I love this time of year as the seasons change, Autumn is definitely my favourite season. I am always drawn to all the gorgeous textures, layering, fabrics and colours, more so than in a Summer season. AW21 is no exception, the catwalks and street trends were full of beautiful colours, fabrics and patterns.
It’s important to remember most of the high street retailers create their designs 1 year ahead of when you buy them in store, apart from real fast fashion retailers like Zara who can achieve a faster turnaround. So don’t be a slave to the trends, but instead use them as inspiration to first shop your own wardrobe. Get creative with sourcing new colours and items that you haven’t tried before in your own wardrobe – swap with friends, go to a local charity shop, set up an alert on Ebay.
For me what I loved about the trends from AW21 catwalk ready to wear shows was how wearable a lot of the trends are. Of course there were the usual trends which are more difficult to pull off (sheer bodysuit anyone?!) and won't last, but predominantly, it was a season of easy, wearable key items. I can imagine a huge influence on this is the pandemic, and how a lot of our lifestyles have changed, but it's also amazing to see that Sustainability is also a very important factor for designers. Many designers decided to look back at their archives and focus on deadstock fabrics, those not used from previous seasons. Assessing their impact on the planet more deeply.
The second thing I loved about the AW21 trends was colour! It's all about the Crayola Brights and I am here for it! It's so uplifting to see such a bright colour palette in an Autumn season, where we're so accustomed to seeing darker, more muted or jewel tones. There was every neon and bright colour imaginable - from bright fuschia pink to acid green. Green is definitely THE colour of the season, and there is a shade for everyone. From the bright acid green, to the deep forest green, so I'm sure you can find an item in your existing wardrobe to suit!
The other key colour trend was around the warm neutrals - from camel to tobacco and mink. I always love these warm tones, as an Autumn colour type, these suit my complexion really well, but even if you have a cooler skin tone, there will be a neutral to suit you. For example, it might be about mink for you, which often can be a cooler blue toned base.
My Top trends of the season were:
Out Out! There was a similar feel to AW21 catwalk shows as we had for SS21, with a feeling of dressing up as an antidote to the past year and a half. Key message of go all out with sequins, fur and metallics. Two key trend items from this were the Sequin Dress and the Statement Jacket
Puffball The trend for puffer coats just got even bigger. There were so many to choose from ranging from lightweight quilted jackets to full on down puffer coats. Something for everyone from brights to prints, or classic colours. There were even down padded skirts, but I can’t quite see that taking off!
Knit-tastic Having bought knitwear as one of my first buying roles, I love seeing wearable knitwear pieces coming off the catwalk. The Key Item is the Sweater Dress. There were also still lots of co-ords and layering. Cut out detailing was big, this spanned across not just knitwear but smarter tops and dresses too
Tailored There doesn’t seem to be a season without the Blazer as a key item these days. Its such a super versatile piece that shouldn’t just be confined to your workwear wardrobe. On the catwalks there was super smart suiting often in bold colour pops. Or for the more understated look still plenty of prince of wales check in blazers and and longline coats.
Denim Dark Days There’s always a twist on the ‘new’ denim of the season and you’ll often find you already own it in your existing wardrobe! This season it’s all about dark, dramatic denim. From washed out grey wide leg culottes at Celine to super slick indigo flares at Zimmerman
Outdoor Explorer Vogue heralded this trend as ‘Schussing in Style’ and ‘Trail finder’ but its all about embracing the great outdoors. Perfectly aligned with what we’ve all been doing during the Pandemic! Think layered knitwear, fairisle patterns, chunky boots and shearling.
My Top 9 Key Items on Clothing were:
1. Puffer Coat or Quilted Jacket
2. The Shirt
3. Sequin Dress
4. The Blazer
5. Sweater Dress
6. Patterned Knit
7. Mini Dress
8. Knitted Vest
9. Dark Denim Jeans
Footwear and Bags
In terms of Footwear and Bags trends, you can't speak about footwear without talking about the chunky boot! It's going to be everywhere! It's super practical and comfy which can be hard to come by with footwear trends. You can see my top 6 practical picks for shoes below, alongside the chunky boot, there were also a lot of knee high boots, but again, something for everyone. The khaki version from Celine was almost reminiscent of a welly! And then you had the sleeker, more sexy pointed toe knee highs, or those in bright pops of colour, for something more daring. The chunky loafer also made an appearance, which is a great way to elevate your workwear as you return to the office. Metallics were a huge trend, I loved these Isabel Marant western inspired boots, but it was also seen across your partywear and heels too. Plus the hiking boot, which has been around for about 5 years now, but doesn't seem to be disappearing.
On Bags, my 5 key items were:
The Classic Tote
The Chain Detail Bag
The Shearling or Fur Oversized Tote
The Mini or Mobile Phone Bag
The Occasion Bag
If you'd like some help sourcing some new pieces to freshen up your wardrobe for the new season, or creating outfits from your existing wardrobe with a nod to the trends, please get in touch. You can find all of my services available to book online here. Or why not book in for a free 20 minute call with me if you'd like to discuss a more bespoke package, or have more questions about how I can help you with your style?
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