The curtain fell on the fashion shows in February. But that doesn’t mean the show’s over. In our digital age, it feels as if it never ends. So why should you wait many months to wear what’s cool now? Here, some of fall’s best trends, available to wear today.
Opt for a Cinched Blazer
After years of big and boxy shapes, labels like the Row and Dolce & Gabbana have ushered in a more refined, ladylike shape. The message is clear: The new power suit is not borrowed from the boys. It’s all woman.
Clockwise from top left: Rejina Pyo fitted wool blazer, $625 at farfetch.com; Prada, fall 2019; Jacquemus cinched-waist wool blazer, $895 at saksfifthavenue.com; Alexa Chung cotton twill blazer, $709 at matchesfashion.com.
Take a Cue from Scotsmen
Plaid’s a bit like Madonna in her heyday: It keeps coming back, reinvented, season after season. Designers at Dior and Gucci set the tone, with big, bold tartan in streamlined shapes. This spring, invest in a blazer or lightweight coat that you can wear now, with jeans and a T-shirt, and, come fall, throw over a nubby turtleneck and flannel trousers.
From left: Woolrich checked coat, $647 at neimanmarcus.com; Just Female poly-blend blazer, $208, and trousers, $165, at needsupply.com; Dior, fall 2019; Vivienne Westwood linen mini, $525 at vivienne westwood.com.
Rethink Quilting
Once relegated to utilitarian outerwear, quilting is getting a high-fashion makeover for fall, popping up on everything: trousers (at Rachel Comey), ball gowns (at Oscar de la Renta). Skirts, pants and blazers all benefit from the unexpected dose of texture, though pulling it off can be a bit tricky. Look for quilting in tried-and-tested neutrals and generous shapes. A quilted bag in a surprising color hits the trend without trying too hard.
Clockwise from top left: Givenchy quilted leather bucket bag, $1,535 at matchesfashion.com; Aritzia quilted bomber jacket, $148 at aritzia.com; Kapital indigo-dyed cotton cargo pants, $490 at lagarconne.com; Rachel Comey, fall 2019.
Pick a Bucket Hat for Grown-Ups
Bucket hats have been a street wear staple for a while now. But this season, designers, at Dior in particular, pushed it into new grown-up territory: in evening looks and tailored styles, sometimes in playful prints. We don’t recommend wearing one to a black-tie event just yet, but it’s an unexpected way to top off a classic belted trench or tailored tweed suit.
From top: Eric Javits high-gloss bucket hat, $295 at nordstrom.com; Albus Lumen corduroy bucket hat, $280 at net-a-porter.com; Y-3 bucket hat with embroidered eyelet detail, $90 at totokaelo.com. At right: Dior, fall 2019.