They're Here: The 9 Trends That Will Define Street Style This Fall
Looking ahead at all that fall 2021 has in store for us, there are so many glorious new trends to get excited about. We've already laid the groundwork for the F/W 21 runway trends that will have the biggest impact, but now, it's time to shift our focus to what fashion people will actually be wearing to and from the shows—aka the street style. We always get giddy at the thought of seeing the street style looks from every fashion week since many of them end up setting the trends all on their own. In the meantime, we're placing bets on which new trends will dominate in the season ahead.
Will all shades of green still reign supreme, or will another color trend eclipse it? Will we see fashion people wearing more short or long dresses? Ahead, we're making our predictions on the fall street style trends we expect to see the most of. Scroll down to see the nine trends we're highlighting, from the runway to the wild, and to shop the versions of each that are already available. Only time will tell if we were right or not…
1. Saturated Shades
Color, color, and more color. That's our mantra when it comes to the fall 2021 palette. Highly saturated looks stormed the runways, and as such, we predict fashion people will be turning the saturation up to level 10 and going all in on bold, striking hues.
2. Tonal Layering
The "fashion suit" isn't exactly a brand-new trend, but believe me—suiting is about to be one of the (if not the) most important silhouettes of the coming season and probably the year if we're being honest here. This fall, expect to see lots of tonal iterations on the power suit with creative and slouchy layering.
3. Puffy Accessories
Our heads are in the clouds. Fall accessories, from tote bags to mules, are getting the puffy treatment with padded shapes that are cushy and cloud-like. The extra volume gives a stylish update to staple shoes and bags.
4. Tall, Slouchy Boots
Who's ready for some new boot trends? While knee-high silhouettes have reigned supreme the past few seasons, it's all about over-the-knee styles this fall, especially slouchy shapes like the ones we saw at ACNE Studios and The Row.
5. Bare Midriffs
Yep, skin is… still in. Midriff-baring skirt sets are quickly emerging as the fall micro-trend to watch, and while we can point to runway evidence here, the look is already making waves in our Instagram feeds with matching column-skirt-and-crop top duos.
6. Detached Sleeves
Arm warmers, opera gloves, shrugs. Call them what you will, but we think these detached-sleeve moments are part of a larger movement.
7. Lilac
One big color trend stands to take center stage this fall both on and off the runways, and that is lilac. The new It color is already making its street style debut with the notable Hailey Bieber look below. According to both her ensemble and what the F/W 21 runways are telling us,lilac is the next It color and will soon be everywhere.
8. Slouchy Denim
Gen Z is an opinionated generation, and we're listening to what they have to say on denim. For fall, expect jeans to get slouchier, baggier, and more low-slung as low-rise silhouettes take on a greater share of the denim market.
9. Last But Not Least, the LBD
LBDs will always have a place in our closets, and this season, the street style scene is reinforcing their value. In particular, it's all about mod cuts that refer to the '60s with short hemlines and shift-dress silhouettes. Prada's nylon minis are already a favorite among the style set.
Up next, get inspired by 11 outfits fashion people will wear with their classic jeans this fall.
Anna is an editor on the fashion team at Who What Wear and has been at the company for over five years, having begun her career in the Los Angeles office before relocating to New York, where she's currently based. Having always been passionate about pursuing a career in fashion, she built up her experience interning at the likes of Michael Kors, A.L.C., and College Fashionista before joining the team as a post-graduate assistant editor. Anna has penned a number of interviews with Who What Wear's cover stars over the years, including A-listers Megan Fox, Issa Rae, and Emma Chamberlain. She's earned a reputation for scouting new and emerging brands from across the globe and championing them to our audience of millions. While fashion is her main wheelhouse, Anna led the launch of WWW Travels last year, a new lifestyle vertical that highlights all things travel through a fashion-person lens. She is passionate about shopping vintage, whether it be at a favorite local outpost or an on-the-road discovery, and has amassed a wardrobe full of unique finds. When she's not writing, you can find her shooting street imagery on her film camera, attempting to learn a fourth or fifth language, or planning her next trip across the globe.