These Are the Biggest Fall 2020 Trends, Period

While at times it feels like summer only just began, here at Who What Wear, we can’t help but excitedly look forward to next season's impending arrival. Aside from the usual basics and cold-weather essentials that will be re-entering our wardrobes soon, there are also countless runway trends we’ve been waiting patiently since February to buy and wear when the time comes. Well, with fall officially 22 days away, there's no time like the present to jump on all of your 2020 fall trend shopping, so let's get started. 

This season was flooded with exciting new styles that perfectly bridged the gap between fanciful and practical. Including frilly fringe, completely reimagined blazers, and built-in chains and hardware, there was a lot to talk about, but today, we're here to chat about not just some of the trends of fall 2020, but the biggest ones. By no means is this an exclusive list of the only seasonal trends you should care about, but if you're looking to get a jump on your F/W 20 shopping, this is the best place to start. Just keep scrolling. You'll see. 

From early on at NYFW, it was clear that opera gloves were a front-runner for the season's biggest—and possibly least expected—accessory trend. If you would have told us six months ago just how practical they would have ended up being, we wouldn't have believed you, but in light of the current pandemic, a trendy glove moment actually makes sense. While your natural styling inclination is likely to pair these elbow-length gloves with all things formal, designers showed us that doesn't have to be the case. The gloves we know clearly grew up and worked their way into outfits consisting of suiting, casual coats, and much more. 

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While they ranged in shape, color, and size, the common theme of chains was impossible to miss across runways and presentations in all four cities. Most notably, garments and accessories with built-in chains took the cake at shows such as Bottega Veneta, Dion Lee, and Rokh. The trend looks just as good in our favorite sites’ new-arrivals sections now as it did on the models back in February. Whether you opt for a dress, heels, or even chain-link earrings for a subtler nod to the look, be sure to incorporate this one into your wardrobe in one way or another.

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We weren’t sure when we’d be ready for an over-the-knee-boot resurgence, but when we saw how designers both created and styled them for F/W 20, we knew that embracing them (again) wasn’t just likely but rather inevitable. What makes this season’s batch particularly special is the tighter and sleeker silhouette of the boots—a departure from the looser, slouchier styles of seasons past. The fit not only gives them a more modern feel but also lends itself to a more flattering look under dresses, coats, and skirts.

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By far one of the most talked-about trends this season was cutouts. Spotted on everything from heavy knits to formal dresses, this not-so-subtle detail was the exciting trend we didn't know we would end up needing this fall. Designers like Aliétte and Christopher Kane took a more eveningwear approach to the trend, while Dion Lee and Area proved even the simplest of silhouettes can be completely reinvented via these contemporary cutouts. As far as shopping goes, the sky is the limit, but we are particularly fond of hip-exposing skirts, spliced-up shoulders, and, of course, a peekaboo-blazer moment. 

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From deceptively subtle nods to blatantly obvious references, always-chic equestrian style manifested itself in countless forms on the F/W 20 runways. Whether through riding-inspired boots, coats, high-collared blouses, hats, handbags, or several items at once, there were as many ways to get inspired from the runways as there are options to get the look for yourself now. The jury is still out on our favorite approach, but any of the below finds is a foolproof starting point.

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Don't get rid of your basic blazers altogether, but before you go buying yet another boxy plain black one, consider these reworked versions instead. While deconstruction almost always presents itself as a prominent theme across most seasons, this time, we saw less deconstruction and more reinvention. Designers added an almost-supernatural touch and presented a slew of blazers that were so reworked they were almost unrecognizable. Including fringed hems, asymmetrical draping, and two-tone color palettes, this particular trend will have you excited to welcome fall suiting back into your life in no time. 

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There is always one color that reigns supreme each season, and for F/W 20, that color is chocolate brown. Last year, it seemed like head-to-toe beige was all anyone could talk about, and while it was a sleek look, to say the least, we would be lying if we said we weren't excited to welcome this deep and rich color into our wardrobes this season. A full chocolate look is definitely the goal, but don't underestimate the power of a stunning chocolate-brown handbag or pair of shoes to complement the rest of the fall trends you've been adding to your cart thus far. 

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Fringe is certainly a trend that comes and goes, but this season, we saw it presented in a way that finally felt fresh and exciting. Starting off with the much-talked-about Bottega Veneta fringe coat and ending with Prada's fringed suiting spectacular, this frilly confection has proven its value across all major categories including eveningwear, handbags, outerwear, and more. And when something trends that hard, you know it's bound to be everywhere in no time at all. 

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Whether you’re firmly on Team Cape or aren’t the biggest fan of the ever-revolving trend—we’ve found it’s usually one or the other—there’s no denying that they’re back for the coming season, and if you ask us, they’re better than ever. There is an abundance of iterations and ways to make them feel right for you, as we saw capes both as standalone outerwear and as part of tops and dresses. Our parting advice? Just go for it.

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