What Customers Are Wearing Apparel and Fashion Accessories Trends from Apparel Stores

Earth tones are in, and nowhere more than at the two Phoenix General boutiques in that Arizona city. After all, explained Co-Owner Joshua Hahn, terracotta, khaki green, and russet are not only trendy — they’re also desert colors, reflecting the beauty of Phoenix’s landscape. “We’re also seeing pops of neon this season, like neon green alongside olive,” Hahn noted.

Across the country, muted colors and soft, cozy styles are in vogue. And after years of skin tight denim, looser fits are now in demand. “We’ll always have a skinny fit customer, but everybody wants the wider leg styles right now,” said Hahn. Cow prints are also popular this winter at the 1,200-square-foot retail outlets, where Hahn has also observed clients layering sweater vests over white T-shirts.

Young professionals, ages 25 to 45, are Phoenix General’s prime customer. Hahn said this generation prioritizes quality over quantity. “Our customer is willing to spend a little more, and maybe buy fewer items,” he said. That pattern, he explained, fits into the store’s emphasis on “sustainability and ethical practices.”

In Portsmouth, N.H., it’s all about “soft, comfy clothing,” noted Lynda Raczek , Owner of 20 Below Boutique. “I’m selling a lot of plush hoodies, soft pants, anything that allows people to be comfortable.”

The 800-square-foot store caters to patrons from 20 to 60. “We have a range of styles to appeal to different shoppers, so mothers and daughters can come together and each find something they like,” explained Raczek. Summer brings an influx of tourists, and weekends remain busy year-round, with visitors attracted to Portsmouth’s downtown dining scene.

This fall, those shoppers aren’t only looking for soft styles; the color palette is soft as well. Lighter hues such as putty pink and mint green have done well, along with traditional, darker fall colors like army green and, forest and burgundy.

Neutral, earthy colors like beige are all the rage for casual wear at Kissy, a family-owned boutique in Pitts-