From chocolate brown hues to suede materials, I’m obsessed with five fall fashion trends.
Fall has always been my favourite season. The cooler temperatures, the colourful and crunchy leaves, and the fashion of it all are just three small reasons to rejoice. After a very busy, but beautiful summer in the city, I’m more than ready to embrace a slower, cozier energy for the next few weeks. It took an entire weekend and quite a bit of Marie Kondo-inspired purging, but I swapped out all my breezy linen sets and colourful cotton dresses for my chunky knit sweater vests and growing collection of trench coats in anticipation of the fall season. And now that we’re officially in the middle of October, it finally feels like time to add a few extra fall layers.
As an avid outfit repeater, there are certain pieces in my fall wardrobe that I reach time and time again. A cozy cardigan styled with a pair of dramatically wide palazzo pants? Check. A patterned blazer paired with frilly short shorts and matching accessories? Check! An oversized sweater vest over a crisp button-up shirt? Check and check. Fall is truly my time to shine sartorially and there are a few trends that have given me a lot of style inspo lately. Here are five fall trends I can’t stop wearing:
Soft and suede
If anyone stepped into my closet a few years ago, they’d understand very quickly that I love a good faux leather piece. From my pink Hilary MacMillan trench coat and teal midi skirt from Eloquii to the multiple wide leg pants I’ve bought from Reitmans, faux leather was my go-to fall material for a really long time. But now, and over the last year or so, I’ve fallen in love with all things suede.
It was a bit of a slow burn romance, if I’m honest. It first started after eyeing all the buttery soft suede bags that hit the fall runways in 2025 as a part of the boho chic revival. Then came the suede boots followed by the pinafore-styled dresses and mini skirts circa 1970. Now, a full year later, it seems a suede jacket is the must-have item for fall. I’ve got a few items on my shopping list right now —this funnel neck jacket from Anthropologie for one, and this bubble hem skirt from Hilary MacMillan for two — but I found a few suede pieces from Torrid earlier this year, and I finally got to wear them together recently.
I took a lot of inspiration from the preppy collegiate looks I loved seeing in Gossip Girl and styled my matching set with a button up shirt, a tie, frilly socks and a little kitten heel. It’s been one of my favourite outfits so far.
Slip into satin
Now more than ever, the slip dress is finally getting its moment to shine — literally. Popularized in the ’90s by Hollywood darlings (like Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston) and supermodels l(ike Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell), the classic silhouette has found its way back into the closets of celebs and non-celebs alike. I’ve had quite a few simple slip dresses and midi skirts make their way into my fall rotation over the years. But in 2026, the soft and slinky number has finally gotten an upgrade. A little lace trim here. A little asymmetrical hem there. The new slip dress has taken a lot of inspiration from the boudoir and evening wear categories, and has become an absolute staple in every fashion girl’s closet.
My newest, and possibly favourite, addition to my collection is this icy blue slip dress from ASTR the Label. Not only is the colour trending this year, but it has so many fun and eye-catching moments, like the cowl neckline, off-the-shoulder sleeves, and flowy skirt. Styled with a pearl purse and silver accessories, it felt like the perfect Pisces-coded look to wear to the zodiac-themed event I attended last month.
Sporty girl chic
In the spring, I wrote about how athleisure got a very chic, and necessary upgrade. Fast forward a couple seasons, and sporty girl fashion shows no signs of slowly down anytime soon. From soccer-styled jerseys and 80s-inspired windbreakers to satiny track pants and lace-trimmed running shorts, sports have never been more popular, and they’ve influenced the way we wear athleisure.
As someone who really only wears tracksuits when I’m running errands or lounging at home, I’ve been dipping my toes into the trend. One of my favourite sporty looks came about after falling in love with these pants from Old Navy. After wearing them a couple times, first with a white bubble hem peplum top and then with an old bomber jacket from the Smiley x H&M collaboration, I can confirm they will be in rotation for the foreseeable future. And once I have a little extra time, I’m planning to sew little white bows along the sides — just to add a little whimsy!
Suits me
Nothing says power dressing quite like a good suit. As a thirty-something woman, I’ve spent a solid decade investing in a capsule wardrobe of suiting. From a classic blazer-trouser combination to a Chanel-inspired tweed skirt suit, I’d like to think I have a pretty good collection of suits and workwear separates. But every now and then, I’ll come across a piece or a two that makes me realize I’ve barely scratched the surface. After seeing this matching grey pinstripe peplum top and trouser set at Penningtons, I realized I don’t have a lot of patterned suiting. But I really, really enjoy wearing prints. I’m making it a mission to add some bolder pieces to my workwear collection. Plaid, stripes, houndstooth — the options are endless.
Chocolate brown everything
If I had to pick one colour to wear for the rest of the fall season, it would be chocolate brown. Don’t get me wrong, I love bright, bold colours like red and pink, but during the cooler months it’s nice to settle into deeper hues like brown, burgundy, and purple. Chocolate brown is the perfect choice for me because it feels like softer, warmer version of black. It’s still a neutral colour, so I have lots of room to play with different colour combos. But, it also looks very elevated by itself in a more monochromatic look. Over the last couple of years, I’ve been gravitating toward chocolate brown, adding more and more pieces to my fall and winter wardrobe. A pair of comfy palazzo pants, a pair of suede sling-backs, and a purse from Winners that is basically a dupe for this gorgeous Turnlock Haversack Bag by Coach. Things I’m currently coveting? This beautiful maxi dress, this horse-shaped JW Pei bag, these kitten heel boots!
What are the fall trends you’re loving this season? Tell me in the comments.
