Stay On Trend This Fall!

As soon as models hit the runways at New York’s Fashion Week early this year, the fashion press began predicting the most important trends and designers for Fall 2017. While the rest of the country was thawing out for spring, Elle, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar were writing about what we would be wearing when the weather turned cold again.

Now the mercury is starting to drop and it makes more sense to think about cold-weather fashion. If your wardrobe is in need of a seasonal update, here’s an informal overview of the trends and designers that are predicted to make an impact in Fall 2017.

Plaids
Rustic plaids have been popular for several seasons. The trend continues but with some new variations. Expect to see more sophisticated takes on plaid, as in tailored black-and-white check pantsuits from Calvin Klein and Stella McCartney and a houndstooth jumpsuit from Chanel that’s sure to be copied by other designers. You can also expect to see more bright plaids in retro designs that echo the 1970s, a look featured in sweaters and skirts from Tory Burch.

The Color Red
Red was everywhere at the New York and London Fashion Week shows, leading Pantone Color Institute to choose Grenadine Red as its first color pick for Fall 2017. Prada, Givenchy, Versace and Victoria Beckham all included powerful red dresses in their runway shows. Monochromatic red outfits made a big impact, such as a Jil Sander red coat worn with red tights and red boots. If you don’t want to make a head-to-toe commitment, Phillip Lim has a red ankle boot and Fendi has a thigh-high boot in scarlet.

Winter Florals
Floral prints were a big trend for spring and summer, where they showed up in soft cotton dresses and separates. They will continue to be a trend through fall and winter, but you can expect to see darker floral prints on heavier fabrics, as seen in dresses from Gucci and Valentino. Also expect to see a lot of floral patterns on outerwear, such as Altuzarra’s overcoat in rich red brocade and Ulla Johnson’s puffy floral quilted coat.

Mid-Calf Skirts
Michael Kors and several other designers have created longer, fuller skirts for Fall 2017 that flow and move when you walk. It’s a casual length that’s frequently referred to as mid-calf or midi, for midway between knee and ankle. You can also expect to see midi skirts with tight and straight silhouettes, which were included in the collections of Altuzarra and Diane von Furstenberg. One of the trendiest styles of midi skirts is accordion pleated in a metallic or patterned fabric, as shown by Gucci.

Pantsuits
A wide range of formal and informal pantsuit designs made their debut during Fashion Week. While Versace, Stella McCartney and Victoria Beckham stayed with classic power suit tailoring, other designers such as Eli Saab and Erdem had more fun, bold patterns and softer fabrics such as velvet. Every style of pantsuit seems to have been represented on the New York Fashion Week runways, from loose and baggy to body conscious, with single-breasted, double-breasted and unstructured jackets.

Flared Pants
Since fashion from the past always seems to cycle back into style sooner or later, it should probably be no surprise that wide flares are making a comeback. This retro look harkens to the 1970s, when Diane von Furstenberg introduced her iconic wrap dress, and she has designed flared pants combined with wrap tops for Fall 2017.

Folklore
Vogue calls this trend “heritage craft,” a merging of handicrafts and high fashion. Several designers have embraced the trend by using patchwork fabric, as seen in a maxi dress from Tommy Hilfiger and a Calvin Klein coat that looks like an antique quilt. The trend can also be seen in a Valentino dress inspired by an Indian textile. Fabrics from Alexander McQueen featured hand embroidery inspired by church pew pillows, according to W Magazine, while Kate Spade and Gucci included Russian-inspired floral embroidery in their collections. This fashion trend embraces both DYI culture and multiculturalism, so it will probably be around for a while.

As you can see from this overview, many of the trends for Fall 2017 reflect a hip, youthful style that doesn’t pay attention to fashion rules. This is probably why so many designers have created looks that reflect more than one trend, such as pantsuits from M. Martin made from check fabric and featuring flared legs.

Eclecticism may be the biggest trend of the season, rivaled by nostalgia. With so many retro styles making a comeback this season, from ’80s-style power suits to flared pants and midi skirts from the ’70s, there should be something from everyone’s favorite fashion era to choose from. ■

Sources: elle.com, vogue.com, harpersbazaar.com, forbes.com and wmagazine.com.