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From Vogue to Marie Claire, the same six fall fashion trends keep showing up in every roundup this season, funnel neck jackets, dark wash denim, ballet sneakers, fitted blazers, statement jewelry, and animal print.
I don’t think all six deserve a spot in your closet, and I’ll walk you through why, trend by trend. I’ll share the ones I’m wearing this fall and the ones I’m not, so you can make your own call on what to add to your wardrobe this fall.
Funnel Neck Jackets
Funnel neck outerwear has been around for years, but this season it’s genuinely everywhere, and it comes in every style imaginable: sporty track jackets, leather bombers, even classic trench coats all have funnel neck versions right now. As trends go, this one isn’t exciting, but it might be the easiest of the six to actually wear. A funnel neck jacket styles just as well over a t-shirt and jeans as it does over something dressier, and I’d bet you already have a version of this hanging in your closet right now.
Statement Jewelry
This is an easy yes. It’s the fastest way to add personality to a simple outfit. Take something basic, add a piece of eye catching jewelry, and you instantly look pulled together. There really aren’t rules here; statement jewelry works with almost anything. But I prefer to let the jewelry do the talking, so I usually pair it with a monochrome outfit; in my case that’s almost always all black. My go-to is a statement necklace, but chunky rings, bracelets, and bold earrings all work.
Animal Print
Animal print is trending again, but at this point it feels less like a trend and more like a fall staple. You’ll see everything from leopard to zebra stripes this season. You won’t catch me near zebra stripes, but I love a classic leopard print, enough that I wrote an entire post on how I style it.
Dark Wash Denim
This is an easy pass for me. I don’t love wearing denim to begin with, and on the rare occasion I do reach for it, it’s always a medium wash, which I find much easier to build outfits around, especially in the colors I gravitate toward. If you love dark denim, go for it but I’ll be sitting this one out.
Fitted Blazers
I haven’t worn a blazer since my senior year of college, when a blazer was an unwritten rule for job interviews. Workplace dress has loosened considerably since then, and outside of a handful of industries, a blazer isn’t something most people reach for regularly anymore. It can still add structure to a casual outfit. Remember when everyone paired one with a graphic tee? However, runways are leaning hard into blazer-and-skirt suiting this season, and that reads overly matronly to me. This one’s a pass.
Ballet Sneakers
This has been a big trend for two seasons running, and it’s one I’m passing on again. Sneakers are a functional shoe for me, worn for the gym or for a lot of walking, nothing else. When I want to feel pretty and feminine while staying comfortable, I reach for a sleek flat instead. They are easy to wear to brunch, coffee, or a bookstore. I don’t have a use case for a sporty looking shoe that can’t actually be worn to do anything sporty.
Final Thoughts on Fall Fashion Trends
You don’t owe any of these six trends a yes just because they’re everywhere this season. The pieces that actually earn a place in your closet are the ones that fit how you already live, not the ones every roundup says you need.
Once you’ve decided which of these trends are actually worth buying, I recommend heading to my fall color trends post for colors to work into your wardrobe.
