I know it’s been sweltering, and we are hopefully all in the throes of summer adventure, however if you haven’t started planning for fall by now, you’re already behind. I say this as a person who found herself buying decorative Halloween pillows on July 12th. So yes, here in July with 90°+ days, I’ve already started looking towards autumn fashion and fun. Here’s a rundown of the upcoming trends for fall 2026.
Each season typically sees a handful of colors trending, and colors are a low-stakes means of incorporating a trend into your personal style. For this autumn, those colors are regal purple, scarlet, fuchsia, and punchy pink.
For the everyday outfitter, I’d recommend picking one of these bold tones to either ground your look with complementary muted pieces or wear in a statement piece or garment.
For those more experienced outfitters, you can definitely play around with pairing pieces from two or three shades in one ensemble. For that latter approach, don’t sleep on cosmetics to combine color. A fuchsia lip, a bold purple sweater, and a scarlet red skirt hit the season’s dynamic aesthetic.
From color to fabric, with the changing season, it’s a return to texture. Summer is all cotton and linen, and keeping it simple to beat the heat. When the leaves change, we swing into knits, wools, tweeds, and velvets. You probably already have garments in these materials. If you’re looking for an upgrade or a refresh, check out the NYDJ Velveteen Tuxedo Jacket from Nordstrom. It comes in “wild currant,” which matches the colors above and can be layered with a blouse and jeans or over a wool shift, like Quince’s Italian Wool Sleeveless Dress in basic grey, navy, or black. For tweed, I’m team herringbone hands down, and I like to start with the menswear section of the thrift store for tweedy blazers. I also prowl around Etsy and Poshmark for tweed pieces. However, if second-hand is not your style, then check out Aqua’s Tweed Jacket at Bloomingdale’s for a classically silhouetted suiting in this fall-friendly fabric.
Speaking of fabric, of course, just about every season has a denim trend, and for this upcoming fall, lighter washes are trending upward with a more lived-in, retro feel. Now, my idea of retro is styles of the 70’s, the current offering of light denim feels retro in a 90’s way. Levi’s Cinch Baggy jeans look exactly like a pair I had circa 1997, especially when styled with Converse sneakers and a baby tee. Yikes! Well, fashion is cyclical; will I be rocking light-wash denim in a 1990’s skater-esque silhouette? No, I leave that for those who did not live through the original cycle of that particular style. However, lighter-wash jackets and skirts, like Gap’s Denim Crop Swing Jacket and Seamed Button-Front Maxi Skirt, are much more my speed for the start of fall.
Another autumnal staple that goes through trend cycles is sweaters, and this fall, the cardigan is king. And not just any cardigans, but candy-colored cardigans. As the days get darker, people tend to gravitate toward darker colors and tones. However, this trend of bright and pastel cardis is pushing people away from boring neutrals and into a more cheerful state of mind. So, consider Everlane’s Cropped Cardigan in Deep Pink as a therapeutic addition to your fall wardrobe.
On the flip side of pastel knitwear is the cardigan with a bit of quirk. Autumn is the perfect season for charming novelty prints and graphics. For a vintage-y take, check out Old Navy’s Seaside Cotton Tie-Front Cardigan featuring an attached tie and rose print that reads grandma chic, but in a good way. For a more sophisticated option, there’s Lilly Pulitzer’s Maralisa Jacquard Cardigan in pink with a floral and sunshine design, perfect for the transitional time as summer slowly gives way to fall.
These are just a handful of accessible trends to start thinking about adding to your personal style as we head toward a new season. There are many more out there, so this is by no means an exhaustive list. But a start, I mean, “layering” can be its own separate article.
