Early September can only mean one thing – the arrival of colder weather and more importantly, the arrival of autumn/winter fashion. AW style is a favourite for many fashion lovers, and allows you to be more experimental with layers, textures and winter accessories.
Catwalks for this season were a lot more fun than usual, with several designers focusing heavily on bold statement pieces such as those with colour and bold prints. The colour palette was pretty neutral as always, but saw pops of army green at a lot of shows, amongst other colours. The likes of DKNY, Hardy Amies and Prada, however, included a bit of brown and burnt orange alongside all their grey and navy, which stood out against the plainer styles. These autumnal tones are perfect for this time of the year and it’s an interesting look to try.
You can colour block or mix and match pieces, as showcased at the 2014 Topman show, which had some colour. You don’t have to go all out with colour though, and can instead add small pops of colour in to your looks, such as with shoes or a bold top. This helps keep it more low key, and you can also add in more subtle hues of these shades. Pair this with blacks or navy so you’re not washed out in one colour and have a more reserved outfit. You can also never go wrong with brown, especially as an alternative to black. It is as sophisticated and classy as black, while adding a bit more personality to an otherwise traditional eveningwear look. Add in a bit of tweed and you have the gentleman look all sorted. With winter comes a lot of winter parties and a brown suit is sure to turn heads by looking sleek and dapper.
This season sees an influx of sleek and tailored suits, that were prominent among key designers, and it’s not hard to get this just-off-the-catwalk-look. Valentino particularly had some formal suits that you can wear out and about, with Hackett London and Michael Kors going more along the more casual line, with larger jackets as a trend. Statement and oversized coats are set to be another huge trend this season, with both the catwalks and the high street playing up to this. The likes of Burberry has a great selection of unique coats, with many featuring shearling collars – another big AW trend – and bold prints. It is all about keeping and looking warm, which is a nice change from previous winters, and there were lots of fur linings and parka jackets to bundle up in.
Larger and unstructured coats are great for this transitional weather too, where it’s cooler in the mornings but still really hot on public transport or later on in the day. One big layer allows you to just take it all off in one instead of peeling off numerous layers throughout the day. There’s a nice selection of winter jackets here, that will see you through the season, keeping you warm and stylish.
While a darker colour palette was visible at the likes of Louis Vuitton, Rag and Bone and AllSaints, each brand still managed to give it a refreshed appearance. The black and grey in their latest collections are edgy and alternative, but also see’s various hints of colour and subtle prints that still make more of a statement. They included a lot of layering which is always a great trend to pull off during the AW season. Pairing jumpers with larger coats, or the iconic denim jacket with tailored black trousers (such as those see on the Tom Ford catwalk) and a darker top is perfect for a laid back look. If you want to continue making a statement, printed scarves and large bags are big in menswear this season. Printed scarves aren’t usually a big menswear trend, but the AW catwalks were showered in them for the season and they are all over the stores available to buy. It was a popular trend at the likes of Burberry Prorsum and Sibling, and have been seen on the streets so far this season too so you know it’s one that is here to stay.
It’s easy to make these trends more transitional as we slowly head into autumn and before it gets too cold. Cover up with one of the jacket trends as it gets cooler to layer over shirts and bold tops or use some accessories to add your own flair to the rest of the outfit. Skinny and fitted trousers are a staple for the season too and they’ll go well with your summer t-shirts for a more laid back look. As mentioned, add in some colour and prints to the otherwise dull winter styles we see every year and stand out from the crowd.
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