Whether you want summer to last forever or the dipping temps take you to your happy place, everyone can get excited about fall fashion. And this year, there’s a lot to celebrate. This autumn’s trends are ones you already know and love (and most likely already live in your closet), except they go just slightly further. They’re all about taking familiar staples and pushing them just left of center. Think: Polka dots, but make them surreal—cartoonish, oversized, and in technicolor. Leather jackets but shrunken down to precious proportions. Your grandmother's favorite pearls but deliberately imperfect and baroque. Even pattern mixing has gotten an upgrade—you have free rein to pair absolutely anything together, the more chaotic, the merrier.
After analyzing every runway look from New York to Paris, we’ve identified the biggest trends that are about to take over your feed, your favorite stores, and your closet. Some are evolutions of ideas we’ve been tracking for seasons, while others knocked us sideways in the best way possible.
Here’s what’s capturing our attention across clothing, shoes, bags, and jewelry—consider this your master class in what to buy, wear, and obsess over this fall.
The Clothing Trends
The ready-to-wear trends this season are all about drama. To hell with practicality! Valentino showed luxurious robes styled as actual coats, while Miu Miu’s slip dresses were styled for dinner and drinks. Sure, it’s already been five years since lockdown had you clearing out a special corner in your closet for your 47+ new sweatsuit sets, but fashion’s comfort conversation is still ongoing. The vibe is just way fancier.
Oh, and get ready to be warm: Faux fur is in and not just for coats. We’re seeing the material in eye-catching stoles and even bra tops at Simone Rocha. This trend is all about texture piled on top of even more texture, adding depth and interest to any layered outfit.
Speaking of depth and interest, you’ll get some more of that with one of fall’s most playful trends: Pattern mixing has reached delightfully chaotic levels. Designers like Thom Browne and Chopova Lowena proved that plaids, stripes, and florals can all live happily in one look. This season, there might not actually be such a thing as clashing.
Ready to dive deeper into the details? Check out our breakdown of fall 2025’s most shoppable clothing trends for everything you need to know.
The Shoe Trends
If there’s one rule for fall footwear, it’s that your shoes should stand out—whether they take the form of witchy (complimentary), pointed toes (more on that later), or sleeker, more streamlined shapes. This season, you’ll see preppy shoes getting extra serious with oxfords and Mary Janes showing up in fall’s traditional rich colors—forest green, oxblood, and the like—the way Thom Browne and Bally intended.
Unserious more your vibe? That’s cool, because summer’s obsession with torpedo sneakers (aka those sleek, low-profile racing shoes) will continue deep into fall and winter, and you can thank Adidas and Dries Van Noten for that.
Oh, and those witchy, pointed-toe boots we were talking about earlier? They’ll certainly have a moment that will outlast spooky season—the more dramatic, the better. If you don’t believe me, just ask Gucci, Lanvin, McQueen, and Dior.
On the flip side, perfectly slouchy, broken-in-looking leather boots are the trend making us want to spend whatever money we’re not spending on fall fashion on indie concert tickets. Also, somewhat controversially, wedges are back. I’m sorry. Or maybe I’m not, because this time, they’re sculptural, with unexpected silhouettes and in flashy materials, like patent leather. I’m just saying, they’re not your typical espadrilles.
Get more details on all our favorite fall 2025 shoe trends.
The Jewelry Trends
Jewelry this season will be less about delicate layering and more about making a statement—the bigger, the weirder, the better. Architectural cuffs that could double as armor will be inescapable, while brooches that look inherited are about to complete almost any outfit. Go wild, go crazy. You should feel free to cluster them together like Miu Miu’s floral bouquets. Or just pin some to your shoes the way Tory Burch did. Like Jibbitz but way posher.
If you’re wondering about necklaces, know that they’re going to be long—we’re talking waist-grazing lengths, loaded with enough charms to sound like wind chimes when you walk. Fringe earrings are back after seasons of tiny hoops, bringing with them all the movement and drama. And for my people who love pearls, you are in for a treat. They’re going baroque with irregular shapes and organic forms to feast your eyes on as the temps get chillier.
See all the jewelry trends that are worth investing in this fall.
The Bag Trends
Autumn’s and winter’s bags are rejecting that pristine, never-been-touched look in favor of something with much more personality. We might be able to thank the industry and culture’s enduring love of Jane Birkin for this. The big idea is pre-scuffed, lived-in leather that looks like it already has stories to tell—very “I don’t care about my expensive bag” energy. Belt buckles are randomly showing up as closures, making even briefcases feel less boring.
For the maximalists, pattern mixing on bags is pure fun—leopard and plaid, stripes and florals, all on one bag. And then there’s the faux fur. Truly, you won’t escape it this season. We’re seeing everything from literal bunny-shaped bags to styles so covered in fluff, they look like pets. Lastly, for anyone who’d rather have instant polish, trending top-handle bags are the perfect thing to reach for.
Head to our complete fall 2025 bag trends guide for all the styles worth carrying.
(Title Image) On Lexy (left): Coat and pants Edward Cuming, top Marge Sherwood, hat Bailey Goldberg, sunglasses Thistles, necklace Van Cleef & Arpels, bag Coachtopia, belt W. Kleinberg. On Tara (right): Shirt Lazoschmidl, sweater Alex Mill, pants Burberry, hat Harlem’s Heaven Hats, tie Coach, bag Mansur Gavriel.
Hair by Ledora at Born Artists. Makeup by Yuui Vision for MAC Cosmetics. Manicure by Honey Nailz at Exposure NY.
Kim Duong is the Deputy Shopping Director at Cosmopolitan, overseeing shopping coverage online for all things fashion, lifestyle, beauty, and sex. When she's not musing about which products are actually worth your hard-earned cash, she's also writing (sometimes slightly unhinged) fashion content in print. You can find her previous writing in Refinery29, InStyle, Travel + Leisure, and StyleCaster. Follow her on Instagram for bottomless cute dog content and did-that-really-happen-to-me story times in her highlights.
