By Joanne Sasvari
Forget yesterday’s insta-trends. This fall, fashion is all about beautiful clothes that are made to last — and suit us just the way we live.
Over the last few years, fashion has veered from all-sweats-all-the-time during the pandemic lockdowns to one TikTok insta-trend after the other. Remember nap dresses? Cottagecore? Head-to-toe Barbie pink? Quiet luxury? Y2K nostalgia? Underwear as outerwear? Cargo pants? Sheer everything? The unfortunate return of the Canadian tuxedo?
So, if you’re anything like us, you’ll be thrilled to know that fall 2024 is a season of beautiful, wearable, well-made fashion that suits you, whoever you are or wish you were.
We’re seeing a return to high-quality and well-tailored pieces that are designed to last, what we used to call investment dressing, which also fits nicely with the frugal mood of the moment. But that doesn’t mean old-fashioned “classics” and it certainly doesn’t mean boring.
Take the power suit. It’s back in style, but this time it’s not dowdy, beige and worn with pussycat bows and practical pumps. Instead, it is the easiest way to look pulled together, whether for the office, an after-work event or even for travel.
“I have just bought myself a couple of power suits and will wear them all winter,” says Janine Metcalfe, YAM’s fashion editor. Suits, she adds, are endlessly versatile, especially when they are oversized and bring the drama. “You can dress them up with a crisp white shirt and a high heel, or a more relaxed look with a pair of sneakers. Love this look for fall.”
At the opposite end of the style spectrum is the return of bohemian chic, largely thanks to Chloé’s barnstormer of a runway show. “Boho chic has made a bold return and I love it. Flowy fabrics, from sheer to printed, and I’m a big fan of fringe and ruffles,” says Metcalfe.
She’s also loving the sage green that was all over the runways. “I love that sage also represents wisdom, intelligence and experience,” she says.
Best of all, even everyday pieces are getting a stylish reboot. “No longer are closet essentials like my everyday hoodie and my basic tee considered basic — they’ve melded into showstopping pieces like at Balenciaga,” Metcalfe says. “I’m so happy that this look isn’t going anywhere, [it] just gets more elevated.”
In other words, it’s never been easier to leave the house looking good. Here are the runway trends that will be inspiring us this fall.
Top-Notch Tailoring
Whether structured, fitted, oversized or deconstructed, sharply tailored looks were all over the FW24 runways, especially in the form of luxurious overcoats, beautifully made blazers and (hooray!) the return of the power suit. They were deconstructed at Schiaparelli and trimly tailored at Prada; meanwhile, Tom Ford showed a parade of fitted, buttoned, military-inspired coats, jackets and dresses. Voluminous overcoats were everywhere, too, in gorgeous textures from sleek leather to teddy-bear bouclé to feathers and fringe. And if there was one look we’ll all be adding to our closets this season, it’s the perfectly timeless take on the peacoat shown by Tom Ford, Miu Miu, Etro and others.
Left: Stella McCartney
Luxe Comfort
Given the state of, well, everything, we could all use some comfort right now, and fashion is here to help with cozy, comforting pieces in luxurious materials, perfect for covering up and hiding out from the world. Consider: hoods (at Balmain, Nina Ricci, Alexander McQueen); high-necked coats (at Burberry and Max Mara); double layers (Gucci’s layered brown cardigans); and swathes and swathes of fabric in giant capes, chunky scarves or sweeping shawls. Knitwear is huge right now (both figuratively, as in, there was a lot of it, and literally, as in oversized silhouettes). Consider both the cardigan (whether ladylike bouclé at Chanel or structured at Stella McCartney) and the roll-neck pullover essential this fall.
Debutante Design
The critics may have given Ryan Murphy’s latest Feud: Capote vs. the Swans the side-eye, but designers simply swooned over those luxe mid-century fashions — and so did we. Now we have a cooler, more contemporary take on those ladylike looks. Think: shift dresses, swing coats, cashmere cardigans and flared below-the-knee skirts, but with a more fluid and more casual vibe than back in the 1960s. Among the looks we loved were the tweed twin sets at Erdem, vintage-style brooches at Simone Rocha, lady bags at Celine, full skirts at Valentino and Miu Miu’s entire collection.
Right: Miu Miu
Not-So-Basic Basics
We all need those essential but unglamourous everyday pieces — a perfect tee to wear under a blazer, a hoodie to toss on when we run to the grocery store, sweats for WFH days, jeans that take us everywhere. Designers get it and have given those basics a glow-up for fall with soft textures, simple fabrics, playful layering and exaggerated silhouettes. Just throw them on and go. But first, add a belt: Whether classic leather (Loewe and Dior) or gleaming in gold metallic (Chanel and Chloé), nothing will tie your look together as well.
Left: Chanel
Leather Looks
In everything from moto jackets to ’50s-style full skirts to head-to-toe dressing, leather is the look that pulls everything together this season. Whether it’s real leather or vegan-friendly faux, look for a glossy, liquid-look finish. And while black is always in, this season look for blue, green or brown leather. Luxe yet tough, classic but contemporary, leather showed up in almost every label, in shirts, skirts, dresses, trousers, jackets, coats and, of course, handbags and other accessories.
Boho Chic
Balancing out all that tailoring and ladylike dressing was the roaring comeback of boho chic, mainly thanks to Chloé’s blockbuster show. The label’s new creative director, Chemena Kamali, created a collection that is fresh, joyful, romantic, indulgent, a little bit artsy and a whole lot of fun. It’s everything that understated, so-safe-it’s-boring “quiet luxury” isn’t. Look for intricate details and a touch of early noughties nostalgia: sheer dresses, lace hosiery, fringe, romantic ruffles and tough-but-sweet black leather.
Right: Chloé
Va-Va-Volume
This season, go big or go home. We love the chunky scarves and oversized knits (shown by designers like Tommy Hilfiger and Jason Wu), the padded shoulders and curvy hips, the bulbous coats, full skirts and bouncy dresses in fluffy yarns. But we especially love the season’s voluminous, wide-legged take on trousers, whether high-waisted at Loewe, elevated cargo style at Saint Laurent, barrel-legged at Alaïa or tapered at Prada.
Left: Alaïa
Sage and Burgundy
It’s certainly not unusual to see earth tones in fall, but this year is notable for the wave of soft, dusty greens, all those flattering, easy-to-wear khaki, sage and olive hues inspired by both nature and military looks. Think lacy frocks and pea coats at Gucci, trench coats at Chloé and all over at Ferragamo, Burberry, Jil Sander and Bottega Veneta. Also, adding a rich, polished, wine-soaked note to all the neutrals and earth tones that otherwise dominated the runways, were the beautiful burgundy bags (from Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Ferragamo, among others).
OTT Texture
Sure, you can snuggle up in fall’s traditional woollens and tweeds. But the hottest looks of the season are all about ultra-tactile textures, with designers bringing the drama with feathers, fringe and faux fur (see: Tory Burch, Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen, among others), as well as fabulously fluid satin (at Ferragamo, Giorgio Armani and Victoria Beckham) and leather everywhere. Feathers especially took flight this season: on shoes at Erdem, sleeves at Christian Siriano, coats at Schiaparelli, evening gowns at Louis Vuitton.
Right: Stella McCartney
Pick Your Pattern
This fall, designers went mad for plaid (wool overcoats at Chloé runway, blazers at Rabanne, black-and-white at Balmain). This is not exactly revolutionary; fall is typically the season for plaid, tartan and other checkered motifs. But this year it feels fresh and new, especially when worn as outerwear, wrap skirts and crewneck sweaters, and paired with clashing colours, patterns and textures.
Plaid not your thing? Then you might be thrilled to know that leopard print is also back in style. (Reports suggest a whopping 75 per cent more leopard on the runaways this season than last year, though we’re not exactly sure how they measured. Did they count the dots?) There’s nothing subtle about it, either — check out the big-cat energy of Christian Dior’s belted trench as well as pieces from Zimmermann, Alaïa and Versace. Rowr.
Left: Balmain
5 Essential Pieces
A Really Great Coat
If there is one thing you want to invest in this season, it’s a coat. But with so many gorgeous choices out there — among them, leather moto jackets, oversized greatcoats, military toppers, French-girl trenches and reimagined peacoats — how can you choose just one?
Statement Trousers
No longer the supporting cast to your going-out tops, pants this season are making their own powerful statement in voluminous cuts, flowing fabrics, high waists and the notice-me barrel-leg silhouette.
A Full Skirt
Ladylike, elegant, playful, fun and full of drama, the voluminous skirt is back. Flared, full, puffed and/or peplum, wear it with a trim lady cardigan or tough-girl moto jacket, and pile on the vintage brooches and pearls.
Textured, Layered, Oversized Knits
We’re always happy to see the return of sweater season and this is a good one, whether you prefer a tweedy twinset or chunky, oversized rollneck with padded shoulders. The key this year is layering, so don’t forget the shawls, scarves and capes.
Pumps and Hose
That’s right: The ’00s are calling and pointy-toed, high-heeled pumps are back, worn with jeans, suits or evening frocks. So are tights. After a couple of decades of baring our legs to the wintery elements, this is the season to slip back into panty hose. Make them patterned, colourful or lacy. Then again, the ballerina flat is not going away any time soon, which is good news for your aching Achilles