Finding YOUR style for the fall season

The time of year when we reluctantly say goodbye to sunshine and put away our bikinis and summer dresses is never easy. The colder weather, however, does have one redeeming quality: the fashion. With it being colder outside, we are forced to put more thought into our morning clothing choices. Autumn, as well as winter, brings refreshing takes on fashion: we are revisited by the idea of layering, jackets and coats often become the main element of an outfit, and we are invited to play with warmer textures such as knit, wool, and leather. Although exciting, this dramatic wardrobe shift can feel daunting. You may have only just mastered your summer style when all of a sudden none of it is wearable for a considerable period of time. I’m here to relieve that worry, giving you my top tips on how to find your style for the upcoming fall season.

Fashion and its trends are something that are ever evolving and developing. With everyone – brand to designer to consumer – being present on social media today, such platforms have quickly become the main way through which the fashion community stays up to date. Thus, when finding inspiration for your fall wardrobe, Instagram and TikTok are your best friends. Not only can you follow your favourite clothing brands, but you can follow individuals who are styling these clothes. It’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it. The rise of influencers in the fashion world has been unprecedented, for instance, with people such as Matilda Djerf who has gained an army of over 2.5 million loyal Instagram followers and 250k subscribers to her YouTube channel. Through posting her outfits and styling tips, Matilda has reached a large enough audience to launch her own highly successful clothing brand ‘Djerf Avenue’. She is just one of many whose unique signature style has influenced the way many people dress today. So, spending time finding a couple of influencers whose style you love can majorly help when outfit lacking inspiration. Don’t underestimate the importance of the word inspiration. It is easy to get lost in the sea of trends, especially seeing the same ones repeatedly on and around our own university campus, but finding your own fall style is a whole different ball game. You may love an outfit you see someone wearing online or in real life, but rather than copying it exactly, try just taking inspiration from it. Take the time to ask yourself:

WHICH ELEMENTS OF THIS OUTFIT ARE MAKING IT ATTRACTIVE TO ME?

WHAT ELSE COULD I PAIR THESE ELEMENTS WITH?

COULD I TRY IT IN A DIFFERENT COLOUR, LENGTH, MATERIAL, ETC.?

Another online space always guaranteed to inspire is Pinterest. One of my biggest tips is to Pinterest board your life away! Unlike other social media, such as TikTok, which place an onus on being very up to date, Pinterest offers a more curated collection of images with a larger range of styles on display. The number of different outfits and items you gain exposure to is unlimited. With such a large assortment of images, this platform is invaluable to acquiring a personal sense of fashion as you are attracted and repelled by certain outfits and items that you may not otherwise see. Assembling pins onto a designated fall fashion board as you browse is so helpful as you can simply refer back to it and instantly get ideas and a general sense of what vibe you want the outfits you are wearing to have. For example, without registering it, you might look at your board and instantly be able to see that you’ve pinned many outfits with big, woolly, oversized jumpers. This therefore may become one of your first investments and new fall staples.

Similarly to Pinterest, which offers a space for you to visually rummage through different styles, I find that charity shops and vintage stores provide a means for you to do this in a physical sense. The obvious major advantage of sustainability aside, pre-loved pieces add another dimension to your wardrobe. Most of these clothes are good quality, having already stood the test of time. These kinds of shops aid you in finding your own style as they create the opportunity of coming across one of a kind, individualistic items. Said items can then become defining factors of your wardrobe and your style as they’re clearly distinguishable from anything that anyone else owns. Because charity shops tend to be very affordable, they’re a great way to start experimenting with your style. It’s okay to try wearing something and later decide it’s not for you. Charity shop prices allow for some wiggle room and allows you to buy sustainably season to season.

Finding your own style is, in general, a slow process and your sense of fashion will evolve and change over the years – be patient, take risks, and have fun with it!