Fallin’
These cold months whisper 'pumpkin spice latte' in our ears all year round, and as much as we try to ignore it, our Uggs are crying in the closet, desperate to be worn. But each year, autumnal celebrations and the fashion scene fall like the autumn leaves and rebuild with cool, new trends. What's trending in 2024, and what remains as worldwide favourites?
Autumn Fashion
One aspect of autumn that consumes my mind and my feed is couture. A change in season means a wardrobe rejuvenation, new microtrends, and new designs on the runways. (Yay!) One iconic raiment that has harvested the best crops (...crops being lewks) in my eyes is scarves. Chunky scarves, knitted scarves, neutral scarves, whatever you want. The occasion doesn’t matter—a scarf can accentuate a simple outfit and protect you from the crisp air at the same time. Once you get past the initial period of lint rolling everything in sight because there is now white fluff everywhere, scarves are easily the best part of autumn. Cosy. Instagrammable. ‘Clean girl’ vibes. I love styling a chunky cable knit scarf like a sort of foliage for humans: alongside a long coat, jeans or flares, and a pair of Uggs or trainers. TikTok and Instagram girls approved. TikTok in particular is as decorated with look books as ever, or if you prefer, you can get some cool inspiration from designers’ A/W collections.
Paco Rabanne fall-winter runway 2024 by Julien Dossena. Accessed via Rabanne website. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
The Paco Rabanne runway is one to keep a keen eye on, not just in autumn. However, this particular fall/winter look stood out to me as it accentuates some of my favorite pieces of fall fashion: tights, coats, and (very necessary) layers.
Pumpkins
Pumpkin spice latte, we all say in unison. Holidays are a beautiful way to spend some quality time with family—we all live busy lives, and it’s easy to get lost in the twists and turns of everyday life that we forget to look around once in a while. Halloween—falling in fall, duh—is no exception. Pumpkin picking, sweet treats, costumes, fun all around. It’s like the arctic outside but feeling the love makes everything feel…warm. Pumpkins, in general, are one of my top picks for the best things about fall. And clearly, Starbucks agrees; somewhere along the line, they got word of the delicious flavor and added it to…literally everything. Pumpkin spice latte. Pumpkin cookies. Pumpkin cold brew. Pumpkin mugs. If the saying 'you are what you eat' was literal, Starbucks baristas and myself would probably be a beautifully auburn, scuff-free, organically grown pumpkin. All thanks to fall. Pumpkins are so versatile; it’s a shame they’re only around to pick or buy during fall. Pick your own pumpkin patches are a wonderful fall trend. Pick your own farms are fun all year round but they have that extra chilly delight for the last few months. We have strawberries, apples, blackcurrants, and the like in summer, but as a hayfever sufferer and flying-insect phobic, I am more drawn to the pumpkin patches of autumn instead. Pumpkin patches, as well as aesthetic, have history as a tradition. Going back 7000 or so years, pumpkins were first grown by the Aztecs and Mayans in what we now know as Mexico, to be used for food, medicine, and drinking vessels. They were later introduced to Europe by the French, who brought them to England in the 16th Century to be used for cooking comfort foods, such as soups. Yummy. It became tradition around the world to pick, cook, and carve pumpkins around this time of year; specifically Halloween. And social media keeps it going in the modern day, obviously. If the Kardashians post about pumpkins, we must all carve pumpkins. The Pumpkin Patch as we know it today is one of my favorite aspects of autumn. Even if I don’t feel like walking through mud and slimy pumpkin guts personally, living vicariously through influencers’ social media is enough to boost my mental health.
