Your Guide to Fall 2021 Trends
As the last little bit of summer fades out and amber leaves replace the green, it is once again time to dress for cooler weather. Fear not, because a new season brings with it the promise of cool outfits to wear. Personally, fall is my favourite season. Once it gets to 10- to 15-degree weather and a slight breeze nips at your cheeks, that is the perfect time to find your best layers and cozy up with a warm drink. Alas, seasons come and go and, certainly, so do trends. I have compiled a list of this season’s trends and how I’m styling them. Use one, all, or none, I hope you find it informing and fun. Let’s go!
Printed pants
While scouring the internet, I have come across printed pants at every turn. It is a fun way to add some flavour to your outfit without having an abundant amount of accessories. While some like to stick to ‘safe’ patterns such as plaid, others like more outrageous prints. I am a fan of all types of prints but my current favourites are this pair I picked up from the Simons sale rack ($10.99) some time two years ago. I am proud to say I have made heads turn while wearing these pants. They fit so comfortably and have a good mix of colours that make this item fun to pair with others. In this outfit, I decided to pull from the black on the spots and wear this black puffed-sleeve smocked top from H&M (also bought on sale, $3.99!!!). My choice to wear a black top with this outfit is to juxtapose the busyness of the pants. However, I gave up no style as I went for an elevated basic instead of just a plain t-shirt. I wrapped up the outfit with my trusty loafers and called this a look!
2. Saturated hues
Photographed by Cedrick Fortin, @cedrick_fortin on instagram
As any fashion-savvy individual has seen, saturated hues are the buzz for 2021. Fashion wants to ditch the drab and depressing vibes of the last year and welcome a brighter future with brighter colours. Some of the most popular looks in this category are when two brightly coloured items are paired together to create an outfit with a punch. While I’m a big fan of colour, I tend to style my bold pieces with something neutral that will make the bright colour stand out. Here, I’m wearing the bright pink version of the puff-sleeved smocked top from above, my tried-and-true Levi’s Ribcage Straight Ankle jeans, and my cream and red Reebok sneakers. This look will still manage to turn heads without having to break the bank.
3. 70’s style
If any of you know me personally, you would know that this is THE trend that fits me the best. I have been a lover of the 60s/70s era for quite a while now for the music, the fashion, and the culture of '“peace, love, and rock ‘n’ roll”. The 70s style trend refers back to large, fanned-out silhouettes, psychedelic prints, and bold colours. Personally, I’ve incorporated this into every aspect of my style with my Golden Eyebuydirect glasses to my subtle use of colour. This is definitely a trend that will sustain beyond the cool fall months for me. In the first outfit, I am wearing a thrifted yellow button-up top, thrifted Forever 21 plaid-printed pants that I picked up from a consignment shop, and my Reebok sneakers. It is a quintessential 70s-inspired look as it highlights the bell-bottom-esque pants and follows the warm-toned colour scheme of the era. In the second look, I am wearing a thrifted long-sleeve floral silk top, Simons black skirt, and my newsboy cap. Floral print was huge in the 70s and I think the print and colour-scheme is reminiscent of the decade. For the skirt, I have seen these mini skirts across many magazine clippings from the era so I thought it was a good fit for the outfit. I have so many more 70s-inspired looks that I may dedicate an entire blog post to how I style 60s/70s-inspired looks!
4. Fringe
Fringe is a style that ebbs and flows, in terms of trendiness. It goes from fashion-forward to your grandma’s nostalgic nightmare to trendy again. The loop that never ends, as with many other trends. With this one, fall 2021 is putting a twist on the original fringe trend. We’re revamping, people! Experimenting with new patterns and fabrics is what we’re all about. I have two pieces that could be considered fringe-y and I absolutely love them both. The first is this beautiful 1920’s-inspired flapper-style dress that I have belted at the waist here. I paired the dress with a white t-shirt underneath, white socks, my black loafers, and finished the look off with my black newsboy cap. I think this outfit is an elevated version of your ‘little black dress’ outfit and plays into the trend of fringe. Second, I showcase this beautiful thrifted denim fringe jacket from Zara. It’s a ‘just-above-the-knee’ length coat with all these wonderful fringe pieces along the chest and the back of the piece. I can definitely pair this with a simple turtleneck and trousers or go for a bold “Canadian Tuxedo” look! Stay tuned!
5. Dark academia
Ah, yes, academia style. A personal favourite of mine. I can’t help but cling towards it as I sit in a dimly lit lecture hall on the daily. But let’s be honest. We have all seen Harry Potter and just absolutely wanted to have their wardrobe, prance around the haunted halls, and bask in the glory of that enormous library. Dark academia focuses on “academic” style (blazers, sweaters, plaid, loafers, etc.) with a darker colour palette. My favourite ways to style this is either a suited look complete with a blazer and dress pants, or a more casual look opting for a sweater vest and some comfy shoes. Here, the first picture shows me wearing a beautiful white collared shirt, thrifted jacket, thrifted black trousers (featured in my Best Thrifted Items post), and my loafers. The second offers a cooler feel for this humid fall. I am wearing a thrifted black sweater vest, thrifted black and white skort (yes, shorts that look like a skirt) and my thrifted leather boots. I added my faux leather jacket on top to give the outfit some edge while also protecting myself from the rainy conditions of the day. Overall, I love this style and will also make a separate post elaborating on this style as it holds a dear place in my heart and I have so much to share!
6. Large tote/shopper-style bags
With a renewed need to leave the house, comes a readjustment of what to bring with you. For some of us (myself included), it is difficult to curate it down to the bare essentials. We all have those “just-in-case” items that we cannot find ourselves capable of parting with for the quotidian journey. Luckily, your large bag is back in style! So, bring all of your “just-in-case” items and then some! Here, I show my Ikea tote backpack, which has lots of pockets to fit all my items, and my friend’s tote bag, for variety.
That’s all for this week, folks! Comment which is your favourite!