Fall Fashion Worth Trying (And What to Let Go Of)
Updated: 5 days ago
I'll admit fashion isn't usually my lane. But fall has a way of making even non-fashion people want to shop, and shopping is my lane. There's just something about sweater weather and layering that gets everyone a little excited. So, I did some digging into what's actually trending this fall, and pulled together what feels genuinely wearable, not just runway spectacle nobody's actually putting on in real life.
The Color Everyone's Wearing: Purple
If you buy exactly one new thing this fall, let it be something purple. It's the color of the season, everything from soft lavender to a deep, moody eggplant, and it's showing up in sweaters, jackets, even shoes. It's an easy color to work into what you already own too, since it pairs well with the browns, tans, and creams most fall wardrobes are already built around. Invigorating and refreshing are the words used to describe the 2026 Fall Fashion palette, adding in a few new pieces can certainly help ease you in, I mean who doesn't love purple (Jay's favorite color to boot).
Oversized Cardigans
The chunky, slightly oversized cardigan is having a real moment, and it might be the easiest trend on this list to adopt. Throw it over a simple tee and jeans, or over a dress for something a little dressier. It's cozy, it's forgiving, and it works for pretty much every body type and age.
Plaid and Check, Everywhere
Tartan, gingham, and plaid are back in a big way this season. You don't need a full plaid outfit to get in on it, a plaid scarf, a check blazer, or even just a plaid flannel layered under a solid sweater does the job. It's a classic fall print for a reason, and this year it's especially on trend.
The Matching Blazer and Skirt Set
This one's a great trick if you want to look pulled together without actually thinking too hard. A matching blazer and skirt set does all the styling work for you, wear it together for something polished, or break the pieces apart and wear them separately with other things you already own, doubling your outfit options from one purchase.
Ballet Sneakers
A cross between a ballet flat and a sneaker, these are turning into the transitional shoe of the season. They work with jeans, a midi skirt, or leggings, and they read as put-together without actually being uncomfortable, which feels like the whole point at this stage of life.
A Barn Jacket or Classic Trench
Outerwear is where fall fashion really gets to shine, and both the barn jacket and the classic trench are having a strong season. If the name doesn't immediately bring an image to mind, think boxy, canvas or twill, workwear-inspired, the kind of jacket that looks equally at home over jeans or a dress. I have one in off-white with a brown plaid collar that I adore, and it's become one of those pieces that works with almost everything in my closet. It adds a little rugged texture over a soft outfit, jeans and a tee, a floral dress, whatever you've got. A trench, meanwhile, never really goes out of style, it just gets a fresh reason to come back out every fall.
Fall Shoes, Beyond Just Boots
Boots get most of the attention every fall, but they're not the only option, and they're not for everyone (wide calves are a real and common reason tall boots just don't work, and that's completely fine). A couple of dressier alternatives having a real moment this season:
Two-tone ballet flats — a classic silhouette with a color-block twist, dressy enough for work or an evening out, without needing a heel
Loafers — still going strong, and endlessly versatile with everything from trousers to a skirt
Both read as put-together and a little more polished than a sneaker, which makes them a great fit if your personal style leans dressier than casual.
That said, one of my favorite looks right now doesn't skip sneakers at all, its dressier pieces paired with a clean leather or canvas sneaker instead of a heel. It's part of why I own so many pairs from Taos, they go with nearly everything, dress up a simple outfit without looking like you tried too hard, and they're actually comfortable enough to wear all day. If you haven't tried pairing a nicer top or dress with a leather sneaker instead of your usual shoe, this is the season to test it out.
An Animal Print Accent, If You're Feeling Bold
Animal print, especially leopard, is showing up on coats and shoes this season in a way that feels more elevated than trendy-for-a-minute. You don't need to commit to a full animal print outfit, one statement piece, a coat or a pair of shoes, is plenty to feel current without feeling like you tried too hard.
Building a Simple Fall Capsule
You don't need to buy everything on this list to feel like your wardrobe is updated. A genuinely easy capsule for the next few months could be as simple as: one purple sweater, one oversized cardigan, one plaid accent piece (scarf or blazer), a pair of ballet sneakers, and either a barn jacket or trench as your outerwear. Mix and match those with the jeans, slim pants (leggings if they are structured), and basics you already own, and you've got a season's worth of outfits from just a handful of new pieces.
While You're At It, Make Room for the New Stuff
If there's anything sitting in your closet that you know, deep down, you're never actually going to wear again, this is a good time to pull it out. The piece you had to have and then never once put on. The expensive distressed jeans that seemed like such a good idea and just never felt like you. The sweater that's still in great shape but stopped being something you actually reach for a while ago.
It's not about the item being bad, it's just not you anymore, and that's fine. Someone else would love to actually wear it. This matters even more with the warmer stuff, sweaters, sweatshirts, jackets, coats, since living in the Midwest means cold weather shows up fast and hard. Those pieces are exactly the ones a donation center or a friend in need can put to immediate use, rather than sitting in the back of a closet doing nothing for anyone.
So, as you're bringing in a few new fall pieces, pull a bag together of what's not earning its space anymore. Your closet gets lighter, and someone else gets a warm coat before the first real cold snap hits.
What's Quietly on Its Way Out
A few things fading from the current rotation: overly distressed skinny jeans, Peplum jackets, over-sized shackets, ruffle tops, cold-shoulder tops (replace with wraps or draped tops), and the ultra-stark, logo-free minimalism that's dominated the last few years. Fashion is leaning back toward texture and detail, embroidery, fringe, richer fabrics, so if your closet has felt a little too plain lately, that's exactly the direction things are shifting.
That said, if something on the "out" list is still a favorite in your closet, keep wearing it. Trends are a fun place to visit, not a rulebook. Take what sounds fun, skip what doesn't, and enjoy the parts of fall fashion that actually feel like you.
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