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Just as summer’s most popular styling motifs have started to feel stale (sorry, rosettes!), 2023’s fall fashion trends are here to help us hit the reset button. The vibe this season has been hailed as so-called quiet luxury, i.e., high-quality capsule wardrobe essentials that don’t draw attention to themselves. But while that’s not exactly wrong (we saw many trench coats layered over jeans), it’s not the whole story.
This season’s runways were dominated by one color: rich red, which popped up in practically every show. Much styling leaned minimalist, with high-quality takes on essentials—casual black leggings, white T-shirts, fall coats, cozy sweaters—arranged into pared-down ensembles you can wear to work, and will carry over seamlessly into winter. On the other end of the spectrum, art-inspired prints, witchy silhouettes, and glitzy shoes abounded. And 2010s style is officially back; the era’s staples, like peplum and off-the-shoulder tops, have been reinterpreted for right now. (Fear not: They look great.)
Breathe some new life into your closet with these fall fashion trends, which are about to be big. To interpret them with your existing wardrobe, you can also shop our trend edit below—and get a head start on this season’s most exciting pieces. These are the 2023 runway trends you need to know about now.
All-red everything
Ask any designer and you’ll get the same answer: The color of fall 2023 is red. As opposed to the typically muted earth tones you’d expect for fall, the hue is bold and beguiling, handily commanding a room or a social feed. No matter your shade of choice—Wiederhoeft’s vermillion, Tory Burch’s tomato, Ferragamo’s garnet—a tonal outfit, starting with a pair of red flats, is the easiest way to make a statement this season.
Sweater weather
Not sure if anyone has ever realized this before, but fall is a stellar time to throw on a sweater. Labels like Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton, and Victoria Beckham showed perfectly oversized knits styled with exceptionally cozy accoutrements like leggings and winter scarves. If you needed one last sign telling you to add to your collection of jumpers ahead of sweater weather, this is it.
Working girl
Even if you don’t have an office job, you might find yourself dressing like you do before long. The mood this fall is workplace staples with a twist: secretary skirts with visible underwear at Miu Miu, extra-long pussy-bow blouses at Givenchy, blazer dresses at GCDS. An overtone of ’80s power dressing permeated the Saint Laurent and Armani runways, should you prefer to clock in wearing shoulder pads. You probably own everything you need to get in on this one—but a new blazer or pair of fall shoes never hurts.
Bows everywhere
Girlhood is the hottest thing in fashion right now, and bows are its greatest signifier. Coquettish, feminine, and ever-so-slightly subversive, bows of all sizes can turn any regular garment—a dress, a cardigan, a headband—into capital-F Fashion. (Bonus points if you incorporate them into your beauty routine, like Simone Rocha’s bows that were attached to models’ faces like teardrops.)
Metallic footwear
What started as a summer micro trend has boiled over into a full-blown stampede of metallic shoes: sneakers, heels, boots, ballet flats—you name it. While there was plenty of gold on fall’s runways, flat silver is the color of the moment. (Beyoncé even asked fans to wear silver on the final leg of her Renaissance tour.) Grab some chrome kicks and get stomping.
Off-the-shoulder
Slinky, sexy, and surprisingly versatile, off-the-shoulder silhouettes are poised to make a grand comeback this season. Tory Burch and Paloma Wool kept their interpretations relatively simple, while Jonathan Simkhai, Acne Studios, and Carolina Herrera dressed up the look with straps and puff sleeves. Why not show a little collarbone this fall? (You can always cover up with a scarf if you get chilly.) Just invest in a good strapless bra.
Black topcoats
Even the trend-averse can agree that a long, black coat is never a bad investment for fall. Valentino and Ferragamo showed office-ready interpretations, while Coach and Givenchy proved yet again that nothing looks quite so sharp as a turtleneck under a coat. (Prada and Luar, meanwhile, want you to show some chest—chilly breeze be damned.) There’s no insider knowledge or styling know-how necessary; these fall jackets will look great with everything you already own today and years from now.
Peplum, redefined
While the word peplum might trigger cringy flashbacks to a decade ago, the silhouette is undeniably back in fashion. As Y2K’s grand comeback starts to slow down and designers turn their attention to the 2010s, peplum tops are getting the remix treatment. This time around we’re seeing subtle flares at Collina Strada, ruched tops at Tove, expertly tailored blazers at Balmain, and undone corsetry at Tory Burch—and we’re into it.
Navy on black
If age-old styling adages are to be believed, navy and black should never touch—and yet some of fall’s most arresting shows mixed the two colors to great effect. It’s an important reminder: As long as you trust what you’re doing, you’re free to break the rules. Go ahead and pull on a navy blazer and roomy black trousers the next time you’re ready to push the envelope, even just a little.
Normcore 2.0
You really can never go wrong with a perfect T-shirt, button-down, blazer, or pair of trousers—which is probably why so many brands showed some combination of these staples. Miu Miu and Gucci, most of all, put high-fashion spins on the outfits you probably already wear on grocery runs. The takeaway? Sometimes luxury is nothing more than slipping into a stylish yet unremarkable ensemble that makes you feel chic. Time to re-up your stash of jeans, trenches, and sweatshirts.
Art prints
Collector-worthy prints made an appearance on plenty of runways this season, from Stella McCartney’s high-end horses to Loewe’s dresses printed with images of other dresses. Paco Rabanne raided Dalí’s oeuvre for its collection, while Puppets and Puppets featured blown-up images from a Gaspare Traversi painting. Clearly, fashion has art on the brain this season—so lean into it with these printed picks.
Gothic romance
The nights are getting longer—time to get in touch with your witchy side. Rodarte kicked off fashion month with a knockout show in which models floated by like members of a vampiric coven, all black velvet and lace. Elsewhere, blood-red ribbons at Simone Rocha, Wednesday Addams–esque styling at Adeam, and sheer corsetry at Versace evoked the same gothic glamour. You don’t need to go quite so Siouxsie Sioux at home; just add some ribbons, lace, and dramatic collars to your rotation.
