*Collaborative post.

Many of us have spent the last few months alternating between pyjamas and joggers. Now, with lockdown measures easing and life slowly beginning to return to something that bears a resemblance to normality, it’s time to look forward to being more adventurous. While it may not be possible to dress up for parties or hit the clubs for a while, most of us are looking forward to getting out and about a little more. With autumn fast approaching, what better time to try out some new looks? Here are some of the hottest seasonal trends to freshen up your wardrobe. 

Picture credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/model-portrait-autumn-sunset-2976506/

Capes

Capes are brilliant for autumn because we often find ourselves trying to dress for four seasons in one day. With a cape, you can throw it over your shoulders if you get a little chilly and remove it if the sun decides to make an appearance. Capes are chic, and they’re an excellent way to dress up casual or understated outfits if you’re going from work to a restaurant, or you’re looking for something that ticks the smart casual box. To maximise style points, opt for a cape in gold, red, black, or camel. These shades are everywhere this autumn. 

Androgenous styling

If you’re a fan of stealing your partner’s hoodies, or you live for smart tailoring, you’re in luck. Androgenous styling is huge this autumn, and there’s a raft of looks to choose from. You can go big and baggy with oversized cardigans, men’s shirts, and loose-fit trousers, or embrace a sharper, more structured look with tailored suits and slim-fit pea coats. If you’re keen to mix and match, or you don’t want to go the whole hog, you can add feminine touches or alter the shape of oversized pieces with printed bags and boots, belts, and delicate jewellery. 

Picture credit – https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-wearing-gray-waist-coat-and-blue-long-sleeved-shirt-953266/

Volume

This season, it’s time to turn up the volume and embrace big sleeves and bold hemlines. Balloon sleeves were spotted all over the autumn/winter catwalks, and there has also been an influx of dresses and skirts with puffball shapes, layering, and tiers. If you’re going for standout sleeves on the top, you might prefer to keep it simple on the bottom, but if you’re feeling brave, you can wear voluminous tops and bottoms together. Adding volume to one part of the body is a great way to balance hips, shoulders and waistlines and showcase curves. 

Checks 

Checks never go out of fashion, and they’re a staple of the autumn wardrobe. This year, patterns such as houndstooth, wintry ginghams, and tartan are popular. The brilliant thing about checks is that you can be as daring as you like. You can put different prints together, you can embrace the trend with a statement piece, for example, a coat or a trouser or skirt suit, or you can add subtle touches through details like bags, shoes, tights, or scarves. 

Image courtesy of https://www.pexels.com/photo/stylish-woman-in-trendy-plaid-clothes-4355673/

After months of dressing down, it’s time to look forward to life after lockdown and get excited about fashion again. As autumn looms, why not embrace these fabulous trends?