.
From a fresh approach to tailoring to noteworthy built-in baubles, the ladies ahead had a lot to say and per usual, when they speak, I listen, and you should too.
Chocolate Brown
"The fall fashion trend that I think will blow up is the chocolate brownie color! I saw it on so many runways but was finally convinced during the Prabal Gurung show where they masterfully crafted beautiful evening wear in this color and it looked so luxe. I love brainstorming all of the ways this deep brown can be paired with other colors and how rich it looks. I'm going to be giving it a try in the form of trousers and chunky sweaters this fall!" — Michelle Li, fashion and beauty market editor, Teen Vogue
Shop the trend:
Gloves
"Gloves were on the runways at Saint Laurent, Ulla Johnson, Miu Miu, Gucci, and more in rich leather, textures, and statement hues and paired with everything from dresses, to tops, to blazers. With the pandemic still in full swing, it's the perfect fall accessory for both style and safety." — Janelle Lloyd, influencer
Shop the trend:
Untailored Tailoring
"If you'd have asked me this same question pre-COVID-19, my answer likely would've been something along the lines of detachable collars, or perhaps corset dresses with delicate floral detailing and bow embellishments. But after 19 weeks of living almost entirely indoors, unnecessary add-ons and dresses with boning are probably the last things on my mind fashion-wise. Instead, I'm most looking forward to fall weather so that I can wear baggy, yet not necessarily frumpy, suiting à la Acne Studios and JW Anderson. Big coats with even bigger lapels paired with slouchy pants cinched with over-the-hem anklets. Let the era of untailored tailoring commence." — Eliza Huber, fashion writer, Refinery29
Shop the trend:
Built-In Hardware
"Accessories take center stage as fall 2020's showpiece. Reinventing the use of accessories becomes a turning point as hardware gets the spotlight as a structural element in clothing garments. We see chain usage in Bottega Veneta on necklines and sleeve cuffs, we see them on Proenza Schouler F/W 20 as a means to create shape, along with many other designers." — Anaa Saber, influencer
"I'm looking forward to the rise of heavy-metal hardware for fall. Having spent the last few months in stretchy and/or soft clothing, I'm craving a bit of edge and structure. The chain details at labels like Rokh and Bottega Veneta—which are actually a part of the clothing instead of just jewelry layered on top—hit just the right note." — Aemilia Madden, senior fashion editor, The Zoe Report
Shop the trend:
Big Blazers
"I am so excited for fall to arrive so I can don some oversize blazers. Despite the summer heat, I still wear oversize blazers that are more light and airy, but the long Jacquemus blazers are going to be so perfect for fall and I expect to see them everywhere!" — Amy Julliette Lefévre, model and influencer
Shop the trend:
Skirt Suits
"Back in early March, after seeing iterations of the bourgeois-inspired skirt suit throughout the fall 2020 collections, I happened to stumble upon a delicious vintage version from Gucci for myself, just days before the pandemic really hit in New York. As I tried it on (remember dressing rooms?) I imagined myself skipping to and from the Vogue offices in it come fall, with a pair of cowhide knee-high boots no less, in all of its buttery burgundy leather glory. While the season ahead is still uncertain, once the weather cools down, I'm determined to find a reason to try the trend for myself and I look forward to rescuing my unworn set out of storage, even if that means wearing it alone in my apartment while I WFH. We're bound to be sick of our loungewear by then!" — Madeline Fass, fashion market editor, Vogue.com
Shop the trend:
Strapless Tops
"My inner '90s child can't help but feel low-key ecstatic that strapless tops are becoming a fashion staple again. Remember those stretchy tube tops that were cut high enough to show off your belly button piercing? So good. Of course, now we have slightly more luxurious options from brands like Khaite, Cushnie, and Saint Laurent, and while I've been wearing my favorite styles with little more than high-waisted shorts and dad sandals this summer, come fall I'll switch to pairing them with an oversize blazer and flared trousers. There's a certain elegance that accompanies a bare clavicle and considering that opportunities to feel sexy during a pandemic are few and far between, I'll happily embrace this silhouette until winter." — Hannah Baxter, senior beauty editor, Coveteur
Shop the trend:
-
Tunnel Vision: How the New York Liberty Became the WNBA's Best Dressed TeamSpotted at the Met Gala.
-
I Just Got Back From NYC, and Now, I Want to Order These 7 Trends From ReformationMy cart is very full.
-
Believe Me—You'll Still Want These 36 Items in 2026 (and '27 and '28)Timeless with a capital T.
-
Fashion People in NYC Are All About These 2 Chic, Timeless Prints RNPlayful prints are in.
-
On the Streets of NY, It Girls With Expensive Taste Know to Never Wear Skinny Jeans With This OutfitSwap in either of these denim styles instead.
-
My Most Fashionable Friends Live in NYC—They'll Love These 30 Wildly Chic Zara FindsCool new staples.
-
In SoHo, These Three Fashion Items Are Considered Every Fashion Person's Holy GrailsWorn separately or together.
-
Parisians and New Yorkers Are Stylish, Period—Here's What They'd Buy From the Nordstrom Half-Yearly SaleElevated basics, cool shoes, and so much more.
